Group of Young Entrepreneurs from Orphanage (Yurtlu Genç Girişimciler Grubu)

YGG (Group of Young Entrepreneurs from Orphanage) Group founded by young people who grow up at orphanages in 2012. Their starting point is participating in the EU Programmes Action 1.2 Youth Initiatives project implemented in an Orphanage in Tokat, Turkey in 2012 and this inspired them to change the way of things in their lives. As people who are from orphanages faced various issues that put them in difficult and bad situations such as exclusion from their peers, discrimination in the workplaces as well as in educational institutions, etc., YGG wanted to change things were. YGG’s purpose is to enable young people who have graduated from Orphanage (renamed as 'children's homes' or 'children's villages') to shape their lives with initiatives, entrepreneurship and innovation. To combat the hate speech(orphanaphobia), towards young people who are protected and cared for by the state in Turkey and around the world, to make different entrepreneurship models available to young people in orphanage, contributing their vision, and eventually and hopefully create a policy that will prevent their exclusion from the society as well as encourage them to engage with the society. Young people staying in these dormitories are employed various state institutions (Social Security Institution, Tokat GOP University, Governorship, Ministry of Family and Social Policies (ASPB) etc.), YGG consists of successful young people who are still in the beginning of their professions, and/or continue their education in their universities such as Aegean University, Bilkent University, Istanbul University. As a result of the regular meetings held by YGG, the plan is to transfer the work done from theoretical to practical dimension. Therefore, we will spend these resources on improving the quality of activities by raising funds from grant programmes, especially EU projects. YGG have 20 active volunteer young people who have been or are still staying in children's homes (orphanage) and 4 volunteers/mentors experienced in EU Projects. Moreover, we also cooperate with the Provincial Directorate of The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services in Tokat where there are 2 volunteer teachers working there. Especially Kemalettin Eryılmaz who works as an administrator at ASPB and has been responsible teachers at Tokat Orphanage, Güngör Yuce and Duran Özlü co-founder of the Coordination Center for Children's Homes. are mentors to YGG. YGG is an informal volunteer group organized by young people and working for young people. YGG’s experience: - Participate You are My Future EU Youth in Action Program Action 1.2. Youth Initiative Project (2012), - Meetings, local activities and Training on project preparation processes - Entrepreneurship vs Orphans 1.0 | Baby Steps Erasmus+ KA1 Youth Exchange (2018) (Beneficiary) - Entrepreneurship vs Orphans 2.0 | YouthDrama Erasmus+ KA1 Youth Exchange (2019) (Beneficiary) YGG worked more actively in the last 3 years and has gained experience in local activities and international projects. Being the target group is youth, in general, and people with fewer opportunities such as people who grow at orphanages in particular, the working areas of YGG are social/entrepreneurship, social inclusion, employment, and fight against hate speech towards people from orphanages. (Orphanaphobia).