Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality provides training in 15 disciplines at DİSMEK, from music to textiles.
Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality is delivering training to 274 residents across 15 different courses under its Arts and Vocational Training Courses (DİSMEK), including music, textiles, painting, hairdressing, and stone craftsmanship.
The Municipality’s Social Services Department continues its work to enhance residents’ vocational skills and support production. In this context, training has begun at DİSMEK’s Göletli Park and Sümerpark centres, operating under the Lifelong Learning Unit. Delivered by specialist instructors, the courses are open to residents aged 16–65 and cover a wide range of fields, including music, hairdressing, skincare, stone craftsmanship, textiles, fashion design, handicrafts, wooden toy-making, painting (visual arts), fine arts (music), university entrance preparation, vocal training, bağlama, wicker basket weaving, and felt-stuffed toy-making. Sessions run every weekday and will be completed after three months.
Support for employability
Speaking about the courses, Serap Çapraz, Head of the Lifelong Learning Unit, said that the year-round training offers participants the opportunity to develop their abilities. She said: “As the Lifelong Learning Unit, we provide vocational training courses for individuals aged 15 and over. Our courses include vocational activities such as textiles, skincare, hairdressing, handicrafts, bağlama, vocal training, stone working and basket weaving. Our aim is to ensure that women and young people can access services in this area. These courses both strengthen people’s social skills and, even indirectly, contribute to employability.”
Traditional crafts at risk of disappearing are being kept alive
Çapraz noted that, through the stone-working and wicker-basket workshops, they are carrying out activities aimed at reviving traditional occupations that are gradually being forgotten.
‘This is the best place to improve myself’
Participant Esmanur Tanla said she came to the centre as a hobby. “We come here to develop traditional crafts that are at risk of being forgotten and pass them on to the present day. Here, we work on basket-making and try to improve our manual skills. In addition, I also attend the hairdressing course here. I think this is the best place to improve myself,” she said.
‘It has added so many new things to us’
Cemile Çetinkaya, a participant in the pattern-making (modelling) course, said she had taken part in several trainings at the centre and continued: “Not only in the pattern-making class—I’ve attended many courses here; it has added a lot to us. We can draft the pattern for the model we want; at the same time, we can sew it, wear it, and dress others in it. Our classroom environment and our trainers are very good. Clothing is already my own field—there’s no limit to learning, and there’s no limit in fashion; trends are constantly changing. This place has brought us many new things. We are learning the theory of the work.”
‘I learned how to draft sewing patterns’
Another participant, Ümit Özmen, said he joined the course after retiring and described his experience as follows: “I did this embroidery 40 years ago, and here I’ve had the chance to make use of it again. Our instructor taught us how to draft patterns for sewing, and we also sew extra pieces as well. I don’t feel good when I’m sitting at home; when I immerse myself in sewing here, I feel psychologically better.”
