New Research from Marmara University: “The Role of Youth Work in Youth Participation in Turkey” Project Launched

 

Supported by the Research Universities Support Program (ADEP), the project aims to reveal the participation experiences of young people on a data-driven basis through fieldwork with 1500 youths in Istanbul and Şanlıurfa, focus group meetings, and Delphi method applications.

The first meeting of the project titled "The Role of Youth Work in Youth Participation in Turkey," conducted under the scope of the Research Universities Support Program (ADEP), has been held. The project is being implemented under the coordination of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Gülerce, one of our institute's faculty members. The research team includes Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zübeyir Nişancı, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Azize Aslıhan Nişancı, Asst. Prof. Dr. Fatıma Tuba Yaylacı, Asst. Prof. Dr. Arzu Şahin, Asst. Prof. Dr. Özgür Sayın, Maya Bozkurt from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Postdoctoral Researcher Vildan Özertürk Sofu, Harran University MA Scholar Fatma Alkış, and TÜBİTAK Trainee Researcher Ravza Uzun.

The project, lasting 24 months, aims to systematically examine the participation levels of young people in social, cultural, and political processes and to evaluate the transformative role of youth work in these processes.

Objectives
The project is structured around three main axes:
1.⁠ ⁠Understanding the participation experiences of young people from their own perspectives;
2.⁠ ⁠Analyzing the individual (education, socio-economic status, gender, etc.) and social (institutional opportunities, local policy, cultural norms) factors affecting participation;
3.⁠ ⁠Developing concrete recommendations for policymakers and practitioners by revealing young people's future visions and proposals for participation.

Methodology and Field Application
The research incorporates strong quantitative and qualitative components through fieldwork to be conducted in the provinces of Istanbul and Şanlıurfa. A comprehensive survey will be administered to a total of 1500 young people; additionally, in-depth focus group interviews will be held with youth workers and participating youth. The Delphi method will be applied to systematically evaluate the future expectations and participation conceptions of young people, thus allowing for a combined assessment of both individual experiences and expert opinions.

During the research process, quantitative data will be analyzed using advanced statistical techniques; qualitative data will be explored in depth through descriptive and thematic analysis. Principles of ethical approval, participant consent, data privacy, and anonymization will be strictly adhered to during the data collection and analysis processes.

Collaborations and Role Distribution
The project is conducted under the coordination of the Marmara University Institute of Population and Social Research, and support will be received from various institutions and organizations for fieldwork. Furthermore, joint studies are planned with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, General Directorate of Youth Services, for policy development processes. The domain expertise and practical experience provided by these institutions will enable the research to produce both scientific and policy-oriented outputs. Supporting institutions will also offer assistance in data collection, field logistics, and the mobilization of local stakeholder networks.

The research team plans to organize application-oriented events (workshops, policy roundtables) to ensure the findings are used by local and national policymakers, non-governmental organizations, and youth workers. The project also aims to generate data that will guide the preparation of an EU project application.

The findings and field experiences obtained from the project will be shared regularly. You can follow our institute's website and social media accounts for new analyses, publications, and event announcements.