PERGEL (Positive Teenager Development) Project
The PERGEL project, which was developed by Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Kağıtçıbaşı and her research team and aims to support the social and emotional development of children in early adolescence, was updated in the 2023-2024 academic year by a research team led by Nazlı Baydar and Ayfer Dost-Gözkan, including Özyeğin University graduate and undergraduate students, and a new version including earthquake first aid modules was developed. In Istanbul, work was carried out with Şişli Municipality, Ataşehir Municipality, Sarıyer Municipality, Esenyurt Municipality, Association for Supporting Contemporary Life and Education Volunteers Foundation. As of June 2024, the PERGEL program reached 1,314 adolescents with 222 interns from universities in Istanbul and Izmir. Of the 222 interns, 60 were OzU Psychology students and 3 of our graduate students served as supervisors in PERGEL. Our master’s graduate carried out the field coordination of the practices carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Family and Social Services in earthquake-affected cities in Southeastern Anatolia.