Welcome to The People Behind the Programs, a blog series celebrating the voices, stories, and impact of the community professionals powering connection and belonging across the globe.

Today, we meet Kubra Selcuk, an IT & Software Support Specialist at Mediamarkt in the Netherlands, where she passionately manages a mission-driven community.

Kubra’s journey into community work began not as a career choice but as a natural extension of her desire to foster connection, support, and empowerment among peers. Her experiences in university leadership roles cultivated her path into community management. Let’s explore her story in her own words.

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How It Started

My experience in the community sector started long before I recognized it as a career. I had a strong interest in helping people feel connected, supported, and empowered during my university days. I took on leadership and volunteer roles across student communities focused on personal development, peer support, and creating a sense of belonging. At that time, it didn’t register as "community work"; I just enjoyed creating safe, inclusive environments where individuals felt motivated toward common goals.

Gradually, I realized that these experiences closely tied into community building. The principles of listening, fostering dialogue, problem-solving, and uniting people became clear to me as foundational in community work. This realization marked my entry into the community industry.

Upon graduating, my roles in mentoring, volunteering, and organizing support for different communities affirmed my belief in the transformative power of community building. I saw firsthand how communities can profoundly change lives, particularly within the charitable sector.

A Day in the Life

Currently, I hold a position as a community professional within a non-profit organization. My responsibility involves managing a diverse, mission-driven community focused on personal growth, learning, and mutual support. Our members come from various backgrounds but share a unified goal: to learn and grow together.

I begin each day by reviewing ongoing discussions, member feedback, and engagement levels across platforms. I strive to ensure discussions are respectful, friendly, and align with our community's values. At times, I reach out individually to members, offering direction or solving problems, sharing in their joys and triumphs.

Program planning and content creation consume a significant portion of my day. This involves preparing learning sessions, facilitating workshops, organizing volunteers, and developing resource materials to advance our community's goals. Cooperation with stakeholders and partner organizations is crucial, as it broadens opportunities for our members.

Analyzing engagement data is also pivotal in shaping our strategy. By examining interaction trends and participation patterns, I refine our approaches to foster deeper connections and enhance onboarding experiences. My goal is to cultivate a supportive environment where members feel safe and encouraged to progress.

I also coordinate local meetings and lead discussions to strengthen our community bonds, ensuring everyone feels integral to the group. Maintaining a strong working relationship with the moderation team is key to promoting a positive and productive atmosphere for all members.

In summary, my work blends empathy, structure, creativity, and continuous learning. Each day is an opportunity to amplify voices, drive personal development, and empower our community—a dedication to our ultimate goal.

The Tools that Power My Work

My favorite tool for building community is Discord. It provides a well-structured, accessible, and interactive environment essential for our non-profit community's engagement. Discord strikes a balance between structure and flexibility, essential for fostering meaningful connections.

With Discord, I focus on different layers of engagement, from public channels for general discussions to private channels for confidential conversations. We also create dedicated spaces for events, learning sessions, and resource sharing. Customizing these channels according to members' needs fosters a sense of belonging.

Instant communication—be it voice, text, or video—is a massive benefit. It’s invaluable to have such natural and immediate interaction, especially in non-profit settings where relationship-building and emotional support are crucial.

Analytics on Discord help track engagement, interaction trends, and participation patterns, allowing me to pinpoint thriving areas and those needing attention. This insight facilitates better program development and relevant content creation.

Discord transcends being just a platform; it is an ecosystem where community needs are met through learning, expression, and growth. It has become an indispensable tool in crafting safe, welcoming, and purpose-driven communities.

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Advice for Newcomers

My biggest advice to anyone entering the community industry is: expect challenges, but never let them define who you are. Community management is deeply human-centered, and you will face not only operational challenges but also emotional and interpersonal obstacles. It varies across cultures, yet it is a universal experience in this field.

An essential lesson I’ve learned is that such behaviors do not determine your value. Every community beats to its unique rhythm and culture. What truly matters is being true to your values, integrity, and purpose.

As a woman progressing in Software Engineering and IT, I have faced numerous barriers, including harassment and threats. My stance has always been clear: protect your rights at all costs. Disagreements on ideas are natural, but no one has the right to disrespect you. It’s crucial not to yield to those who exert power, especially against women.

Understanding that sometimes people may not listen to you is part of leadership. However, never tolerate anyone who attempts to ignore, belittle, or silence your voice. Safeguard your boundaries at all times.

Believing in karma has guided my journey; good actions generate positive energy, while negative actions eventually circle back. Therefore, I strive to act humanistically and empathetically.

My journey in community-building has been enriched by focusing on collaborative learning and making mistakes together. Every community I’ve been part of has expanded my worldview and offered valuable experiences, for which I am grateful. These shared journeys, enriched by openness and collaborative thinking, have been invaluable.

Courage, empathy, and integrity will light your path, ensuring communities built on sincerity can overcome any obstacle.

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Resources I Suggest

I recommend networking with community professionals through platforms like CMX Hub and learning from podcasts such as Masters of Community. They offer insightful knowledge and perspectives.

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💬 Let’s connect on LinkedIn — I’d love to hear from fellow community builders.

💡 The People Behind the Programs is a blog series that shines a light on the community professionals powering impactful programs around the world. Want to share your story or nominate someone doing incredible community work? Submit your spotlight here.

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Are you passionate about building communities?

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