Project Name: GOALS Project
Project Duration: 01/07/2024 - 01/07/2026
Donor: MANGO
Location: Istanbul
Implementing agency: Save the Children Türkiye, Mavi Kalem
Operating Sectors: Education, Child Protection, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
Activities: This project aims to strengthen children’s access to education, enhance their well-being through child protection and psychosocial support services, and promote social cohesion. It also supports caregivers and teachers to build a safer, more inclusive environment where children can learn, thrive, and participate actively in their communities.
Key Activities of the Project:
• Conduct focus group discussions and interviews to assess diverse educational needs.
• Provide remedial and Turkish language classes for children.
• Offer educational materials and stationary items and monitor school attendance.
• Facilitate round table meetings with stakeholders on topics that include education access and children’s rights.
• Conduct workshops on the right to education
• Identify and refer children at risk to appropriate protection services.
• Deliver case management, focused psychosocial support, and Problem Management Plus (PM+) counseling sessions.
• Implement safe families' sessions and Gender Based Violence (GBV) workshops.
• Organize I Support My Friends workshops, establish child committees and hold ISMF festivals.
• Support teacher well-being and capacity through the Resilient Teachers Programme.
Criteria: This project targets school-aged children living in Istanbul who face barriers to continuing their education or at risk of dropping out.
At a primary school in İstanbul, 10-year-old Işıl* found new ways to express herself, build stronger friendships, and become a source of support for others through the I Support My Friend initiative, one of Save the Children’s common approaches that aims to prevent peer bullying and teach psychological first aid among children. Her classmate, 10-year-old Erdem*, also took part in the activities and learned how to be less prejudiced towards others. Thanks to I Support My Friend, Erdem discovered how to stand up against bullying and support his peers in difficult moments. Through fun activities and games, both Işıl and Erdem developed important life skills and became more caring and understanding towards those around them. Before the school’s festival, Save the Children organized a series of sessions on bullying prevention and empathy-building. These sessions introduced children to key concepts like recognizing bullying, offering help, and seeking support from adults. The program also aimed to foster social cohesion, creating a safe and inclusive school environment. Işıl shared that her favourite activity was drawing maps of familiar places near her home. She also enjoyed learning how to support her friends emotionally: “When my friend was crying, I learned how to comfort her.” she said proudly. For Işıl, her school has become like a second home, and the activities helped her feel more confident and connected. Özge Demiral / Save the Children Türkiye