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Çigdemim neighbourhood association in Turkey: What the Big Society can achieve without any government funding


Outcomes

The neighbourhood association has improved the quality of life of its members who feel rewarded and content that they can help fellow citizens. Moreover, board members believe they have evidence that the association has been successful in improving social cohesion. For example, the nine students from disadvantaged families who are supported by the association are now in their third year at university and are expected to gain a university degree in 2011.

Other anecdotal evidence on the outcomes of Çigdemim Neighbourhood Association includes:

 

Funda Sirakaya turned down a move to a more luxurious and modern apartment which her parents owned in a close-by neighbourhood in Ankara  because  she thought so highly of Çigdemim neighbourhood association and there was no neighbourhood association in that area.

 

Sinem Toprak, one of the students receiving a scholarship, is studying Spanish at the University and also teaching Spanish as a volunteer at the association. Through her involvement in the Association she got an opportunity to meet the authorities at the Spanish Embassy. This resulted in her recently being invited to a ‘training the trainers’ course for teaching Spanish.She anticipates that both the experience and the certificate she obtained in this course will help in her further studies.



About this case study
Main Contact

Asuman Selçuk

Executive board member, Çigdemim Neighbourhood Association


email:

dernek@cigdemim.org.tr


 

Sinan Özden

Public management consultant


email:
msinan.ozden@gmail.com

 

Asuman Selcuk provided Governance International with this case study on 10 December 2010.

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