Bellesan, commonly pronounced Beylesen, is a Turkmen from Syria. She came to Turkey back in 2013 and has since been continuing her education. At the moment she's a junior majoring in psychology. She first become a member of Istanbul&I in the summer of 2022 as a Language Exchange Event Officer, and shortly after she became the event's manager.
Here’s her reason behind why she started volunteering at Istanbul&I:
"When I think of volunteering I always think of helping the people in need, which is what we do in Sokak Lambası, but unexpectedly I ended up volunteering in a different area: social inclusion and empowering the youth. As to how I learned about Istanbul&I; one of my classmates told me about it and I was intrigued as I very often feel the need to have such a space in my life where everybody respects each other. And that's what I felt I'd find in Istanbul&I, that was my first impression of it, which led me to give it a go. Although my first motivation for volunteering in Istanbul&I was to add it to my CV, as time went by I found myself enjoying it. Which is the purpose behind volunteering: helping others without any enforcement from another, and enjoying it to the fullest to be able to do it continuously.
I have to say, it can be hard at times; managing one of the most liked events at the NGO. I wouldn't say I'm a people person either, I don't like leading. But I have mentioned this to friends from the NGO, and I found this experience helpful in allowing me to overcome a part of my fear against change and getting out of my comfort zone. As well as being able to build some leadership experience. I'm not sure if I helped the NGO in a major way, but I can confidently say I tried my best with the tasks I was handed. And not to brag, but I did hear from a few that I was doing well without anyone in a higher position needing to worry about how I do at my position.
I'm not good with managing my goals or how to go about realizing them but I've decided to leave my position as LEE manager. However, I will still continue as a volunteer, and if I'm given the chance; I'm willing to try out in a different position at the NGO and hopefully let Istanbul&I achieve bigger milestones. That's it for me. Thank you for reading.”
“Beylesen is an outstanding volunteer who consistently takes initiative and embraces challenges. Her proactive nature and dedication to personal growth have greatly benefited our team. Working with Beylesen has been smooth and hassle-free as she efficiently manages the team and ensures seamless operations.
Beylesen's exceptional event management skills deserve special recognition. She effortlessly takes charge and flawlessly executes LEE events, showcasing her organizational prowess and attention to detail. Her reliability and willingness to take on additional responsibilities make her an invaluable asset to the team.” - Zainab Alqritli, volunteer at Istanbul&I.
