In the North of Israel, the second Lebanon War in 2006 left a long-lasting mark on the general population, and in the Sderot region, the constant barrage of missiles from Gaza has caused ongoing stress for many people. Many of the children, youth and adults living in these areas are part of high-risk populations, who had many unmet needs and multiple problems, even before the deterioration in the security situation.
The Canadian Federations Emergency Campaign supported more than 80 programs in six priority areas: education (including youth-at-risk), vulnerable populations (especially the elderly and persons with disabilities), economic development (mainly in the employment sphere), strengthening communities (by encouraging young adults to remain in their communities), leadership and volunteer development, and trauma relief, providing unique services to Israelis, young and old, who had experienced traumatic events and situations. The programs were supported through a three-year funding cycle which began in 2007-08.
The purpose of the evaluation was to support the ongoing implementation of the Canadian Federations activities by providing an external perspective of the Emergency Campaign initiative as a whole. Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute initial report in April 2008 presented a broad overview of all the programs sponsored by the Emergency Campaign, and the initial stages of the implementation process.
This report provides a richer understanding of the impact of the Emergency Campaign and the programs supported by it. The report presents three case studies of trauma relief and youth-at-risk programs. The report also presents the model used by the Canadian Federations in developing a new relationship with the city of Sderot.
This evaluation was funded by the Canadian Federations and carried out by the Engelberg Center for Children and Youth and the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute.