Impact Communication for Social Change Workshop in Türkiye
In May 2024, I had the privilege of mentoring Zeliha Çürüksulu, a woman from Türkiye, through the American Councils for International Education Professional Fellows Reciprocal Exchange Program. During her time in the U.S., I drew on my connections at The Venture Center, a nonprofit focused on entrepreneurial growth, to help Zeliha navigate the social enterprise landscape in Türkiye more effectively.
Together, we crafted a proposal highlighting the work and research we accomplished, leveraging my communications background, and submitted it to the American Councils. The proposal outlined a trip to Türkiye to lead a workshop and panel on impact communication for social entrepreneurs.
When we learned our proposal, out of hundreds submitted, was chosen for funding, we were overjoyed! On a personal level, I was thrilled to see my good friend again.
In November, I traveled to Türkiye and spent a week exploring Bursa and Istanbul, conducting study visits with organizations like Postane and the Impact Hub. I also facilitated the Impact Communication for Social Change workshop in the Nilüfer Municipality.
This event was made possible through partnerships with The Venture Center, Nilüfer Sosyal Girişimcilik Merkezi, Yekpare Social Enterprise Türkiye, and the American Councils for International Education. With contributions from panelists April Roy, CEO of femPAQ, and Darren Irby, National Executive Director of Brand, Partnerships, and Innovation for the American Red Cross, we hosted a hybrid event for an international audience of more than 70 social entrepreneurs and others interested in the communication dynamics between business owners and their evolving audiences.
