Public attention to the needs of adolescent girls, as distinct from those of adolescent boys, continues to grow. While services for youth in Israel indeed implement distinct programs for adolescent girls, little is known about their specific focuses, target groups and intervention strategies. This report presents an overview of the services and programs for girls ages 12-18 in Israel, based on a mapping conducted between July and November 2003. The mapping provides a basis for the continued development of new services for adolescent girls, and for the adaptation of existing ones to their unique needs. It is part of the broader “Girls on the Map” study, which also includes a survey of the characteristics and needs of girls under the care of the Service for Girls and Young Women of the Ministry of Social Affairs (see report RR-465-05); and an analysis of findings from existing studies of risk behavior of adolescent girls as compared to that of boys (forthcoming). The mapping is based on interviews with professionals at the national level in government ministries, the Israel Police Force, the IDF, and voluntary organizations and associations that implement services and programs for girls (26 organizations).
The interviews focused on two areas: (a) policy – whether there is a policy, awareness of the need to provide separate services for girls, and the existence of professionals who work exclusively with girls; and (b) service provision – the existence and nature of specific programs for girls, problems developing them and ways to address these, directions for developing new programs, and future challenges.
The following are among the principal findings:
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Most of the organizations are aware of the importance of implementing programs for girls, and most do implement such programs and declare their intention of continuing to develop them in new directions. However, most do not have a distinct policy on adolescent girls, nor have they assigned staff to work specifically with girls.
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Programs geared for all girls usually focus on a single issue: empowerment. Programs for girls at risk integrate several areas of content.
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There is a gap between needs and solutions vis a vis the scope and dispersal of services, the variety of programs, and solutions for specific groups of adolescent girls, including Arabs, Bedouin, immigrants, and religious Jews.
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Most of the inter-organizational partnerships to develop and implement programs for girls involve two organizations only; there are no multi-organizational partnerships.
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The programs address particular issues, such as sexual abuse, drug use, and unwanted pregnancy, and are not part of a comprehensive conceptualization of the needs of girls, nor are they based on a comprehensive perspective of priorities.
The findings emphasize a basic need: to develop a broad perspective on the varied needs of adolescent girls, in general, and of adolescent girls at risk, in particular. This would serve as a basis for comprehensive planning of solutions, coordination and cooperation among organizations and services, while ensuring continuity of care.
The findings of mapping were presented and discussed with members of the inter-organizational forum “Girls on the Map”, administered by Ashalim with representatives of government ministries and organizations and associations that provide services to girls. The findings raised awareness of the gaps between needs and solutions, and are a basis for planning new programs and expanding existing ones within organizations and through cooperation among them. The study was made possible with a special grant from Annie Sandler, Virginia, USA. It was initiated and conducted in partnership by the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, Ashalim and the Ministry of Social Affairs.