This report will be presented at the Turkish Connections Platform Coordination Group Meeting on 24 January 2014.

1. Turkish Connections
Platform
STATUS REPORT
24 January 2013
S

2. Agenda
S Project Status Update & Spokesperson, Editor and Project Manager Nominations
by each group Moderator | 18.30-19.00
S Project Management and Tracking
by Gokhan | 19.00-19.15
S Best Practice Sharing - Coaching & Career Development & Job Seeker
Framework
by Bahar, Begum and Philippe | 19.15-19.30
S TCP Kick-Off Dinner Party & International Women's Day - March 7th
by Mustafa | 19.30-20.00
S TCP Logo Competition
by Mustafa | 20.00-20.10
S Any other business | 20.10-20.15

3. TCP Coordination Group Organization
Spokespersons Editors Moderators
Name, Surname Name, Surname Name, Surname Name, Surname Name, Surname Name, Surname
Responsibilities Responsibilities
Name, Surname Name, Surname
1. Main contact for coordination 1. Define the rules and
of all internal group activities. procedures for contributing Responsibilities
2. Prepare and communicate the the TCP blog.
meeting agenda in 2. Upload and manage the 1. Facilitate the group
consultation with other approved content on the discussions within the
thematic group moderators. platform. Thematic Groups.
3. Representation of TCP in 2. Prepare the post meeting
external relations (i.e fund Two Editors from each Thematic Group report and communicate it to
raising, public relations, all group members.
Media etc..)
Still open for applications
Two Spokespersons from each Thematic Group (one male, one female)
Active track of participation
Selected for semi-annually (Period 1: Jan-Jun, Period 2: Jul-Dec)

4. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Group
Spokesperson candidates: Ozge Kucuk, Cagri Caylak, Oluş Kayacan
Editor candidates: Yunus Emre Severoğlu, Merih Pasin
S Project 1 - Setting-up an “Entrepreneurial Training Program” for start-up
or small enterprises (Project Managers: Muge, Gokhan, Emre S.)
S Project 2 - Coaching & Career Development & Job Seeker Framework
(Project Managers: Bahar, Begum, Philippe)
S Project 3 - Doing business in Turkey/EU (Project Managers: Memet, Emre
K. + Cagri, Murat in support position)
S Project 4 - Conferences on “New trends in emerging-market innovation”
with a focus on SMEs (Project Managers: Ozge, Idil)

5. Academic Exchange Group
Spokesperson candidates: Zeynep Yanasmayan, Selma Yilmazyildiz Kayaarma
Editor candidates: Remziye Yılmaz, Ahmet Giray
S Project 1- An online database for academics in Belgium who study and
research on Turkey (joint project with IT and Social Media Group) (Project
Managers: Remziye Yılmaz)
S Project 2 - An internet portal to inform Turkish students who plan to study
in Belgium and Belgium students who plan to study in Turkey
(Project Managers: to be nominated!)
S Project 3- Seminars on EU Framework (Horizon 2020) Programs and
Research Funds (Project Managers: to be nominated!) – Joint project with EU
Communications Group
S Project 4- Seminars on Doing Business in Turkey in cooperation with
Ghent Management School (Project Managers: to be nominated!)

6. EU Communication Group
Spokesperson candidates: Laura Battalla Adam, Ekmel Çizmecioğlu, Can Selçuki
Editor candidates: Mustafa Turan
S Project 1 - Introduction to the EU institutions (Project managers: Mustafa
Ulusoy, Murat Seyrek and Laura Batalla Adam)
S Project 2 – Visa Liberalization for Turkish Nationals (Project Managers:
Mustafa Turan and Pınar Erdem)
S Project 3 – Perceptions of Turkey in Europe (Projects managers: Can
Selçuki, Ekmel Çizmecioglu and Dilek Aydin) – Joint project with Academic
Exchange Group
S Project 4 – Role Model Visibility Project (Projects managers: Can Selçuki
and Mustafa Turan)
S Project 5 - Panel Debate on the “Future of the EU and Turkey’s Place”
(Project Managers: Mustafa Osman Turan and Laura Batalla Adam)

7. Events Organization Group
Spokesperson Candidates: Derya Bulduk, Pascale Eyben
Editor candidates: Evrim Taşkıran, Başak Atalay
S Project 1 - The TCP dinner: "Kick-Off Dinner Party" – International
Women’s Day (Project Managers: All Group Moderators)
S Project 2 - "Turkish Music Night" (Project Managers: Evrim Taskiran and
Derya Bulduk)
S Project 3 - Language Conversation Tables (Project Managers: Pascal
Eyben, Belinda, Derya Bulduk)
S Project 4 - Karsu Dönmez Concerts – 2 February in Antwerp, 15 February in
Gent (Project Managers: Pacale Eyben, Aydın Malkoç)
S Project 5 - TCP Picnic (Project Managers: Gamze Erdemir and Suzan Unal)

