With one out of every four youngsters in Israel being at risk of dropping out of school, especially among children of immigrant families from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia, there is a possibility that these youngsters turn to crime, alcohol, and/or drugs.
The Keren Hayesod United Israel Appeal Youth futures program is a revolutionary mentoring program conducted in elementary and junior high schools, primarily in the periphery, to help build self esteem, improve school performance, break patterns of failure, and eliminate at-risk behaviour.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is also a major issue occurring highly in the South of Israel. Prof. Ruth Pat- Horenczyk, Director of the Child and Adolescent Clinical Services Unit at the Israel Centre for the Treatment of Psychotrauma, at Herzog Memorial Hospital explains that between 7 and 10 percent of children nationwide suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during wartime. However, the situation is ongoing, with 40 percent of the children in Sderot suffering from symptoms of anxiety, fear and PTSD even one year later, making the PTSD levels three to four times higher in children in the South compared to the rest of the country.
Parents are not always able to identify signs of PTSD in their children as behaviour patterns can range from developmental regression, anger, separation anxiety, sleeping issues, fears and other physical behaviours such as toilet accidents. In turn, parents are not always able to cope and to know how to deal with these symptoms.
This is where Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal have stepped in to provide programs for children and their families in the South of Israel on dealing with PTSD. Through one-on-one and group counselling, enriching activities and educational programs, these children develop confidence, life skills and the knowledge to cope with the PTSD.
The United Israel Appeal Super Sunday is a phone-a-thon day where volunteers can help to phone the community on behalf of the United Israel Appeal to ask for donations.
If you would like to volunteer for Super Sunday in 2016 for Sunday 28 February or Sunday 13 March or any other phone-a-thons to help OUR PEOPLE in Israel, please contact the Simonne on 9272 5538 or email swinecier@uiavic.org