From 1999 onwards, since the day it has been founded till now, TIKAV has carried out several different projects but its Personal Development Program (PDP) is truly the first of its kind in Turkey. Within the scope of the PDP, equal opportunity is provided to students who have not had ease of access to educational, cultural, and personal development opportunities due to societal and economic reasons.
The PDP was first opened up in 1999 to students at Elazığ Fırat University. In 2003 it opened up to Van’s Yüzüncü Yıl University; in 2006 to students from the Middle Eastern Technical University, Hacettepe University, Ankara University as well as Eskişehir Osmangazi University. In 2009, TIKAV embraced the mission to provide equal opportunity to educational resources and therefore focused on universities that had completed their tenth year, such as Elazığ Fırat University, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Şanlıurfa Harran University, Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University ve Erzurum Atatürk University. From 2010 onwards, the program is solely delivered at Fırat University.
The purpose of the PDP is to prepare students in the East and South Eastern Anatolian regions of Turkey for life through gibing them life skills. Within the scope of the PDP, different programs are presented and delivered to the students in order to make them individuals who have self-confidence, feel equipped, are lenient towards others, has an awareness of social responsibility, is ready to learn and develop themselves and who are aware of their own skills and abilities.
The PDP scholarship students start in their first year of university and the program continues their fourth year. Their knowledge and skills are enriched through different personal development, foreign language and computer training cultural and artistic programs, volunteerism as well as international and national projects, discussions, and career programs.
In addition, the TIKAV Career Workshop Mentee-Mentor Program is delivered to the students in order to open the doors to professional life and raise awareness about social responsibility. The Program brings together final year TIKAV scholarship students (mentees) and Akfen Holding managers and employees (mentors). Within the scope of the program, volunteers who take part in the “E-Mentorship Training” share their experiences about working life with the mentees through “Mentee Skills Training” and give them ideas about how to create their own career paths. Within the scope pf the program, the mentors and mentees meet via internet, telephone or mail and discuss predetermined themes and topics.
TIKAV scholarship students are also enrolled in the Gold Category of the International Award for Young People. The participants must take part in different sections of the Award such as Skills Development, Physical Recreation, Volunteerism as well as an Adventurous Journey in addition to a Residential Project. After completing these sections, they take part in an Award Ceremony organised by the National Award Authority in Turkey to gain their internationally recognised Certificates and Badges. TIKAV is also one of the Award Centres that delivers the program to students via the PDP.
