Active Life Association (Hareketli Yaşam Derneği )

Hareketli Yaşam Derneği (Active Life Association) is a civil society organization working in the field of youth and sports, with a particular focus on young people with special needs. The association aims to support the physical, social, and psychological development of young people through inclusive, movement-based, and participatory activities. The organization is academically guided by Prof. Dr. Cenk Temel, who is a faculty member at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, bringing strong academic expertise and a scientific perspective to the association’s work. The association carries out its activities in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Türkiye, primarily implementing its programs in Antalya and Ankara. Within this framework, the organization develops and delivers youth-oriented activities such as inclusive sports programs, awareness-raising initiatives, active participation workshops, and support activities specifically designed for young people with special needs. Although Hareketli Yaşam Derneği is a newly established organization, the core team behind the association has been working together for approximately 15 years on a voluntary basis. This team has extensive hands-on experience in the field, actively engaging in youth work, community-based activities, and sports-oriented social inclusion projects. Over the years, the team has gained significant expertise in working directly with young people, particularly in empowering young people with special needs through sport, physical activity, and social participation. The decision to formally establish the association emerged from the team’s long-term collaboration, mutual trust, and shared values. After many years of informal and project-based cooperation, the team identified the need for a more structured, sustainable, and institutionalized framework to increase the impact and continuity of their work. As a result, Hareketli Yaşam Derneği was officially founded as a natural continuation of this long-standing collective experience. Today, Hareketli Yaşam Derneği aims to contribute to the youth field at local, national, and international levels by promoting inclusive practices, active lifestyles, and equal opportunities for young people, while combining academic knowledge with strong field experience.