On 31 May-1 June 2025, we held the Process Evaluation and Roadmap Camp in Samsun, the final event of our Local Advocacy Academy (YSA) project. The project was implemented in partnership with the International Youth Quest Association, the Association for Visually Impaired People in Education, and our association, with the support of the Sabancı Foundation.

The camp brought together 20 young people with and without disabilities who had participated in the project and, over the past year, had been trained to deliver local advocacy workshops on disability rights. Throughout the camp, we shared an inclusive, inspiring, and transformative learning experience while proudly celebrating the graduation of the first cohort of the Local Advocacy Academy.

Through group work, role-playing activities, simulations, and presentations, participants reflected on every stage of the project, evaluated their learning outcomes, and exchanged experiences. Together, we reflected, created, and explored ways to strengthen the impact of our work.

An important part of the programme was dedicated to discussing the future of the Local Advocacy Academy. Together with the young participants, we explored its long-term strategy, sustainability, and future development, while generating new ideas on how to empower young people to become stronger and more effective advocates for disability rights in their local communities.

This camp was not simply the closing event of a project; it marked the beginning of a new chapter. It represented an important step towards building a more just, inclusive, and equal society for everyone.

Stay tuned for the next chapter of the Local Advocacy Academy and its upcoming activities!