E45: From Dreams to Action: Ercan Tutal's Journey in Disability Advocacy

In this United in Accessibility podcast episode, Ercan Tutal, a Turkish advocate for disability inclusion, discusses his initiatives like the Alternative Life Association and Alternative Camp, which empower individuals with disabilities through adaptive sports and accessible environments.

He highlights the transformative impact of scuba diving as a therapeutic activity and emphasizes the importance of creating inclusive spaces to foster community integration and challenge societal perceptions of disability. 

Transcript

00:03 Speaker  

Welcome to the United in Accessibility podcast. Today, we are honored to feature Ercan Tutal, a visionary leader in social change and inclusion from Turkey. Ercan is the founder of numerous impactful initiatives, including AYDER–Alternative Life Association, Dreams Academy, Alternative Camp, and Best Buddies Turkey. His work empowers people with disabilities through innovative programs that break barriers, foster community integration, and challenge societal perceptions. A pioneer in adaptive sports such as scuba diving, Ercan demonstrates how inclusive activities transform lives and reshape attitudes toward disability. As a two-time Olympic Torch Bearer and Ashoka Fellow, his contributions extend across education, sustainable development, and social entrepreneurship. Join us as we dive into Ercan's journey, exploring his strategies for advancing accessibility, creating inclusive spaces, and using sports as a catalyst for change on the United in Accessibility podcast. 

01:13 Ercan Tutal  

It's my honor to be here and to have a chance to share my experiences and the story about accessibility journey. 

01:45 Lourdes Arreola Prado  

Great. Let's start, if you can introduce yourself. I mean, what led you to work in the accessibility and inclusion field? We would like to know about this.

01:55 Ercan Tutal  

Okay, I live in Turkey. I'm Turkish, and I'm the founder of Alternative Life Association, Ashoka Fellow, maybe you, you know this one of the biggest social entrepreneurship networks in the world. And I am the worldwide ambassador of Design for All International based in Barcelona and proudly, I am Turkey Representative and Coach Director of Handicapped Scuba Association based in California. And when I lived in Germany for my 30s, because I wanted to study second time and my big interest was about translation from Italian to Turkish, from Turkish to Italian, Italian literature and mainly and linguistic. And I was in Germany at that time, and then seeing and observing how people with disabilities are well integrated into society, fully equally, one by one, you know and it's even for one person. There were so many social service adjustments over there, and I was so impressed. And I start observing details, what's going on? How come these double amputee youngsters swim faster than me? How do these people with intellectual disabilities well train and play football for the Special Olympic Games. And on the other hand, it's how these people with wheelchairs in the disco dance like all the others and everything is well accepted. Everybody is welcome in the in the facilities, but everywhere in every aspect and every sector of life. And seeing all these things, and, you know, struck me, you know, I said my dad, what's going on? Why is this? How come a social service system can be so good in order to, you know, provide service, even one very severe disabled or people, some chronic diseases, have all these adjustments or assistive devices and etc. And then I got the idea, and I got the mission, and I said: "Okay, I will go back to my country, and I will try to adapt all these things what I saw, in order to close the gap in Turkey."

02:04 Lourdes Arreola Prado  

Tell us how was and how it is today living in Turkey for a person with disability, what are those challenges that you faced when you came back to your country and how it is doing today?

04:32 Ercan Tutal  

As we all know, there's 1.5 billion people in the world who face some challenges and obstacles and some barriers. You know, they have no access, and they have some sort of disability in life, but it makes us like one to seven in all around the world. In in Germany, have 8 million people living with disabilities in Turkey as well, 8.5 million. But the numbers are the same. Let's say in Germany, 8 million people, in Turkey is 8 million people with disabilities. But the big difference and in Turkey, the people with disabilities had no access when I came back to country, to proper health care system, proper education and certainly, if you don't have any education, you have no chance to access to go to the business life. You know no employment. And then if you are not employed, if you don't earn money, you have no chance to be an active person in your social life. You know social, cultural life and some others. And there is no access. And then there is such a big gap between where people with disabilities are currently and where they should be. And then someone and something had to close this gap, you know, and then I start throwing some stones every single day in order to make life easier and viable for people with disabilities in all sectors, not only one sector, not only one sort of disabilities, not only for wheelchair users, for instance, for everyone. And then start a serious social entrepreneurial project, development and implementing in the field. 

