6th Meeting - November 5-7, 2004

Friday, November 5^th

The Youth Voices Group (YVG) group went to Polatlı in the morning to have a meeting with Kaymakam, Huseyin Eker for gathering information about “Citizen Friendly Government Pilot Project” implemented in the Kaymakamlık. The Kaymakam welcomed the YVG group in his office, gave background information about the project and answered the questions. Moreover, YVG group had chance to visit the Social Solidarity Foundation, Population and Police departments in the Kaymakamlık in order to observe how the new system is working.

Meeting with Huseyin Eker, Kaymakam of Polatli

An evaluation session of Polatlı visit took place at hotel in the afternoon. Some comments on the implementation of the project and interviews in the Kaymakamlık are summarized below:

• “Infrastructure of new system consists of new, electronical technology (such as Q-matic machines, new computers etc.)”
• “Design of the offices are more comfortable and relaxing comparing with other public offices in other state buildings.”
• “Services are much faster in Population department due to new technology.”
  “The implementation of the project seems to be based on more individual iniative than institutional one.
• “Only technical improvements are not sufficient for successful governance.”
• “It is nice to see such a modern system to be set up in a town.”
• Technical infrastructure of offices is changed but the traditional official mentality is kept the same.”   
• “Feedback system to the project is not working properly.”
• “Working method within the Social Solidarity Foundation looks good and efficient.”

Some activities in which Youth Voices members were involved till this meeting are written below:

• Gülcan,İlhan and Orçun  attended “Sarajevo Meeting” which was held by The World Bank in collaboration with European Youth Forum and WOSM in September.YVG Turkey made a presentation there.
• Gözde attended The United Nations Meeting; “Youth and Governance”
• Kenan Karakoç attended EURO-MED Training Course in France last October.
• Kenan Doğan attended Contact Making Seminar in Strasbourg, France between 12-17 October 2004.
• Serhan took part in Olympics in Athens as volunteer.

Two representatives of  Microsoft, Heba Ramzy and Seniz Ciftci met the group and talk about Social Responsibility Programs of Microsoft. Mrs. Ramzy and Çiftçi gave background information about how Microsoft support NGOs. The group and the representatives also discussed about possible partnerships between Microsoft and YVG concerning future project proposal of YVG. Microsoft can provide Advanced Information Technologies (IT) Training Course to YVG members.

After the meeting with Microsoft, John Innes gave a short lecture on report-writing to the group.

Saturday, Nov 6^th

Each Working Group (WG) explained about what they did until this meeting with following order: Employment, Education, Rural Devlopment and Governance. They stated also what kind of difficulties they had experienced while working such as communication problems within the groups etc…
 
Then, Mr. Arsev Umur Aydinoglu made a short presentation on Development Market Place Competition of the World Bank. Individual or NGOs’ project proposals can be  submitted till the deadline, January 14^th, 2005.

After coffee-break, YVG members came together and started to work on their separate WG reports. Moreoever, new coordinators of WGs were determined  at the beginning of WG working session. According to this, new coordinators of WGs are stated below:

• Governance WG: Gözde Dizdar
• Rural Development WG: Adnan Kobazoglu
• Employment WG: Mehmet Turgut Ayzit
• Education WG: Serhan Karatas

In the evening, every group worked on presentations which are summaries of all WGs’ reports.

Sunday, Nov 7^th

Presentations of draft reports of each WGs took place firstly in the following order: Governance, Education, Agriculture and Rural Development, Employment WG.
Then Q&A session followed after each  presentation. 

Presentation of Education WG