On May 15, an international online meeting took place between sociology students from Ural Federal University (Russia) and students from the direction of social work from Sinop University (Turkey). The event focused on sharing experiences in education and social adaptation for people with disabilities and senior citizens.
The meeting began with welcoming speeches by:
· Oleg Kolpashchikov (Олег Колпащиков) , President of the "White Cane" organization
· Anna Naronskaya (АннаНаронская), Associate Professor at Ural Federal University
· Abdullah Ishik (Abdullah Işık), Head of the Department of Social Work at Sinop University
The meeting began with welcoming speeches by:
· Oleg Kolpashchikov (Олег Колпащиков) , President of the "White Cane" organization
· Anna Naronskaya (АннаНаронская), Associate Professor at Ural Federal University
· Abdullah Ishik (Abdullah Işık), Head of the Department of Social Work at Sinop University
Students from Ural Federal University presented the results of their research on the effectiveness of games within the "School of Young Masters of inclusion" project. They highlighted how participants with and without disabilities successfully collaborated in teams to create joint projects.
"We observed how people without health limitations showed respect and support. For example, in one team, there was a participant with hearing impairment, and the entire group encouraged them by saying, 'You can do it, go for it!'" shared Alina Mashe (АлинаМаше), a student from Ural Federal University.
Turkish colleagues Dilek Chalik (Dilek Çalık) and Ilayda Sirtkaya (Ilayda Sırtkaya) presented their research on the 'Third Generation University' program, while Hatice Ishler (Hatice Işler) shared findings from a study on nature's impact on elderly individuals.
Participants discussed similarities and differences in Russian and Turkish approaches to inclusion and proposed ideas for joint projects.
Participants discussed similarities and differences in Russian and Turkish approaches to inclusion and proposed ideas for joint projects.
Dilek Chalik, a student from Sinop University, noted that she was impressed by the Russian students' project and emphasized that such concrete initiatives can genuinely help people realize their potential in society. These projects could benefit not only people with disabilities but also the elderly.
At the conclusion of the meeting, all attendees were invited to participate in the "Sails of the Spirit" project, which will take place in Turkey in October 2025.
Special thanks to the organizers:
· Alina Tosun (Alina Tosun), a volunteer from the "Extrability" Movement, who served as a translator and facilitated cross-cultural dialogue.
· Yaroslav Makhtsiev (Ярослав Махциев), a staff member of the "White Cane" NGO, who moderated the meeting.
Special thanks to the organizers:
· Alina Tosun (Alina Tosun), a volunteer from the "Extrability" Movement, who served as a translator and facilitated cross-cultural dialogue.
· Yaroslav Makhtsiev (Ярослав Махциев), a staff member of the "White Cane" NGO, who moderated the meeting.
We thank all participants for their productive work! Looking forward to future joint projects and discoveries!