06:18 Lourdes Arreola Prado  

That's great, and I totally understand, because this is, I think many countries have faced this challenge, right? And it's great that you were exposed to all this experience in Germany that led you start these initiatives in your country. So, I know that from seeing all this football, and all these sports being played on you we were discussing you are a Scuba Diver, right? Yes, how did this idea of diving with disabilities? How did you start it, and how has this project, diving with disabilities, shown the power of sports for creating positive change?

07:04 Ercan Tutal  

Thank you very much. It is really nice question. When I was in Germany, I was already a diver. I was a good diver. I was instructing, sometimes, when I have chance, to people, but I was not specialist on diving with disabled people. But when I was getting the idea and the mission, coming back to country, try to close the gap, and what I said answered before in the country, I didn't know where to start and how to start, but at that time, somehow, by chance, I got a diver magazine and then Jean-Michel Cousteau had an article in that magazine. And I read the article. It was about scuba diving with disabled people, with the partnership of handicapped Scuba Association in Fiji Island. That was a really nice article. And in some point of the article, Jean-Mich was saying: "After diving with disabled we discovered the healing and liberating power of the ocean." That was a sentence for me, is a turning point. You know that maybe they changed my life. You know? I said, "my goodness", you know, I used to dive, but I never thought that diving, being underwater, would have big power, the changing power like this. That's why, as soon as I come back to country, I start creating an accessible places, facilities and diving boats and everything, in order to convince people with disability from their house to go out, you know, because that was the big issue in Turkey, because they are at home, they have no courage to go out, because no accessibility, no access, you know, no inclusive policies and approach and etc. But diving as a sport is very attractive, you know, it's challenging, attractive and expensive, though. But I did everything since beginning, free of charge in volunteer base, and I made an open call and the people with disability to come to join my workshops, diving workshop for disabled. But just before this, certainly just before starting all these very big projects, I had to equip myself, you know, I have to donate myself with the right knowledge. That's why I went to California, and I went to Switzerland. I went to France and Italy to get the proper education, proper training about diving with disabled people. Finally, I got a very prestigious and high-level training by James A. F. Gatacr, the Founder of Handicap Scuba Association in California. Yeah, and I became the Kush Director and the Turkey Representative. That's why using the Handicapped Scuba Association Standard, and I start bringing people with disabilities, blind guys, you know, dwarf girls and amputee guys, polio sakeli guys, and the one who used wheelchair and etc., in a different type of disabled people trying to be active. And I gave them a free chance to participate in my workshops, my program, and gratis. And then I trained them, and I brought them underwater, and they discovered beauty, and you know, the mystic power of the sea. And we got many healings story as well. And proudly, one last sentence, maybe two things with prouding, with diving, is freedom. I did a documentary like Jean-Michel Cousteau has done 1997 I've done diving is freedom documentary film in Sharma Sheik in Egypt. I got many awards, and proudly, I can say Turkey is the most disabled people try diving in the world. I guess because I've trained 3000 people with disabilities so far. 3000 different disabled people has got this chance free of charge they are trained and in US, I think it was in Orlando in demo show, during a demo show, the biggest diving show in the world. In Orlando and I met by chance, the Jean-Michel Cousteau, after 10 to 15, years with my diving story, and I had the chance and privilege to explain him how his one sentence changed my life and 1000s other lifes, is the chain effect.

