Computers & Photography Program for Teens

This program provides after-school courses in computer graphics, photography and video production.  It teaches participants valuable skills and offers them constructive opportunities for self-expression.  Participants learn to use the media to promote their own agenda.  For example, a typical activity would have each participant photograph something which reflects his or her life in Sderot and present it to the group.

$50,000 supports the program for one year.
$15,000 supports one class for a year.
$8,500 funds a summer program.

Etgarim Extreme Sports Center for Teens

The name “Etgarim” means “challenges”, which is precisely what many teens crave.  Sderot’s Extreme Sports Center offers challenging outdoor activities, such as rappelling, mountain biking, survival training and orienteering.  The program encourages self-discipline, teamwork and a sense of responsibility, enabling teens to channel their energy in a positive direction.   It promotes a love of the outdoors and respect for the environment.  A typical activity might involve splitting the group into two teams and presenting both with a physical challenge;  each team needs to come up with an action plan and execute it.

$135,000 funds the center for one year.
$15,000 purchases mountain bikes
$12,000 funds a summer camp.
$3,000 purchases new sports equipment.

Afikei Or Youth Club for Ethiopian Teens

The 180 Ethiopian-Israelis families living in Sderot are among the poorest in the city.  The teens of the community, even though most were born in Israel, have difficulty joining in regular after-school activities open to the wider community.  To meet this need, and to ensure that Ethiopian teens do not spend their free time wandering the streets and getting into trouble, the Afikei Orr (“paths of light”) youth club was set up.  The club provides after-school tutoring and help with homework, extra-curricular activities, trips and vacation programs.  Most Ethiopian teens attend the club which has become an integral hub for the Ethiopian community as a whole. 
 
$25,000 supports the club for one year.
$3,000 funds one club program.

Youth Movements

Some 700 teens out of a total of 2,500 in Sderot are active in one of six local youth movements.  The movements offer social and educational programs which instil positive values and strengthen participants’ connections to the community.  They promote leadership skills, motivate teens to be engaged and socially involved, and encourage intergenerational relationships.  For example, a typical activity might have teens plan and carry out an activity for younger children, or a visit to a seniors’ centre to bring cheer to the residents.

$20,000 supports the youth movements for one year.
$5,000 funds equipment for all the youth movements.
$3,000 funds summer programs.

Young Adults Council

Many young people in Sderot have learned that the best way of responding to trauma is through community activism and involvement, and working together to bring about change.  The Sderot Young Adults Council represents the needs of young people to the city council.  Comprised of elected representatives of local high schools, youth movements and other organizations, it is developing a new generation of local leaders.  Recent activities include creating an annual work plan for the youth in Sderot, developing “solidarity with Sderot” bumper stickers, and giving talks in schools throughout Israel on life in Sderot.

$20,000 supports the council for one year.
$3,000 adopts a community program run by the council.

Netivim Centre for Young Adults

In previous years, large numbers of young people from Sderot left the town in search of educational opportunities and better paying jobs in the centre of the country.  Yet it is vital that young people remain in Sderot and work together to build their future.  In response to this need, the Netivim Centre was established in 2006, to provide information and guidance on local educational, training and job prospects. 

$260,000 funds the centre for one year.
$25,000 supports the leadership development program for one year.
$20,000 funds equipment for two reinforced classrooms in the centre (includes naming opportunity).