19/08/2025
Practical Use of Ecolution Project’s Outputs in Daily Work of Sosyal Empati Eğitim ve Gençlik Kulübü Derneği
Introduction
As an official partner of the Ecolution Project, Sosyal Empati Eğitim ve Gençlik Kulübü Derneği has actively engaged in the implementation and dissemination of the project’s intellectual outputs. Our aim has been to ensure that the results are not only delivered as documents but also tested and applied in the daily practices of youth work in Mersin. Through our activities, the outputs became living tools that supported local discussions, interactive workshops, and awareness campaigns with young people.
- Use of IO1 – Research on Youth Engagement in Combating Global Warming
The findings of IO1 provided essential evidence about young people’s perceptions and involvement in environmental issues in Türkiye. We used the national report to guide the design of our local activities, especially our Multiplier Event, ensuring that discussions with young people were grounded in data rather than assumptions.
Target group: High school students, university students, youth workers.
Specific example: In our Multiplier Event with more than 70 participants, we presented IO1 results through simplified charts and summary slides. Young participants were asked to interpret the findings and to answer the question: 'What specific contributions can young people in Mersin make to address environmental problems?' This turned the research into a discussion tool and inspired locally relevant ideas.
- Use of IO2 – Online Platform for Youth Environmental Initiatives
We employed IO2’s interactive discussion templates during our events and introduced the platform to local youth, encouraging them to upload their initiatives. This created a link between local youth groups and the international dimension of the project.
Target group: University students, local youth associations, young entrepreneurs.
Specific example: During the Multiplier Event, four youth groups used IO2 templates to brainstorm solutions on reducing plastic consumption, adopting energy-saving habits, managing waste, and promoting eco-friendly transportation. Their proposals were then documented and shared through the platform, giving visibility to ideas generated in Mersin on a European level.
- Use of IO3 – Public Awareness Campaign on Climate Change
We integrated IO3 campaign materials into our local awareness activities, both offline and online. The visuals and messages were used in our event spaces and also adapted into social media posts. Young participants were encouraged to design their own awareness materials using the campaign’s content.
Target group: Young volunteers, high school and university students, local NGO representatives.
Specific example: In the Multiplier Event, small groups of young people received IO3 campaign slogans and created their own social media posts inspired by these messages. These posts were shared both on our association’s official accounts and by the young participants, expanding the campaign’s reach within Mersin and beyond.
- Ongoing Efforts in Schools
While the outputs have been effectively used within our NGO activities, integration into formal education remains an important but ongoing goal. We are working with local schools and education authorities in Mersin to:
- introduce IO1 findings into environmental education lessons,
- pilot IO2 interactive activities in school clubs,
- and adapt IO3 campaign materials for use in school-based awareness campaigns.
Although these efforts have not yet fully materialized, they are a priority for us, and discussions with schools are continuing.
Conclusion
Sosyal Empati Eğitim ve Gençlik Kulübü Derneği has made practical use of all three Ecolution outputs. IO1 served as a basis for evidence-based dialogue, IO2 provided interactive and digital tools for engagement and visibility, and IO3 strengthened communication and awareness-raising with young people. Together, these results have become part of our daily work, empowering young people in Mersin to both reflect on environmental issues and take action.