08:28 Lourdes Arreola Prado  

That's a beautiful history. Ercan, thank you. Thank you for sharing, because I mean this phrase that you share about healing and liberation, the healing and liberating power of the ocean, right? How many times we have been in the ocean, and we don't realize its power. And it occurred to me, when I also started on inclusion and accessibility, feel I was doing some biking tours around with blind people, you know. And one of the ladies who came on board the bicycle with me, she was a blind lady. It says, you know, the first time since I became a blind person, that I am hearing, you know, the bicycle turning around on the street, you know, for her, was magical. And then you realize how many times you ride a bicycle, and you don't listen to sounds around you, right? 

12:53 Ercan Tutal  

Yes.

12:54 Lourdes Arreola Prado  

So, and I really love your history, because you not only listen to this, but you start doing things and changing things, which is what I really love when I learn about your history. Can you tell us more about the Alternative Camp? How did this use sport to reduce social institution? 

13:15 Ercan Tutal  

You know, doing diving things. I couldn't stop there, because it was good. It was enough. It was sufficient. You know, I have many hundreds and hundreds of hundreds of youngsters with disabilities. They tried and etc., but at that time, I had to jump up to another level, because I'm an entrepreneur, social entrepreneur. That's why I have to find another way always. And then I just jump up this, using sport as a tool, and then I open Alternative Camp as a facility, 100% accessible with everything, with so building structures, you know, the all the sport activities, swimming pools and boats and etc., and the program as well with international volunteer ship. I mean, I have been working with international volunteers and 2002 I open Alternative Camp, and then I start hosting people with disability every week, 20 youngsters with disability, 20 international volunteers, 40 person together, one week, learn about swimming, scuba diving, climbing, horse riding, sea kayaking, orienteering, all outdoor sport activities which is challenging, which is really far away from their economic status, their lifestyle and etc., because, as I said before in Turkey, unfortunately, because of the closed society. You know being a closed society. You know, having not much chance and opportunity and no access, mainly youngsters with disabilities stay at home. You know they have a very inactive life. Okay, maybe on television they see that some people use sea kayak. But you know, how come they can reach that? I made it possible. I made it accessible to everyone, no matter in which status. You know, low-income region, people, very severe disabilities, cerebral palsy, heavy wheelchair users and everybody got chance to come to Alternative Camp and try all these sport activities with international hands together. And with that alternative camp, I got two, three awards, worldwide awards, and I was invited to Europe a couple of times. And Alternative Camp has been selected one of the best social responsibility projects in Europe and etc, and still going on. The good thing is, what I have been doing in Turkey, I start a project, I create a brand, and that works, and I keep it sustainable, and then parallel, and I jump up another level, I do another project. It keeps on, because they are all self-sufficient. That's the important thing. Because of the social entrepreneurial system, then you have to have some income generation and sustainability of self-sufficient so of the project, and I have social enterprises, and then we have, with these social enterprises, we earn our own money. We are not dependent on any institution, any municipalities, any political parties, any private sector companies. And that's why we keep that sustainable. And mainly, Alternative Camp was based on all types of sports. And again, maybe you might know as a person, while doing an Alternative Camp, I have hosted, always an international volunteers, and one day, and I got a mail from United States, and one volunteer, she is the champion, and many years champion of Muffy Davis is the worldwide champion of kayaking. You know, when she was 16 or something, she was paralyzed, and she is wheelchair user, so Paralympic champion in United States for many years. She was the ambassador of Kayak Federation Worldwide, and she came to alternative camp for one month. She worked as volunteer, and then I trained her scuba diving. That was, we had a very good exchange. That was the level of getting volunteers from all around the world in alternative camp.

17:46 Lourdes Arreola Prado  

That's great. Um, now that you're mentioning all your experience as a social entrepreneur, how has an Ashoka Fellow been helpful in your entrepreneur in your career?

