The village absorbs boys and girls aged 15-16 who have been referred under court order or who are at high risk. The youth village has a school for survival, preparation for army service, personal development and leadership. The aim is to offer rehabilitation in order that the youth may return to the education system and a normative track, equipping them with coping and life skills.
Today there are more than 300,000 children and youth at-risk in Israel.Youth at-risk who are alienated from the school system and main line society pose a threat to themselves, their families and society at large. In order to halt the dangers of falling into a downward spiral of social problems the project offers solutions whereby they may return to normative lifestyles.
The individual treatment program is one of several approaches offered by Nirim to tackle the issues of 15 and 16 year olds. Run by social workers and therapists the program offers individual support and counselling enabling tailor made solutions for each youngster. Based on group work models the youth are equipped with personal skills and life skills enabling them to cope with their challenges rather than giving in to stress, temptations etc.
The process of treatment and rehabilitation provides them with the opportunity to enlist in the army (thereby preventing social stigma), return to formal education and prepare for the working world. These are important for long-term stability, economic independence and social inclusion. Some 200 youth annually are involved in the program.
This project has provided additional documentation in a DOCX file (projdoc.docx).
