Evaluation of the activities of the Presidency of Religious Affairs Youth Coordinatorship in accordance with the opinions of the staff

Youth is one of the most active periods in an individual's life, and in this process, some developmental changes occur in physical, cognitive, and psycho-social development areas. As the individual moves from childhood to adolescence, his mindset, his relationships with himself and his environment, and his approach to the Creator and religion also change. Many things around young people excite and interest them. While the increasing interest of young people makes them knowledgeable about many subjects, it can also bring about undesirable situations in some areas. The unique developmental characteristics of youth may sometimes cause them to take risks and develop faulty attitudes and behaviors. In such cases, organizations are needed that will channel their dynamism in the best way and direct them in line with national and spiritual values. In line with this purpose, the Presidency of Religious Affairs organizes various activities for young people. To achieve this aim, Youth Coordinatorships were established within the Presidency of Religious Affairs. Through the activities coordinated by this unit, we try to reach a common ground with young people. Some of these activities, which have gained momentum in recent years, are planned within the framework of cooperation protocols with various ministries. These activities are not just for the purpose of spending young people's free time; it also aims for young people to develop a healthy identity, socialize successfully and especially their spiritual development. How the youth work carried out by the Presidency of Religious Affairs is seen through the eyes of the personnel carrying out the work and their evaluations of the work in question are very important and play a determining role in the quality and quantity of current and future work. The study carried out for this purpose was conducted using the qualitative research method, and interview was preferred as the data collection technique. Interviews were conducted with 24 personnel working within the Youth Coordinatorships in Amasya province and its districts, and the evaluations made by the participants classified under five themes: "Professional Competencies", "Professional Attitudes", "Implementation Process", "Problems Encountered" and "Suggestions and Expectations". Accordingly, most of the personnel working in the Youth Coordinatorships think that the education they have received is not sufficient for this field of duty, they are not demanding to work in this field of duty, they consider themselves successful in communicating with young people, and they experience some negativities arising from both their own institutions and the institutions they cooperate with during the service they provide. It has been determined that they find it necessary to make some arrangements regarding their workplaces and workplaces within their institutions.