17:57 Ercan Tutal  

That was important, because I was doing the things you know, is the diving is for them, alternative camp and etc. But I didn't mention it, I didn't name that. I am a social entrepreneur, you know, I was a volunteer, community volunteer. I was just, you know, an active person. But at that time, I got an inquiry from Ashoka. I didn't know. I didn't hear about that. And then there was a lady from she was the leader of Ashoka at that time. She was from US, working in a university in Turkey, and that they observed, they heard about my projects, and they asked me if I have an interest to be an Ashoka Fellow. And there were cross examines and everything. You know, there's a huge, big selection criterion, but I've been selected that is good. That was the recognition. Then you see that you are not alone, because Ashoka is an international network, and knowing that 1 billion volunteers all around the world, they do something good for the others, and you are one part of this big family, and an organization like Ashoka gives you that feeling. You know, that's why it was very motivating and enriching and teaching. And I found myself in the big social entrepreneur and family and network worldwide.

19:24 Speaker  

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20:03 Lourdes Arreola Prado  

Among all these entrepreneurial projects that you have also there is this Dreams Academy, right? So, how does it help people with disabilities explore their own creativity? Tell us about the Dreams Academy, I love the name.

20:20 Ercan Tutal  

Thank you very much. Because Dreams Academy is really something, because having this diving freedom and Alternative Camp, I had the opportunity to meet people with disabilities every day, you know, 10, 20, 40, 50 and hundreds of people with disabilities. I observed and I asked them what they need in life, and I saw that they have no access to art schools and academies, because of the elitist criteria and the approach of these universities and the art schools. They really didn't want to deal with people with blindness, for instance, you know, they didn't want to work with a person with a wheelchair. You know, that's why they were always excluding the people. And there was no school that accepted them. And then I said, okay, why not create a project and then give a chance to youngsters with disabilities to perform their artistic skills. You know, they learn. And then, you know, they perform, they are on the stage. And then I developed Dreams Academy, and I started implementing with the United Nations Development Program and Water Form Foundation together at the beginning. And then every day in 30 different authorities in a plastic art, painting, sculpture, dance music, drama, theater, again, free of charge, again, volunteer based, you know, I've hosted, I don't know how many 1000s of youngsters with disability at the place. And we did United Nation development program, all the representative of Turkey, even the General Secretary of UN Ban Ki-moon and his wife, visited Dreams Academy in Turkey, and as a prestigious and very well equipped organization in the country, and lots of private sector executive level people, they were visiting the Dreams Academy and seeing what, how we work, what we have been doing, how they can help us. You know, we build up a cross-sectoral relationship. You know, the local authorities, private sector companies, developmental organizations like UNDP, UNICEF, UNESCO and our NGO. That's, you know, that was a strong structure of the project. And with that, Dreams Academy, UN Convention for Right for Disabilities, we are the first follower in Turkey, and we have been, as with Dreams Academy, we have been selected the best implementing projects in the world. And I was invited to New York and UN-Summit, I talk about Dreams Academy, or all the audience. It was an award, actually, for a volunteer person you know, being in UN-Summit and talking about your projects and explaining how their life, or people who participate in our program change, you know, dramatic from that point to that, like a rocket. Dreams Academy is for everyone, for social disadvantaged youngsters, but mainly people with disabilities, no matter if you don't see, no matter if you don't hear, but you have definitely had some talent, you know, or definitely you have some, some will, some wish. And then that's why the slogan, the motto of Dreams Academy, "Where dreams come true." And the people come to Dreams Academy, and their dreams became true. And no matter what they want. Either they want to play piano, yes, we have it or violin, yes, dance yes or studio, DJing. Even we had students for DJ classes, blind person. The good things about Dreams Academy that was so productive every single day, there were some other sub projects that came out from Dreams Academy, some other babies. You know, let's say Social Inclusion Band is a music group where people with disabilities and professional musicians are on the stage together. And now we make music. It's not a charity band. It is not for a pity, you know. It's not just for applauding the people you know. "Oh, very lovely person with Down syndrome. They make some music." No, we do music, you know. And our singers are blind. Maybe our drummer is with autism, a guy. And then very professional guitar players, also in the group together. And we have, we have been on the stage and jazz festivals, rock festivals and very private concerts in in Turkey. And that's why the Dreams Academy had many other sub projects relating to other art, culture and music sector in Turkey and the other good things is having a social inclusion band, for instance, anybody who invites us for a concert or any facility, any venue, any festivals, they had to have accessibility for people with disabilities. We were the pioneers to be there, and that was the requirement of coming and accepting this festival, being that the building, the facility, is accessible. And then when they ask us, but how come we don't know what to do? And then we provide free of charge consultancy, how to make the festival area accessible, how to make a concert so venue or a hall accessible. And proudly, we I can say that through alternative camp Dreams Academy or some other projects in Turkey. Now we can say in the music sector, almost all bars, discos and big concert halls are all accessible. All Music Festival has some sort of accessibility. And even airports, for instance, you know, because there's Alternative Life Association mission bring accessibility in the country, and 2004 and 2005 I was the one who set up accessible tourism for all commission and officially. And then we visited Istanbul and Ataturk Airport and main harbors and main train station. And there was no accessibility, zero in 2005 and now when you come to Turkey, you will see that in airports and almost 90, 95% are accessible just because of our work. You know, there were so many changing stories, but you know, this is a sustainable one, all around Turkey. I mentioned this because we are not only an organization who make some events for people with disabilities. We sit down with local authorities, public authorities and the private sector companies, especially, you know, because they are a little bit more open-minded than the public ones. And then they listen to us. And then we ask them to make their fabrics and the big buildings accessible physically first, and then the 3% quota of getting people with disabilities as an employee. And then they have to complete that. And then reasonable accommodation comes after that, you know. And mentorship program comes after that. And all this supply chain and the value chain process became accessible for all these works gave me and another honor, like being a member of IAAP and I'm two times Olympic Torch Bearer in 2004 and attend 2012 in London because of my volunteer work, and I had this privilege and honor to carry Olympic Torch two times as a volunteer dedicated life for an accessibility, which is I mentioned before, maybe, but you know, 25 years, over two decades, I dedicate my life to create more sustainable, more accessible, more inclusive life for everyone, creating an alternative and innovative and sustainable projects.

