The overall objective of our Social Services Committee is to raise students’ awareness about social service and carry out activities starting at preschool and throughout all grade levels to ensure our students become responsible citizens. Through social service activities, students start perceiving their surroundings and the world from different perspectives. They improve their consciousness and sensitivity regarding social responsibility and social issues. Social service activities also help students become individuals who are willing to do volunteer work for the world they grow up in.
Our school’s social service activities can be grouped under activities on the elderly; disadvantaged groups; environment and the nature; and animals. Students may participate in existing projects or campaigns initiated by governmental or civil society organizations; or they may plan and implement their own social service activities.
All social service activities are structured across disciplines (horizontal) and grade levels (vertical). While planning for these activities, we make sure students are emotionally and mentally prepared for the related social service activity.
Through the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Program, initiated in February 2017 with the leadership of our Social Services Committee, we aim for our high school students to complete their physical development, skill development and social service activities within the framework they have determined. The program encourages students for self-exploration and self-development, gaining self-confidence and self-discipline, entrepreneurship and creativity, taking responsibility, getting to know and understand different cultures, and respecting the nature. The program also allows students to develop their personal portfolios and gain an advantage in university admissions.
Members of the Social Service student club have received four weeks of Volunteering and Social Service training from Yunus Emre Benli from the Volunteer Stories team.