Tech Camp for Underprivileged Israeli Youth

First Year Net@ Hackathon at Microsoft:

In January, first year Net@ youth participated in a Hackathon tailored especially for them. This was the first time these students visited the Microsoft offices in Ranana, and for many their first exposure to the high-tech industry in Israel. The students were given a tour of the Microsoft offices and got to see firsthand new technologies created by the company. They also participated in roundtable discussions with Microsoft employees, which gave the students an opportunity to learn more information about the high-tech industry in a more informal setting while interacting with mentors. A lecture about the impact that technology has on everyday life reinforced how important it is to be educated and well versed in technological skills in the current employment climate in Israel. Finally, the students received their first exposure to technological workshops, which covered relevant and innovative topics related to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and How to Build a Wix website.

Not Just Technology:

January and February were very busy with Net@ Coexistence Meetups, with seven different meetups between Arab and Jewish Net@ youth taking place. For example, Jerusalem and Dimona met in Ramla for a joint scavenger hunt in the Ramla market followed by dialogue and team building exercises in the Appleseeds Hub. While Net@ youth from Be'er Sheva and Hura visited and toured a tech centre in Yeruchum together. The group was introduced to new technological gadgets and got to try out virtual reality equipment, a first for most of the participants. Finally, Arab and Jewish students from across the country joined for National Net@ Day, which included a musical show and sports activities to help foster group bonding, positive group interactions and promote coexistence. The overall goal of these activities is to build bonds between Arab and Jewish participants by creating an open and comfortable space to get to know each other and engage in dialogue outside of the formal classroom setting.

Giving Back:

Internet Safety Week in February provided Net@ youth with a practical technological and entrepreneurial experience that they were learning in class. The first year Net@ students engaged in Community Learning by creating and delivering workshops in local schools to teach internet safety skills to younger children and their peers. The topics of the workshops including introducing students to coding through Microsoft's Hour of Code, online bullying and how to be safe online. Internet Safety Week gave the first year students and opportunity to take what they were learning in Net@ and creatively present the information, practicing their presentation and leadership skills. In Nazareth/Nazareth Illit, the students ran additional workshops with parents about safe internet use. Greater understanding of proper and safe internet usage is the result of giving ownership of the programming to the Net@ students.  

Good Deeds Day in March is an impact activity that gives back to the community, thus instilling values of responsibility and global citizenship. Net@ youth from across the country organized various events in recognition of Good Deeds Day, strengthening community engagement in the participants through social activism. Arab and Jewish youth worked together to organize volunteer projects in their communities. Examples of how the youth volunteered include a visit to the children's wards in hospitals in Jerusalem and Kfar Saba. While youth from Ramla led a technological seminar for senior citizens, taking what they have learned in the Net@ classroom and applying it to everyday problems that the elderly community face, specifically how to use Smartphones to access important information online.

These joint planning of activities for Internet Safety Week and Good Deeds day not only allow Arab and Jewish Net@ youth to work together toward a common goal of social activism but ensures that the skills gained during the Net@ IT program impacts a wider circle of beneficiaries.