29:03 Lourdes Arreola Prado  

Definitely Ercan, this is what led the jury members of the IAAP Awards select you as one of the recipients of the IAAP Accessibility Initiatives Award. So congratulations again on winning this award and with all this achievement that you have through your life, what does this award mean to you and your journey in contributing to a more inclusive world?

29:30 Ercan Tutal  

It certainly is a big motivation, you know, it's a big recognition. It's a big motivation, you know, because being a volunteer, you know, I don't earn money, you know, I'm, I'm here, I'm doing this. And every single day I wake up in a day saying to myself, hey, what can I do today? More, you know, what can I do today? More, and getting an award, you know, being in front of the jury, like, like, you also prestigious people. So, you know a big organization like IAAP and United Nations and on all these others, you know, and Ashoka and etc., being selected, getting some awards. It's nice recognition. It shows me that I'm on the right way. You know, I have no chance to give up. I don't want to give up, but, you know, sometimes you are tired. It's the life is very challenging, especially in a country like Turkey. Maybe you might know this because of the political atmosphere and the situation, you know, makes everything very difficult. And the economic situation, we have got the highest and fastest inflation rate, you know, makes us poorer and poorer every day. And then, you know, just that makes our possibilities and chance opportunities is lower to provide the others actually. But you know, every single day I say, "Okay, I have my members, you know, I got this award, and I carry the Olympic Torch", and that's enough for me. Actually, I don't want any expectations and like I start to explain about the story about Joel, one of our volunteers from Canada, and she was from the French part. And then after being in dreams Academy Istanbul, one month, she asked me to bring all the ideas to Canada. And then Joel copied this with my permission, certainly and help and support, and she opened Dreams Academy in Canada, and she's very successful recently, before pandemic, and I open Dreams Academy in Kosovo is another country. We got some word and financial support as well. And now there is a Dreams Academy in Kosovo, and lately, maybe in Holland, in Netherlands. And one university is a social Applied Science University use dreams Academy as a case study in the school, and every year they sent three, four students to study Dreams Academy with us together three months or something. They stayed at the Dreams Academy, and they write their thesis, and they passed the exam, which is for me, enough, actually, as an award.

