Mersin Tiyatro ve Yaratıcı Drama Derneği

Mersin Tiyatro ve Yaratıcı Drama Derneği (Mersin Theatre and Creative Drama Association _NGO) was established in 2019 in Mersin, Turkiye. Mersin TIYAD is a youth organization, NGO that aims to drive the development of local youth towards active citizenship and promoting non-formal activities through local, national and international programs. Since 2012, the NGO has been actively involved in youth work as Theatre Kulis team. Since the beginning of 2019, it has decided to work under a corporate roof to work at local, national and international levels. There are 30 members in the 15-52 age group, 8 of which are founding members. There are also volunteer supporters of different ages in cooperation with local institutions networks. Mersin TİYAD is active in our community - working with children, youth and adults from rural parts of the city, poor families, old people, unemployed, refugees, disadvantaged persons, and facing other social problems. In order to realize our objectives, we cooperate with families, local authorities, primary schools, high schools and universities and we develop projects with them. Despite the fact we are just a year-old young organization, the key staff is very experienced in the NGO zone and Erasmus+ program, working in the field for more than 8 years, with very good results, in different positions and departments, among the local NGOs. The cultural activities of our institution were supported by theatre performances and drama workshops especially in the settlements where poor and deprived youth are present. Many different studies have been conducted on the integration of Syrian youth towards vulnerable groups. Mersin is a cosmopolitan city consisting of different ethnic groups coming from internal and external migrations. In the workshops we organize in different parts of the city, we carry out awareness workshops on adapting the youth to society through drama workshops. Theatre and drama activities, performances and festivals are among the activities that enable these young people with low socio-economic status to express themselves. Sign language trainings are provided voluntarily in schools, youth and public education centres for hearing impaired individuals who have difficulty in ensuring the participation of individuals with special education needs into social life.