Volunteering

[edeller]

With my new holiday home purchase in Gumusluk going through obviously I plan to spend as much time out there as possible.

Id love to get involved with some charity/fundraising/volunteer work there every now and again. Anything to help local people or animals. Would also be keen to help children with special needs being the mother of a boy with Autism.

Anyone know of some organisations which may need an extra pair of hands?
Emma
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[yalimart]

Originally Posted by edeller

With my new holiday home purchase in Gumusluk going through obviously I plan to spend as much time out there as possible.

Id love to get involved with some charity/fundraising/volunteer work there every now and again. Anything to help local people or animals. Would also be keen to help children with special needs being the mother of a boy with Autism.

Anyone know of some organisations which may need an extra pair of hands?
Emma
x

HI

Have a look at the Yalikavak Street Animal's website.....I would imagine they would appreciate any help you can give them

Yalıkavak Animal Welfare Group

Martin & Linsey

[immac]

Make sure you do your work under a registered charity. Voluntary work with children will be viewed with suspicion if you are doing work that might provide employment for a local. Worst case scenario, if they suspect you are working, is deportation.

Ian

[edeller]

Originally Posted by immac

Make sure you do your work under a registered charity. Voluntary work with children will be viewed with suspicion if you are doing work that might provide employment for a local. Worst case scenario, if they suspect you are working, is deportation.

Ian

Just thinking of helping out somehow, wont be misconstrued Im sure
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[Akasya]

Originally Posted by edeller

Just thinking of helping out somehow, wont be misconstrued Im sure
x

Immac has offered you excellent advice, when the calls to the police / zabata go in, you won't get the chance to explain, how you gonna prove you did not get paid ?. Is your spoken Turkish good enough to converse at length ? But as long as you are sure ???

Steve.

[shirleyanntr]

Hello Emma.....i agree with the above posts..the concept of voluntary work or charitable work is not seen in the same way as in the 'West'..and in general when foreigners come here and immediately want to get involved in projects of 'helping ' they can be seen as trying to change things.
When youve been here some years and appreciate the local culture and can speak the language then you can see how the land lies in your part of Turkey.
Recently two women were deported from Marmaris for 'helping'' in a school..the British press had a field day oohing and ahing... their reports were completely false...so you have to be careful

[edeller]

Wow, thats scary! And theres me thinking Id give something back to the community!
Thanks for the warnings, will tread very carefully.
Emma

[shirleyanntr]

Hi again Emma.....not scary at all..just common sense....be yourself and get involved with Turkish people as a good neighbour that way you will be accepted..no need to be a Knightess on a white charger.

[ChrisBobs]

Emma
the responses here are a bit too negative! There are a lot of people doing volunteer work in Bodrum area with registered charities and for a long time without hassle, and more so - welcomed!
- as Martin says there are the Animal Welfare groups
there are the childrens education support charities,
the volunteers at Turgutreis Disabled Centre have been working for years and welcome more.
there will be more
- if Shirley says there was a report about the women from Marmaris, then that sounds too sad, but note they were volunteering where it is "work situation" - it is better to be identifed as a volunteer by a registered recognised charity group.
It is well worthwhile and will be a way of meeting some good caring Turkish folk too.

[lara]

Hi Chris

I don't think it's about being negative, but we all need a reality check from time to time, and each city, town and village has its own agenda.

Better forewarned than sat on a aeroplane wondering where it all went wrong.

I have always listened to people who have lived in Turkey for a long time, their experience of all things Turkish, the good and bad is always worth listening to.

I did notice in Shirley's post that she did say that common sense should help on occasions like this, to me that sounded like good advice.

I don't think we should be influencing anyone's decisions based on our negative views, but we should definately be advising caution wherever we can forsee problems.

Hope I haven't waffled, again!