More on Funded Partnership Programs
The Partnership meets twice per year, once in Canada and once in Israel. At these meetings important decisions are made regarding funding of various programs and projects. Winnipeg is a partner in funding programs and projects in the region of Northern Israel, including Kiryat Shmonah, Metullah, Galil Elyon, Mevoot Hahermon and Yesod Hamalah.
All funded projects are thoroughly reviewed and vetted by the Israeli volunteers and JFC-UIA staff on the ground in Israel. The projects are funded through the three main categories – Capacity building, Youth and Education and Gesher Chai (living bridge). In addition to the agreed upon funding through the partnership, often different cities in the Partnership fund a specific project on their own.
Our dollars are highly leveraged and many of the projects receive significant government funding (thanks in large part to the work of JFC-UIA). Much of the funding we provide is short-term and designed to provide seed money for new initiatives.
Capacity Building
Terry Fox War on Cancer Run (Upper Galilee)
The Terry Fox event will take place free of charge along the banks of the Jordan River at Kibbutz Kfar Blum during which participants and spectators alike will contribute to the fight against cancer and gain an introduction to the efforts of the Canadian runner Terry Fox. Prior to the event, the story of Terry Fox and his struggles will be taught in schools the funds raised during the run will be donated to the Cancer Research Institute at Bar Illan University Medical Faculty in Tzfat.
Youth & Education
Robotics, Emek Hahula High School (Upper Galilee)
Emek Hahula High School is a high school that offers many diverse subjects of study including science and technology programs. Robotics studies are taught from grades 7 to 12, and the school has participated with success in robotics competitions. The robotics studies are innovative and taught on a very high level. The students who participate are introduced to advanced fields of study, which has resulted in an increased number who join the science programs and later study engineering. The school offers to further develop its involvement in the top robotics competition and develop a full study track for to enable dozens and perhaps hundreds of students from the school and the region to participate. The school also runs an after-school robotics club which is open to the local community.
There are currently over 100 participants in the program. Students now have enough equipment to build whatever kind of robot they desire which has allowed for new types of robots to be created.
Design Thinking (STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics)
The Design Thinking program is a partnered program with Tel Hai and the Galilium Foundation. The Design Thinking program is in 11 of the 17 elementary schools in the region. The program allows teachers and students to collaborate on new projects as a team in design labs and Marker Space labs.
STEAM promotes problem solving as well as creative and analytical thinking. The program enables schools to implement the six principles of future-oriented pedagogy, which makes it more than just one transient program out of many. The six principles of future-oriented pedagogy are: Personalization, Collaboration, Informality, Glocalization, Changeability and Integration.
There are now 454 students and 50 teachers participating in this program.
Derech Ruach, Upper Galilee
The Derech Ruach program offers high school students who are interested in the arts and humanities the opportunity to study the subjects of history, philosophy and literature for University credit. The current high school curriculum lacks meaningful education in the humanities.
Tel Hai college will be the first college to offer the program and it will operate at University course level. There are currently 29 students (65% female and 35% male) in the program.
Beit Gesher (Kiryat Shmona)
Beit Gesher is an informal recreational center for young adults, ages 18-30 with special needs. The centre provides a platform for these young adults to spend mediated quality time with their equal peer groups, to be themselves, to express themselves, develop key skills, which are required for maintaining an independent way of life, and to interact with different peer and social groups from the upper Galilee region. Beit Gesher operates twice a week, providing for its participants the opportunity to get together and interact in a comfortable setting, as well as providing high educational content and a wide variety of activities to participate in together. The program has expanded its activities and meeting times to 3 times a week. Activities include tennis, basketball practices, a river watching group, and a youth organization working with CrossFit and computers.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Clinic: Educational Therapy Program (Kiryat Shemona)
The Educational Therapy Program is designed to prevent students from dropping out of the educational system and reduce high-risk situations of youth with mental health disorders. The goal of the clinic is to prevent deterioration of mental and emotional state that might lead to either drop out from school or admission to a psychiatric hospital.
The program is two days a week, Sundays for youth in Grades 8 - 12 and Tuesdays for youth in grades 6 – 7.
After assessment, a tailored therapeutic program is designed for each student, including individual learning and guidance for the school team, individual emotional therapy, family or parent counseling and a group therapy aimed for improving social skills.
One of the issues when this program first began was that there was a long waiting list of teenagers who needed mental health services. At this moment it has been reported that the waiting list has been reduced by half and the clinic has expanded to 2 treatment rooms which has increased capacity.
Mashabim, The Community Stress Prevention Centre, CHAI Program, Kiryat Shmona
The Community Stress Prevention Centre (CSPC) was established in Kiryat Shmona by its founder and president Professor Mooli Lahad, the world renown expert on treatment of psychotrauma and development of resilience. The CSPC is a resiliency and treatment centre that uses state of the art methods for treatment and training nation and worldwide. The work spans over all community life from toddlers to the elderly from the individual to family and community. The CSPC expertise it the treatment of Psycho-trauma, anxiety and related problems.
The Childhood Anxiety and Trauma Intervention Program (CHAI) creates a close relationship and collaboration with schools’ staff that can identify children and their families that are affected by trauma. The assessment and treatment will be done by certified therapists, senior medical psychologist and a senior supervisor of the Arts therapy from the CSPC. The schools and Families are given guidance on how to best support the child.
