Report - Salto

Bridges for Recognition | Sketching the Framework - Offi cial Opening
21
Framework
Youth work does work !
Thomas Vollner of YES Forum (Youth and European Social work Forum) told the story of
Egemen Ozyay, a man of Turkish origin living in Stuttgart, Germany. Egemen could be regarded
as a “young person with fewer opportunities”, but through participation in youth work, his life
took a positive turn. He is bilingual and now, at the age of twenty, has an apprenticeship as a
graphic designer.
The story of Egemen – or – youth work does work!
When Egemen was twelve years old, Egemen’s Father died in a road accident. Egemen took on a
lot of responsibility in the home, helping to look after his mother and brother. By the time he was
15 he was getting poor grades at school and was beginning to be classed as “disadvantaged. His
sense of being rejected was alleviated by attending youth clubs where he loved to break dance.
It was from a youth worker that he heard about EVS (European Voluntary Service), went to a
seminar and finally successfully applied to volunteer for a year in Manchester, England.
Egemen’s placement was with the Manchester Foyer – a project providing housing and training
for young people in the city. He worked on the reception and “lived-in” at the Foyer. Egemen was
able to develop good relationships both with his placement provider and with the people he lived
with. He was considered professional and easy to talk to. He also had the opportunity to develop
his passion for photography and writing by being invited to write a regular youth column in a
local newspaper and was involved in a theatre play about the Foyer which toured the country;
something he never had the chance to do at home.
Egemen returned home to Germany when his Mother became ill. He took odd jobs for two years
and believes that he would not have managed if he not had the EVS experience to draw from.
He now has a position as an apprentice with a graphic design company – he didn’t have to apply
– he was invited to be trained because of the activities and motivation gained largely through
his EVS project.