LEGACY PROGRAM

Paper Airplanes noticed an increased need for refugees to learn Turkish. Turkey hosts nearly three million Syrian refugees who didn't speak Turkish before crossing the border. Knowing the local language and being fluent in it can greatly help refugees navigate the Turkish legal system, engage with businesses, participate in the local communities, and complete educational goals. To fill this need, Paper Airplanes decided to open the Turkish program in 2016.

Paper Airplanes noticed that students had big dreams that they didn't know how to achieve, and we wanted to support them and help them achieve those dreams. That led to the creation of the Student Advising program. Student Advising mentors worked with the students to help them achieve their educational and employment goals. They helped them find scholarships, write personal statements, and prepare their applications.

Students in the Student Advising program lived all over the world, including Burundi, France, Hungary, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Palestine, Somalia, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen.

Unlike the other programs, the Youth Exchange program wasn’t discontinued but rather merged with the English program. There was an increase in demand from teenagers to join the English instruction program. For safety reasons, Paper Airplanes decided to create a different version in which youths could learn English from others of a similar age. The Youth Exchange program matched high school-aged English students to high school-aged tutors. It was an excellent way for the students to learn English and learn about different cultures. It was also a great way for tutors to learn about other cultures and worldwide events.