Who We Are

Gelişen Nesil International Education and Development Association is the continuation of a volunteer social initiative started in 2021 by international relations students studying at different universities.

We set out to create a space of solidarity where young people could share ideas, learn from one another and create together. In a short time we went beyond being a community that simply organised events, becoming a youth network where young people can speak up on social issues, take initiative and create change in their communities.

During our first period as a volunteer initiative we carried out 15 local trainings, more than 30 online events and numerous workshops, reaching over 600 young people from different cities. Through partnerships with local youth councils, municipalities, university communities, foundations and private sector representatives, we contributed not only to young people's personal development but also to their more active participation in local and national decision-making processes.

In 2025 we became an officially registered association based in Bursa, carrying our work onto a more sustainable, inclusive and accessible foundation. Today, Gelişen Nesil is an independent, youth-led civil society organisation that aims to grow locally-rooted youth work through national and international partnerships.

We see young people not merely as the actors of the future, but as powerful stakeholders who can shape today's decisions, policies and social transformation. That is why we design our work together with young people, not on their behalf. With our "from youth to youth" approach, we run participatory processes that listen to needs, make different experiences visible and open space for young people to turn their ideas into concrete solutions.

At the centre of our work are young people aged 18–35. Our priority groups include young people facing unequal access to opportunities: women, young people with migration experience, those living in rural areas, and individuals disadvantaged for social, economic or cultural reasons.

Our main fields of work are youth participation and active citizenship, human rights, gender equality, social inclusion, climate awareness, digital and media literacy, disability, volunteering and international youth opportunities. Through trainings, workshops, youth forums, volunteering activities, mentoring, local dialogue meetings and project work, we aim to strengthen young people's access to knowledge, safe spaces for participation and networks of solidarity.

We plan our work inspired by the approach of European youth policies that strengthens participation, connects young people and empowers them to have a say over their own lives and society. In this direction, we care particularly about contributing to inclusive societies, quality learning, access to reliable information and constructive dialogue, and strengthening spaces of participation for everyone.

At Gelişen Nesil, we believe every strong idea that starts locally can reach a wider sphere of impact. Our goal is a youth ecosystem where young people don't just attend activities — they decide, create, are represented, and transform together.