Why Turkey is a Unique Opportunity 

As part of its 2010 Scale Strategy, DOT is expanding its operations to focus on Southern and Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region. Acknowledging Turkey’s regional prominence, top-tier emerging market economy status and dynamic young population, DOT established a satellite office in Istanbul in 2005.

As the hub for expansion of DOT’s operations in the region, DOT Turkey will use a Connected Communities and Business model to develop an innovative, performance-driven approach to 21st century community economic development.  This model empowers disadvantaged community members and small business by facilitating access to ICT services and providing ICT-enabled 21^st century business and management training.

DOT Turkey will provide ICT-enabled entrepreneur and small business training, tailored to local needs, through two key programs:

1. ReachUp! : Mobilizing Community Entrepreneurs – aimed at developing the ICT and entrepreneurial skills of community members who are unemployed or underemployed, with a focus on youth and women
2. ScaleUp! : Empowering Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) Growth – targeted at enhancing the ICT and management capacities of existing small businesses.

 DOT Turkey will also employ two key programmatic elements:

•  Strategic Partnership Linkages - DOT country teams will secure formal national, provincial and local strategic partnerships to maximize beneficiary linkages to the following resources: micro-credit, employment (public and private sector), ongoing access to ICT services, and Industry and Government programs (e.g., Industry Associations, business development services)
• Community Voices - DOT country teams will create country teams cmprised of local stakeholders who are responsible for systematically determining needs across beneficiaries and bringing awareness and action to these needs at a local, national and global level.

Impact

DOT Turkey acts on an opportunity to bring Turkish people and technology together to build on Turkey’s fundamental assets – a young, well-educated population, a dynamic small business sector, and tremendous entrepreneurial spirit.  This program contributes to the momentum of Turkey’s own national strategies to empower disadvantaged groups by building income-generation opportunities and to stimulate small business growth, workforce development and community economic development.  The DOT Turkey Connected Communities and Business model will build a replicable program that engages community and national needs through partnerships.

In addition, DOT’s planned programming in Turkey offers a unique opportunity for Canadian companies to contribute to workforce and community economic development in Turkey – inspiring citizens and small businesses to learn how to create opportunities for themselves – to generate income, grow their business and implement community projects.  In parallel, DOT’s track record in leveraging relationships at the community and national level can help to strategically position Canadian companies in the Turkish market.  

What’s Next 

Planning for DOT Turkey is currently underway, with a proposed pilot program launch in late 2008. 

DOT is currently in discussions with leading Canadian private sector companies and international organizations active or interested in the Turkish market to join the new DOT Turkey program as corporate stakeholders and sponsors.