Unique:ID

The Unique Ideas Club is a conceptual framework built on consensus. Consensus can be defined as an agreement among members of a group, community, or society on fundamental social values. In sociology, some thinkers emphasize consensus as the foundation of social stability. These authors believe that in all societies that have endured over a long period, there exists a "common value system" comprised of consensual beliefs adopted by the majority of the population.

Values are judgments of worth. They are the building blocks, the seeds of life, and social norms within the fabric of society. Value judgments, which carry the elixir of life, are also the reasons behind the advancement or backwardness of societies. People derive their life force from these principles; they derive their ideals, purposes, and goals from these values. Just as our lives are shaped by our values, individuals may dedicate or even sacrifice their lives for these values when necessary.

Value judgments are not unknown entities. However, most of us often fail to attribute the significance they deserve; we do not investigate how life can be built upon these value judgments, or even show curiosity about them. We may believe that we wholeheartedly embrace our values, but we fail to utilize them as guidance when regulating our personal or social lives. We do not establish hierarchies among them, nor do we contemplate much on priorities. Yet, if we genuinely believe in them, value judgments are our beliefs. They are the essence, the yeast of our beliefs. Our desires, aspirations, and longings are hidden within them. Therefore, just as we value our existence, we must also value these value judgments.

The development of this perspective can be attributed to the renowned French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau and his work "The Social Contract." The Social Contract, written by Rousseau in 1762, asserts that the best method for establishing a political system is through a social contract. In the first chapter of the book, the author explained why he wrote it by stating, "If I were to be a legislator or ruler, I would not waste time writing about what needs to be done; I would either do what needs to be done, or remain silent." He articulated the problems faced by commercial society in his work "Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men" (1754). Rousseau argued that although people are born free, they encounter obstacles everywhere. "The solution presented by the Social Contract is the need for a form of participation that will entirely defend and protect the life and property of each participant, along with the collective power created... Each participant in this partnership, while uniting with all other participants, still remains as free as before to submit only to his own will and to remain as free as before joining the partnership." This is the problem the Social Contract offers a solution to. The ruler has no power other than legislative power within the framework of the law. Law reflects independent and general consensus.

In short, the Unique:ID project is developed based on this approach. It aims to foster young people's sharing of their own ideas and criticisms on a common value system and encourages them to create, think, and develop not only for their own societies but also for different societies. The project targets individuals aged 15-30 without discrimination based on race, language, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Every individual within the specified age range is free to participate and express their opinions freely without offending individuals' national and spiritual beliefs.

In the Republic of Turkey, with the first article of Law No. 6701, the protection and development of human rights, ensuring the rights of individuals to equal treatment, preventing discrimination in benefiting from legally recognized rights and freedoms are aimed. In this context, disadvantaged and advantaged individuals protected by law are equal at all times, and any contrary behavior is unacceptable.

Youth participation is the process of involving young people in decisions that affect their lives. This process includes education, health, settlement, employment, and democratic participation. The most important area for us regarding youth participation is Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). In recent years, some young people, especially those in higher education, have been voluntarily involved in CSOs, participating in social, cultural, and environmental activities. Describing this form of participation as a way for young people to be effective in decisions concerning themselves would not be accurate.

Even volunteer individuals and organizations working in the field of youth have not been able to unite on a common ground focused on solving youth problems; this inability to unite is one of the most significant obstacles to formulating holistic policies and solving problems.

The club is open to collaboration with all youth organizations accessible under European Union youth projects. Different and unique ideas will come together, focusing on achieving the most comfortable results possible.

In this context, the organizations that will come together within the club will have accepted certain ethical rules. Because Unique:ID aims to achieve a certain level of quality; It aims to produce ideas within the framework of common rules.

Furthermore, its specific objectives are as follows:
• To lead young people to participate in governance at all levels of education and employment, to develop themselves and their creativity, to research their problems, find solutions, and provide support, to raise individuals as people who have democratic values, attitudes, and behaviors,
• To make them more effective in areas such as world peace, environment, and social development. Thus, contributing to international understanding, cooperation, and world peace,
• To respect human rights and support them,
• To take part in social development aimed at providing the most efficient conditions for the full development of humanity,
• To carry out functional and professional or amateur project-based art, research, education, and culture studies,
• To develop local, national, and international partnerships, create platforms to achieve long-term common goals,
• To integrate individuals with limited opportunities into society due to reasons such as inability to access information, socio-economic deprivation, lack of foreign language knowledge, physical or mental disabilities,
• To help Turkish youth, who will come together with young people from all over the world in international activities, introduce Turkish culture and people and help Turkish youth get to know people and cultures of other countries,
• To organize activities using both widespread and formal education methods that will benefit society and especially youth and contribute to their social and cultural development,
• To increase the awareness and usability of funds provided by international institutions and to support and advise individuals, NGOs, SMEs, institutions, and formations that want to use them,
• To instill in young people a sense of voluntarism and active participation.

Through collaborations with all countries accessible during the realization and continuity of this project, we will instill in young people the aim and ideal of acting for the benefit of not only their societies but also different societies. All young people we can reach will have the habit of analyzing, monitoring, and developing ideas towards solutions to problems in different societies and, as a result of this habit, they will be able to develop comprehensive social development projects and be inspired.

This project is founded in collaboration with Rural African Matters located in Kenya.