8. IT and Social Media Group
Spokesperson candidates: Duygu Dikbaş, Aydın Erol, Göksel Manav
Editor candidates: Aydın Malkoç
S Project 1 - TCP Website and Social Media Tools (Project Managers: All
Moderators)
S Project 2 - Database of Turkish speaking IT and ICT Professionals (Project
Managers: Aydın Erol)
S Project 3 – Networking and collaboration among IT and ICT Professionals
in Turkey and Belgium (Europe)
S Project 4 – Training programs for TCP members on IT and Social Media
Skills (Project Managers: Aydın Malkoç)

9. Project Management – Fundamentals
For each activity proposal for your respective project lead,
please make sure you cover the following aspects:
Why? How?
What? (How does this
Who? (i.e Funding, Do
you require When?
(Clear definition of
(Clearly define the project align with collaboration with
roles and (i.e Key
content and our mission? other groups like
responsibilities milestones,
scope of the What are the IT or external
and the targeted Deadlines)
activity) expected stakeholders?
audience)
benefits?) TUSIAD, TURBO
etc…)

10. Project Management – Follow up & Tracking
a standard project tracking & presentation templates will be provided
Project Tracking Project Presentation
For Projects Managers to keep track of the progress To be used in
i.e % project completed, subtasks, diffr. volunteers Monthly Coordination Group meetings
on the projects, key milestone achievements, Monthly Thematic Group meetings
deadlines External Presentations (to be revised after the
logo)

11. Best Practice Sharing
Coaching & Career Development & Job Seeker Framework (1/2)
Clear Objective (Why?)
Project Objective: Objective of this project is to establish a forum for the new to Belgium as well as
longer accommodating Turkish people to provide the support they need via coaching, training and
orientation packages.
Targeted Audience (Who?)
Activity Proposal #1: 1-1 Coaching Sessions
 Idea is to bridge the people who would need coaching and the people who would like to give coaching on a diverse
range of topics.
 We will be giving a short explanation on the website about the 1-1 coaching framework and provide our contact
details for volunteers.
 A template will be used to capture the background from these people and we will be matching the coach and
coaches (Bahar to form an initial template)
 After the matching is done it will be under the responsibility of the coach- coachee to arrange the coaching session
details.
 There needs to be rules set-up for the coaching sessions as well as recognizing the coaches. (Philippe will be
sharing a proposal for rules)
 For recognizing the coaches, we will need to discuss later how to do this assessment; ie. face to face short
interview format, template, referee…
 We will be asking for feedback from the people who got the coaching session to improve the set-up on an on-
going basis
A clear definition of the content and scope of the activity (What?)

12. Best Practice Sharing
Coaching & Career Development & Job Seeker Framework (2/2)
Activity Proposal #2: Job Search
 Objective is to have an orientation for the Turkish people who are new to Belgium
 The orientation can include an orientation package and 1-1 coaching sessions
 Under the orientation package, we will have a document that captures tips and tricks on the following topics;
 Free formations (language and professional formation checks provided by Actiris in Brussels, VDAB in Flemish region
and Le Forem in Wallonia)
 How to look for a job (employement agencies : Actiris, VDAB, Le forem, interim, web..)
 Work permit, labour rights…
 CV re-write adaptated to Belgium, also where to get them translated free of charge)
 Belgium Turkey agreement in social security (retirement pensions, survivor's pensions (dole right), benefits for
accidents at work…)
 Equivalence of diplomas (How to get one) Collaboration with other stakeholders (How?
Other
 For the orientation document, primarily we will be asking help from lawyers within the TCP group or alternatively from
Fikriye Guzel who is a lawyer for several years and whether she will be willing to help out (Bahar will check)
 We will be defining the timelines and we will get in contact with IT team to see how we can implement our ideas on the
website; regarding the 1-1 coaching session,the orientation document and the job links.
Timeline (When?)

13. TCP Kick-Off Event & International Women's Day
7 March
S Title: “Turkish Connections International Women’s Day Event – 2013”
S Venue: Spirito Brussels (A renovated Anglican Church) – Toison d’Or
S Concept: Revenue to go to a social responsibility project for women in Belgium
(e.g. violence against women)
S “Outstanding Turkish Women in Europe Award – 2013”
S Music performance – e.g. Karsu Dönmez
S Costs: for 250 people between 18.00-01.00 ≥ 10.000 Euro (except catering
and wine)
S Tickets: 30 Euro + We need to find sponspors until mid-February at the
latest!

14. TCP Logo Competition

15. Thank you for participating