Post-Disaster Digital Youth Project

Disasters leave deep scars not only on physical destruction but also on the emotional, academic, and social lives of young people. This program was developed to support the empowerment of young people affected by the earthquake and to transform them into active, productive individuals for the future.

Target Audience
The program was implemented in Adıyaman, one of the regions directly affected by the earthquake. The program focuses on young people aged 14-19 who have experienced the earthquake. This group, consisting of both male and female students, comprises young people who are trying to cope with the developmental needs of adolescence as well as the psychological, social, and academic challenges created by the disaster.

Many of these young people face multifaceted challenges such as:

  • Anxiety, stress, and loss of motivation,
  • Risk of dropping out of education,
  • Social isolation and trust issues.

The program also aims to reach a wider audience through the families of young people, local communities, and digital content.

Program Approach

The program goes beyond classical education models and is implemented with a technology-supported, experiential, and multidimensional learning approach.

The implementation process is based on the following core components:

  • Psychosocial empowerment:

Emotion regulation, stress management, self-compassion, and mindfulness exercises

  • Academic support:

Motivation, learning strategies, and future planning

  • Social skills:

Communication, empathy, conflict resolution, and collaboration

  • Digital and creative production:

Digital storytelling, social media campaigns, VR (virtual reality) applications, and content creation

 

The program was conducted through workshops, group work, art-based applications, and technology integration, centering on the active participation of young people.

Furthermore, young people were not only participants but also became the subjects of the process as individuals who produce, express themselves, and develop solutions.

Project Objective

The main objective of this program is to:

  • Increase the psychological resilience of young people affected by the earthquake,
  • Support their academic and personal development,
  • Strengthen their social skills,
  • Equip them with the competencies required by the digital age, and most importantly, make them an active part of the social healing process.

The program positions young people not only as individuals receiving support, but also as actors who tell their own stories, produce solutions, and transform society.
 

Project Team

  • Prof. Dr. Özgür Erdur Baker / Project Coordinator, METU, Department of Educational Sciences
  • Uzm. Psk. Dan. Elif Tuğçe Güler / Field Coordinator & VR Technical Support
  • Banu Demirel / Legal and Financial Affairs Coordinator
  • Prof. Dr. Ömer Delialioğlu / Academic Advisor, ODTÜ, BÖTE
  • Prof. Dr. Figen Çok / Academic Advisor, Başkent University, Adolescent Psychology
  • Ercan Doğan / VR Technical Support Specialist
  • Doç. Dr. Murat Topal / Education Specialist
  • Alperen Arslan / Digital Content Production & Field Support
  • Nur Furtun / Education Specialist & Field Support
  • Hamide Merve Doğançay / Education Specialist & Field Support

 

Post-Disaster Digital Youth Project