Alternative Life Association
Alternative Life Association (abbreviated as AYDER in Turkish) is an organization established to provide alternative services and innovative solutions to respond to the needs of the disabled and disadvantaged social groups. AYDER addresses disability, proposes solutions for those with disabilities and develops a range of innovative and sustainable projects. Our main purpose is to contribute to the vision of an “Accessible Turkey”.
AYDER has taken the necessary steps in achieving the ideal of an “Accessible Turkey” ever since it was founded in 2002. It has developed several innovative and sustainable projects and has become a platform that integrates disabled and socially disadvantaged people into society and enables their economic integration as both producers and consumers.
Even if AYDER was officially founded in 2002, it has planned and carried out numerous innovative projects such as Diving is Freedom (1997), Alternative Camp (1997), Reha Istanbul Fair (2004), Barrier-Free Tourism (2006), and Dreams Academy (2008). AYDER was also the first NGO to sign the UN Global Compact initiative.
Our Values:
- Respect for Diversity
Volunteering
Innovative Solutions
Positive Thinking
Intercultural Interaction
Universal Design
Altruism (Giving and Sharing without Expectations)
Objectives:
To offer a wide range of products and services to everyone via our NGO sustainability model and social corporation approach.
To provide training for promoting social entrepreneurship
To ensure the widespread implementation of our propositions such as the inclusivist entrepreneurial models and respect for diversity in the whole private sector
To ensure the continuity of value creation for a better world with our volunteering opportunities by growing the number of our local and international volunteering programs
AYDER Principles:
Our Partnerships and Co-operations:
Our Team:
Alternative Life Association Executive Board
Ercan Tutal – Chairman of Board and Founder
Serhat Soydan – Vice Chairman of Board
Nermin Tutal – Secretary General
Alper Ateş – Member of Board
Necdet Türköz – Member of Board
Alternative Life Association
Nermin Tutal – Financial Coordinator
Sibel Sadıkoğlu – Finance Specialist
AYDER Project and Department Coordinators
Social Inclusion Band – İlker Balcan
MUME – Ahmet Nebi Şaylan
Dreams Kitchen – Feride Betigül Soydan
Dreams Agency – Serhat Soydan
D-Film – Nermin Tutal
Dreams Academy Kaş – Alper Ateş
Alternative Camp – Alper Ateş
Girls without Barriers – Founder and Project Coordinator: Alper Akça
eyLab – Ercan Tutal
Sorty – Serhat Soydan
Words of Silence – Buket Ela Demirel
Best Buddies Turkey – Project Coordinator: Sercan Duygan
Project Coordinator: Recep Altınordu
Program Coordinator: Fidan Karaahmetoğlu
Success Stories
AYDER won three Bronze Stevie awards at the International Business Awards with Dreams Academy in 2012, where more than 3200 corporations and projects from over 50 countries competed.
Social Inclusion Band was given the Turkey Public Relations Association’s 11th Golden Compass Public Relations Award in the ‘NGOs’ category.
AYDER’s Alternative Camp was selected to the Best Practices in Youth Work by UNDP and British Council.
Dreams Academy Kaş was granted the “The Best Innovative Social Project by an SME” in the 2015, II. Innovative Sustainability Implementations Competition by SKD Turkey.
Dreams Academy was introduced to the world as a pilot project in the context of the event “Innovation Enables” at the UN Meeting on “Disability and Development” held in New York.
Has been selected as one of the top 10 projects in the “This Is Social Europe Innovation Competition” by the EU Commission, among 150 projects from 23 countries.
We won the “Best Practice” award of “Design for All Foundation”; a foundation that is based in Barcelona and recognizes achievements in the implementation of universal designs.