Who we are
GSM- Youth Services Centre was founded in Ankara in 1985 on the purpose of contributing youngsters personal, social

and cultural development and being able to support their active participation to social and economic life. GSM accepts the

youngsters as the resource and the most dynamic part of the community and believes that their active participation to

social life contributes the sustainability and development of democratic social infrastructure. On one hand, GSM tries to

help youngsters cope with challenges for their active participation to social and economic life; while, on the other hand, it

tries to make them understand that life is a system which includes giving as well as taking. GSM struggles for the

development of youth works and policies in order for youngsters to be individuals looking to the future with hope.

All the programs, projects and actions belonging to GSM- Youth Services Centre are dealt with a pedagogical approach in

the framework of main principles of youth work and they stand at the forefront of the works for spiritual, mental, personal

and social development of youngsters.

Our Principles and Values
GSM- Youth Services Centre carries on its work in a democratic, participatory, encompassing, transparent,right-based,

civil and independent way on the basis of universal values.
It is democratic;

• It produces such projects to enable optimum effective participation of youngsters,
• It carries on its work with participatory democracy manner,
• It paves the way for youngsters’ active participation through internal bodies such as commissions,committees etc.
• Resolution process is horizontal and collaborative.

It is transparent;

• The decisions taken, resolution processes and all the activities done are kept under record and shared with internal

• The information produced, means and policies are open for participation and statement of opinion, as well as being

• It is guaranteed in the decisions made that everybody who can be affected by those decisions has effectively

• It is financially and administratively auditable, traceable and accountable.

It is right-based;

• It is based on universal human rights. It interprets the norms of universal human rights by considering the needs of youngsters, it works to develop the rights of youngsters and defends youth rights on this base,
• It determines the problems, needs and expectations of the youngsters on the basis of human rights and reveals the

• In accordance with these determinations, it offers contributions to develop policies for the needs of youngsters and

• It follows the policies concerning the young people in national and international areas and institutions serving to them,

• It works with the aim of determining and eliminating the barriers for youngsters’ active participation to social and

It is participatory,

• Regardless of religion, language, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, socio- economic situation and disability,

• It forms research and work groups, committees and commissions etc. to where the youngsters can be involved thus

• The criteria for participating and contributing to GSM- Youth Services Centre are determined by GSM and they are

Info about the Organisation - general and brief
GENÇTUR is involved with voluntary workcamps since 1979. We are sending around 500 volunteers abroad and receiving 300 annually. Youth Exchanges, international seminars and EVS are the other fields that GENCTUR is in. Our adult

workcamps are open to 18+, without upper age limit. But we also have camps for only 35+, camps for families with children

and teenagers. Camp language is English. Most of the camps offer a close contact with the locals. Mostly, all volunteers

meet in GENCTUR office in Istanbul on the first day of the camp and travel together with the camp leaders to the camp site. Apart from the short term camps, we have 3 MTV projects.

Workcamps Programme - Brief description, Size of programme & important features
Age Limit : 18-99 for Adult Camps / 14-17 for Teenage Camps / 0-99 for Family camps
52 short term camps , 3 MTV projects, Camp Language : English

Special projects (teenage, seniors, family camps..)
1 Family Camp / 4 Teenage Camps / 1 Yoga Camp / 1 Short Film Camp for teenagers /
4 Traditional Turkish Food & Handycraft Camp / 3 Festival Camps / 6 English Teaching Camps / 10 Consecutive camps /

10 camps for small groups / Several social projects to work with kids and the local youth / 1 Senior Camps / 1 group camp / 1 biking camp / 1 Ramadan camp.
3 MTV projects :GEN-MTV1 & GEN-MTV2 with disabled people. / GEN-MTV3 camp leading.