Jan Anton Schierkolk

Fellowship

IPC Fellowship

Granting institution

Period of the Fellowship

August 2020 - August 2021

Project title

Promoting Civic Participation in EU-Turkish Municipal Cooperation

Project description

This project focuses on participatory approaches to Turkey-EU relations and how municipalities and their international partnerships can enable and facilitate them. It will first start with an inception phase, updating and adjusting the following elements, especially according to current COVID19-related challenges and opportunities, and to suitable inclusion of various stakeholders. Supporting structures/programs, examples, and the results of previous and current municipal cooperation will be examined with special attention to civil society and youth involvement. This includes, but is not limited to, EU and/or German government-funded projects, especially in the field of migration. Suitable interlocutors from among involved citizens, civil society organizations, municipalities/mayors and their networks, and institutional supporters of partnerships will be contacted for interviews or other formats of exchange, or may reach out to the project implementer on their own initiative.The findings and ideas will be compiled, disseminated in suitable forms, and discussed (including publically) with various (possible) stakeholders.
The main aims of the project are to facilitate dialogue between stakeholders; to contribute to sound and innovative policy-making working toward participatory partnership promotion; and to create awareness of the challenges, past successes, and future possibilities. Throughout the project, special attention will be paid to reaching out and involving younger audiences as well.

Expertise

Civil Society

Short biography

Jan Schierkolk works as Turkey Project Coordinator for Internationaler Bund (IB), one of the largest non-governmental social service providers in Germany. In this function, he currently focuses mostly on refugee and social cohesion-related projects in Turkey, as well as on linkages to the various services and expertise provided by IB elsewhere. His previous experience with Turkey includes having studied in Istanbul in 2007/2008 and, more recently, having worked on youth participation and social entrepreneurship with a Turkish municipality for 2,5 years. Jan studied and worked in various countries and regions over the past 15 years and holds an MA in International Affairs by the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) in Geneva, and a BA in Governance and Public Policy by the University of Passau. Besides his work, he is active regarding foreign policy with a German political party.