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Scholarships in the Israeli Periphery
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Despite its small measures, Israel is marked by a considerable Town-Village divide. Academic and professional education, as well as the overall social infrastructure, are much worse in the rural areas than in the urban agglomeration. Also, unemploymentin the rural areas is at a remarkably higher rate. The project “Social Action in the Israeli Periphery” is aimed to youth from these less priviliged regions. Through allocation of scholarships and simultaneous commitment in social projects of those regions, we are trying to counter these problems within the society.
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The Project “Social Action in the Israeli Periphery”
The Project “Social Action in the Israeli Periphery”
In order to stand up to the problems of the peripheral areas in Israel, the “Social Action in the Israeli Periphery” project was developed. The project examines two different ways of action:
a) Promotion of the vocational training of financially disadvantaged citizens in the periphery areas.
b) Direct contribution to the social welfare of disadvantaged peripheral groups.
While the first stage of direct improvement of the educational system, and the additional training of the population in the target regions has been accomplished, the second stage is concerned with improvement of the conditions of the social standard of living within these areas.
Organized leisure activities for the youth prevent them from getting involved in addiction, keep them off the street and out of trouble. Courses that are offered in their leisure time, such as languages and technology, may improve their chances in the job and education market; cultural activities with participants from a difficult environment could reduce tensions between groups and create a climate of cooperation and mutual assistance.
Within the scope of the “Social Action in the Israeli Periphery” project, simultaneous activities in both of these spheres are made possible. Scholarships enable young people to gain vocational training, which they otherwise would hardly be able to attain. At the same time, those receiving a scholarship are obligated to be active in different social projects, and as a result, getting them involved with their communities.
Thus, the circle is formed: on one hand, a door is opened to young people in the field of vocational training and access to the job market; on the other hand, owing to the commitment of those receiving a scholarship to carry out social work in their original communities, the most urgent problems in those communities are directly tackled.
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