29:31 Lourdes Arreola Prado  

Definitely and we do see your global impact on Ercan through all these initiatives and through all these projects, and we do certainly see also how your projects have changed how people use disability and social inclusion. Is there any other healing history that you would like to share with us?

32:38 Ercan Tutal  

Yes, there are 1000s of stories, but you know, maybe one of them is very nice, nice one. And there was a blind guy, and from a very, very forgotten, isolated rural area, he had almost no education, no training, and nothing that was a young blind person. And then he learned scuba diving. You know, I helped him a lot. And he started becoming popular, socialized, and, you know, I got a friendship and etc. And then he ends up being very active in NGO life, you know, in a civil society life, and then as a sportive life and etc. And then, now he lives in Canada, he married, and he has his own radio program. I have lots of changing stories like this, you know. And for instance, there was a one, you know, with dwarfism, so genetically. And then when she met with our program in diving, is freedom. For instance, she was working in a laboratory in the hospital, but she didn't go out because the people were teasing her, because she's small, you know. And you know, the kids making jokes, everything and etc. But after that, she start learning scuba diving after that, you know, she start, you know, having a good dress, and then she said, I became woman, and I became human after diving, and then her life changed. Now she has been traveling alone since then, you know, all around Turkey. 

34:19 Lourdes Arreola Prado  

That’s certainly amazing. And I think we can continue for hours on our listening to your stories which we really appreciate that you all share this with us. We definitely see your global impact, your global perspective on this, and all what you are bringing, not only to Turkey, but to the world around us and thank you. Thank you for that. So, what message would you like to share with our audience about continuing building this inclusive world, and what projects are you excited about next?

34:54 Ercan Tutal  

Thank you. As an Alternative Life Association since the beginning, we have been following international rules and standards. And especially like United Nation, had a global compact principle, we under sign, and then Millennium Goals, we under sign, and then nowadays Sustainable Development Goals. And then there is one moto they use very often, saying that "No one left behind." You know, my actually message, okay, this, No One Left Behind mustn't be a fancy sentence. You know, fancy words that everybody uses. Oh, "no one left behind." Okay, so we do have to work for it. I mean, it has to be real. It has to be realistically, and we have to work so that really, that we shouldn't leave anybody behind us. That is my key and strong message. Every single person has the right to be in in social life, fully and actively, that we have to work, and we have to create an inclusive environment, an accessible environment. This is not a luxury, you know, we have to do that. I mean, it's not just, you know, showing off. We have done this and so that we click something. No, no way. I mean, it has to be like this. And maybe next, I have been doing that, but you know, nowadays I have to really be strongly focus myself on creating an accessible cities with a complimentary and inclusive approach and inclusive local authority policy is my interest and knowledge, then I can work closely to local authorities to reshape and redesign the life from the beginning again, but this time is fully accessible, fully inclusive. Everything, no matter what you do, you know what you're organizing, not only event based, but the real-life services have to be fully accessible. Additionally, what I can say our population is getting older, and Turkey was proud of having a young population, but not anymore. It's changed drastically, and the population is getting older and older, maybe our next project can be dealt with so working with aging population as well, because they need accessibility as well. Because everything what you do is accessible, it helps for, I mean, 60 plus and then, you know, elderly people, you know.

37:39 Lourdes Arreola Prado  

Yeah, accessibility is for all right, so it's a benefit for you, for me and for everyone. So, we are feel really honored to have you today with us at the podcast, Ercan and we hope to stay in touch with you and learning more from all your projects.

38:01 Ercan Tutal  

Thank you. Thank you very much. It's my it's my big privilege and honor to be with you guys. Thank you and a very warm greetings from Turkey to your colleagues, everyone.

38:15 Speaker  

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