When we started C@rma 2 years ago, our first objective was to provide professional skills on a Pro Bono basis to Turkish Civil Society Organizations. Very soon, we realized that the supporting ecosystem was not present: Turkey ranks very low in the World giving index, there is no culture of volunteering, there is a mistrust towards NGOs, etc. It was not going to work if we were not going to build also that ecosystem....so, armed with patience and courage, we took the road towards building a totally new ecosystem from zero to hopefully be able to fulfill our initial objectives.
We identified founding blocks that need to be present. For each of them, we built events that tackle the specific issues. I want to explain them one by one.
- Visibility: if you don't know anything about a NGO/CSO or the problem they are addressing, you definitively don't feel the need or the desire to support them. Some organisations are well known by name but if you ask anyone what do they really do, most of the us would not know. We need to find opportunity for all the CSOs (especially the small ones) to be visible and explain what they are doing. For that, we launched the Pro Bono drink where every quarter six CSOs can come to explain their activities in 10min. Sometimes, we are also seeing other CSOs, active in the same area, coming to exchange experience and share learning. They dont have neither a similar place of meeting each other. We have also launched the Corporate Pro Bono breakfast where one large Turkish CSO has the opportunity to explain also in 10min what they are doing and their challenges to decision makers from corporate firms.Through the platform, the CSO are also gaining some visibility altough I think this plays more for the more well known ones.
- Transparency: Once you know these CSOs, you want to know more...you go then to their website and their social media accounts. If there you don't find an activity report or information about their financials or their board composition, it will looks strange and you will stop there. Every one of the CSOs C@rma is working with (more than 60) has its profile on C@rma website with all the information in one page. This profile is accessible via one click on their logo. We are also, through Pro Bono project, supporting the writing of activity report or the redesigning of website. Through our discussions with the board of the CSOs, we are all the time emphasizing the importance of being transparent.
- Trust: It looks all nice on paper but it this the reality? How can I do without committing too much at once? We never know of course (and especially not me as a foreigner) but C@rma is giving everyone the opportunity to come to some event just for 1 or 2 hours, speak with the CSOs and assess whether you think they are worth your trust. This could be by coming to the Pro Bono drink or joining one of the speed dating sessions.
- Well scoped projects: you have now found your CSOs and you think you can trust them...what can you do with them? How many potential volunteers have had the experience to come with their skills and finish cleaning up closets or proposing to support but not getting any feedback from the CSO. So, as C@rma, we are spending a lot of time discussing with the CSOs and understanding what their need and when they need it (and how ready they are to work with volunteers). We scoped the project as good as we can to have it ready for potential Pro Bono volunteers being on the platform, on the speed dating or when we propose them to corporate teams.
- Group dynamic: no one likes to start a first experience alone, especially when the persons across the table are not (or we think that) coming from the same environment we are...most of us are scared. So for that, we organise the speed dating sessions where you can offer your skills in a safe environment (a lawyer office generally) together with other probono professionals generally coming from the same environment as you are. We are also giving the opportunity to corporate firms or to high schools to gather 8-10 persons and start a 4 months project all together.
Our pyramid is complete...we are building step by step these founding blocks.
What we need also is the surrounding environment of supportive sponsors like the law firm Baker &McKenzie or the BMW Foundation and its Global Pro Bono network, coworking place like Impact Hub or Bilgi Social Incubation Center, Corporate firms willing to be the first ones to launch these kinds of initiatives in Turkey and more Pro BOno intermediaries like or partner Gonüllüyüz Biz.