Community Volunteers Foundation

Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı (TOG), known in English as the Community Volunteers Foundation, is a Turkish civil society organisation founded on 29 December 2002. It operates as a non-profit foundation (vakıf) with a mission to empower young people aged 17–25 to take initiative and solve social problems through volunteering. Its slogan, "Eleştirmek için değil, değiştirmek için" ("Not to criticise, but to change"), captures its action-oriented ethos. TOG's core activities include social responsibility projects designed and run by young volunteers, scholarship programmes for students in need, internships to build work skills, micro-credit programmes to encourage entrepreneurship, and project financing based on productivity and responsibility. The foundation also runs training programmes, such as the "Beş Anahtar Eğitimleri" (Five Keys Trainings), and organises a biannual national Youth Council (Gençlik Konseyi) that brings together volunteers from across Turkey. According to its official website, TOG has reached over 660,000 young volunteers, accumulated more than 35 million volunteering hours, provided training to over 772,000 volunteers, touched the lives of more than 7.5 million beneficiaries, and awarded scholarships to 10,803 students. It also reports that over 100,000 community volunteers have taken part in disaster response efforts, touching more than 1,000,000 lives. The foundation organises itself through local coordination centres and youth service centres in cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Diyarbakır and Samsun, and works with a wide network of university clubs and communities. TOG partners with corporate brands on sustainable projects, including Head&Shoulders' "Zorbalığı Kafandan At" (Throw Bullying Out of Your Head), Eti's "Sen Gençsin Güç Sensin!" (You Are Young, You Are Powerful!), and Elidor's "Kendi Yolumuzda" (On Our Own Path). These collaborations reflect TOG's role as a bridge between the private sector and youth-led social impact in Turkey. The foundation is a member of the Denge ve Denetleme Ağı (Balance and Oversight Network), a Turkish civil society platform. It maintains a strong volunteer-driven structure, with governance guided by adults but led by young people, and continues to expand its reach through projects focused on education, environment, animal rights, health, democracy and rights.

Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı (TOG) was legally established on 29 December 2002 as a civil society organisation in Turkey. From its inception, the foundation adopted principles of respect for diversity and non-advocacy of any religious, ideological, political or ethnic view. It operates on a volunteering basis, with a target group of young people aged 17–25. The foundation's stated aims include: implementing social responsibility projects under the leadership of young people and the guidance of adults; ensuring the participation, guidance and support of adult volunteers who believe in the synergy young people can create and are willing to invest materially and morally in a social cause; contributing to the formation of a self-confident, entrepreneurial and sensitive youth capable of solving problems in their environment; and raising awareness of social responsibility in society. To achieve these aims, TOG organises itself through local units, mostly university clubs and communities. By 2009, it had over 20,000 community volunteer youth and was organised into 103 units across Turkey. It established Youth Service Centres in Samsun and Istanbul, and Local Coordination Centres in Diyarbakır, Ankara and Izmir. Among its early and ongoing activities are the "TOG ATAK" project, which improves the physical conditions of primary schools; coastal clean-ups and kite festivals; the "Democracy and Our Rights" project, which conducts studies and training at universities; the "My Library" project, which develops public libraries in various provinces; and the "Five Keys Trainings" basic education programme, after which some volunteers are sent to European Union member countries through exchange programmes. A tradition of biannual national coordination meetings, called the "Youth Council" (Gençlik Konseyi), was established after the foundation's first meeting. The 20th Youth Council was held in Istanbul under the hosting of the foundation's management, with a changed concept titled "20th Youth Council – A Youth Gathering". The 23rd Youth Council was planned to be held at Fırat University in Elazığ. Other projects and campaigns listed by the foundation include "Keşf@: Bilinçli İnternet Hareketi" (Conscious Internet Movement), "Küçük Adımlar Büyük Yarınlar" (Small Steps, Big Tomorrows), "Şimdi Okullu Olduk" (Now We Are Schooled), "Gençlere Sağlık" (Health for Youth), "Üreme Sağlığı Akran Eğitimleri" (Reproductive Health Peer Trainings), "Gençler İçin Girişimcilik" (Entrepreneurship for Youth), "Gençlik ve Sosyal Haklar" (Youth and Social Rights), "Alternatif Gençlik Haftası" (Alternative Youth Week), "GençBank", "Geç Değil, Genç!" (It's Not Too Late, Youth!) and "Adrese Büyüteç" (Magnifying Glass on the Address). In the 2020s, TOG continues to mobilise young volunteers. Its official website reports that over 100,000 community volunteers have served in all types of disasters and touched more than 1,000,000 lives. It also highlights corporate partnerships for sustainable projects, such as with Head&Shoulders, Eti and Elidor. The foundation remains a member of the Denge ve Denetleme Ağı (Balance and Oversight Network).

• 2009

  By 2009, TOG had over 20,000 community volunteer youth and was organised into 103 units across Turkey.

• 2002

  Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı (TOG) legally established on 29 December 2002.

• 20th Youth Council held in Istanbul with a changed concept titled '20th Youth Council – A Youth Gathering'.

• 23rd Youth Council planned to be held at Fırat University in Elazığ.

Youth-led volunteering and social impact foundation in Turkey, bridging corporate social responsibility and grassroots youth projects.

• TOG Scholarships

  Scholarship programme for students in need, awarded to 10,803 students according to the official website.

• Gençlik Konseyi (Youth Council)

  Biannual national coordination meetings bringing together volunteers from across Turkey.

• Beş Anahtar Eğitimleri (Five Keys Trainings)

  Basic education programme for volunteers, after which some are sent to EU countries through exchange programmes.

• TOG ATAK

  Project to improve the physical conditions of primary schools.

• Democracy and Our Rights Project

  Project conducting studies and training at universities.

• My Library Project

  Project developing public libraries in various provinces.

1. 1Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı official websitetog.org.tr
2. 2Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı - Wikipedia (Turkish)tr.wikipedia.org
3. 3Toplum Gönüllüleri Foundation - Wikidatawikidata.org