A joint study of the Interdisciplinary Center for Children and Youth Studies, the Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, and the JDC-Brookdale Institute
In 1999, a national network of information and counseling drop-in centers for youth – “Hafuch al Hafuch” was established. The organizations ELEM, AVI and ASHALIM initiated the centers’ establishment, and joined forces with government and voluntary agencies in an inter-organizational partnership. This is the second report on an evaluation of the first seven centers. The first evaluation report, which describes their establishment and initial implementation, was published in 2000. This report presents findings on the centers’ second year of operation, and their outcomes. It focuses on key issues that arose during the first stage of the evaluation, and examines how they were addressed during this period.
The report addresses the following issues: developments in the inter-organizational partnership; changes in the characteristics of youth utilizing the centers; reasons for visiting and patterns of utilization; changes in the centers’ patterns of activity; the quality and training of professional and volunteer staff; the centers’ influence on and contribution to youth and to the local system of services; and the youths’ satisfaction with the centers.
During the second year of their activity, the centers continued to serve youth from varied backgrounds, thereby fulfilling the principle of universality that underlies the project. The percentage of youth from the former Soviet Union who visited the centers increased, but the percentage of Ethiopian youth who visited the centers decreased.
Youth who visited the centers were very satisfied with the services provided and with the approach and accessibility of the staff. However, they reported that not all of the centers had sufficient space for private conversations. Different informants reported on the following contributions of the centers:
-
The provision of unique responses not provided by other services.
-
Attention to a target population not addressed by other services.
-
An opportunity for youth from disparate backgrounds, who would not otherwise interact, to meet.
-
An opportunity for individual youths to grow and change, e.g., by learning to trust professionals or becoming motivated to undergo therapy.
The study raised a number of issues regarding the centers’ operation and their role as part of the system of services for youth:
-
There is a need for a clearer definition of the centers’ roles and activities. Especially, the centers need to be more active in referring youth who need additional intervention to other community services.
-
Attention must be paid to training needs – e.g., administrative tools for the directors, and tools for working with youth for the staff.
-
Greater attention should be paid to the unique needs of immigrant youth, including reinforcing the role of the cultural liaison.
The findings of the study were presented to the national administration, directors and staff of the project at the national level, and their implications for improving the centers were clarified and discussed.
The study was conducted on the initiative of ELEM and ASHALIM, and was funded with their assistance.
Citations in the professional and academic literature
Schmid, H. (2007). Children and youth at risk in Israel: Findings and recommendations to improve their well-being. Children and Youth Services Review, 29(8), 1114-1128.
Gavriel-Fried, B., & Ronen, T. (2016). Positive emotions as a moderator of the associations between self-control and social support among adolescents with risk behaviors. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 14(2), 121-134.