Kesisim Research Community

BACKGROUND AND MOTIVATION Kesişim Research Collective was founded by a group of university students from different academic backgrounds, including Law, International Trade, Psychology, International Relations who came together with a shared interest in youth participation and interdisciplinary cooperation. The initiative was established in response to the increasing need for participatory learning, critical thinking, and youth-led initiatives beyond formal education. The members believe that complex social, economic, and political challenges cannot be effectively addressed from a single disciplinary perspective, and that meaningful youth participation requires spaces where young people can actively contribute, exchange ideas, and co-create solutions. MAIN AIMS AND OBJECTIVES • To strengthen meaningful youth participation by enabling young people to actively engage in decision-making processes, civic dialogue, and democratic life at local, national, and European levels • To promote interdisciplinary cooperation among university students as a tool for addressing social challenges and developing innovative, youth-led solutions • To empower young people with key competences such as teamwork, leadership, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving through participatory and experiential learning methods • To actively support social inclusion, equality, and intercultural dialogue, ensuring the involvement of young people from diverse social, cultural, and educational backgrounds, including those with fewer opportunities • To reduce the gap between academic knowledge and real-life societal challenges by encouraging young people to transform theoretical knowledge into concrete civic actions and initiatives VOLUNTEERS Kesişim Students Initiative is supported by a dedicated volunteer team consisting of 5 active volunteers from different academic faculties. This interdisciplinary structure allows the organisation to approach youth work from diverse perspectives and to design inclusive and innovative activities. Volunteers play an essential role in the implementation of activities by contributing to the organisation and coordination of events, dissemination of project results, facilitation of workshops and meetings, as well as follow-up and evaluation processes. Through their active involvement, volunteers also develop practical skills in project management, teamwork, and international cooperation. DISSEMINATION AND VISIBILITY Dissemination and visibility of project results are ensured through a comprehensive and multi-channel communication strategy designed to reach both direct target groups and the wider academic and youth communities. Dissemination activities include social media posts and digital campaigns to increase online visibility, the use of university networks and student clubs to reach students from various faculties, and public presentations and information sessions to share project objectives and outcomes. In addition, reports, visual materials, and activity summaries are prepared and shared with partners and relevant stakeholders to ensure transparency, accountability, and long-term impact. MOTIVATION AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP Kesişim Students Initiative is highly motivated to cooperate with international partners, as international collaboration is seen as a key factor in improving the quality and impact of youth work activities. Through international partnerships, Kesişim aims to exchange good practices in interdisciplinary youth work, enhance the quality of youth participation activities, and provide international learning opportunities to students from different academic backgrounds. Moreover, such cooperation supports the promotion of European values, solidarity, active citizenship, and intercultural understanding. We strongly believe that diversity in academic backgrounds and cultural perspectives is a strong asset in creating innovative, inclusive, and sustainable youth projects with long-term impact.