The Post-Earthquake Volunteer Education Activities of ÇABAÇAM Education Support Unit: A Support Program for Teacher Candidates

This study aims to reveal the experiences of pre-service teachers who volunteered at the Çaba Multipurpose Early Childhood Education Center (ÇABAÇAM) Education Support Units, established in Kahramanmaraş and Adıyaman following the earthquakes on February 6, 2023, to provide educational services to children in early childhood. Within the scope of the research, the activities of 29 volunteer pre-service teachers in these centers with preschool-age earthquake survivor children and the traumatic situations they observed in the children were examined. The research was designed as a case study from qualitative research methods, and the data were collected using a semi-structured interview form. According to the findings of the study, the activities carried out by volunteer pre-service teachers in the ÇABAÇAM Education Support Units over approximately two months were categorized into six groups: communication activities, art activities, movement activities, branch activities, free time activities, and special day activities. The findings indicated that, particularly, movement and art activities had more positive effects on children compared to other types of activities. Additionally, based on the statements of the participants, traumatic situations such as being alone, inability to express themselves, fear of being caught in another earthquake, being startled by loud noises, and difficulty in socializing were observed in children who received education in the units established in Adıyaman and Kahramanmaraş. The situations that most affected the participants in their interactions with the children were categorized under four headings: excessive attachment to the volunteer teacher, incomprehension of death, missing parents, and conversations about children and earthquakes.