Model for academy-community involvement
The school has a community-academic study canter. At this center, the students experience the elements of community social work: building a profile of the community, locating community needs, diagnosis of social problems, recruiting and organizing people to deal with social questions and activating programs for social change.
The study center is active for three years in a single Jerusalem neighborhood with the aim of trying to influence the area, as well as creating a community and community feeling among the students. The students are training within the community services and welfare services available in a selected geographical area: at the community center, the welfare bureau, schools, absorption centers, NGOs active in the area, etc.
Since its founding, the center has been active so far in the following neighborhoods: East Talpiyot, Pisgat Zeev and Gilo.
Among the projects carried out by the students are:
- Establishing a neighborhood pupils’ council
- Establishing community gardens
- Developing groups of activists on various topics, such as education, health, etc.
- Working with people with disabilities to increase accessibility in the neighborhood and raising the residents’ awareness of people with special needs
- Organizing evenings dealing with rights and information for the residents on various topics according to need
- Organizing merchants to improve the appearance of the commercial center
The study center works in cooperation with the residents of the neighborhood, the activists and the social services already existing there. The work aims at maximal involvement of all concerned and is conducted with full coordination between all sides.
Example of the center's activities (2015-2016)
Example of the center's activities (2013-2014)