Hello! My name is Büşra and I'm from Turkey. People prefer to call me Bee. I’m a 28-year-old professional and describe myself as a “little bit of many things but nothing" - I believe one becomes "something" when working with others.

I studied Industrial Engineering at university, did Erasmus in Poland, lived and worked in India and moved to Korea. I’ve backpacked around 35 countries and met hundreds of people: listening to their stories and understanding there is so much to learn and so many things that need to be addressed. When I returned to Turkey, I established an association funded by the European Commission for communities and to empower young people.

I came to the UK for an internship for 3 months just 4 weeks before the first lockdown hit. My friend took me to Wales on a road trip, and soon after, it became my home. I never knew I was musical, creative or had a talent, but I brought a flute and it changed my life. It introduced me to human interaction at a higher level and to looking at things from a different perspective. It opened up so many different pathways for me to apply in my work:

• collaborating with organisations and developing projects
• facilitating workshops and delivering training courses to empower young people and those with fewer opportunities
• addressing social causes with the hope of creating a bigger picture where everyone can see themselves as a functioning part of society.

Being introduced to creativity in music has contributed to how I deliver discussion sessions, workshops and training.

None of this would have happened if I hadn't come to Wales. This place is magical as it's bustling with creativity, music and kindness. I couldn’t be happier about building a life here. I’m currently volunteering and living at a permaculture garden and learning sustainable gardening methods in Dinas Powys.

I hope, through the Young Collective, I get to work with people who believe in the power of small communities and creativity in this beautiful place.