Newsletter for April May 2017
Shalom, I am pleased to send the 5-2017 Newsletter of the association, reviewing the last month.
I will appreciate to get your feedback.
Happy and kosher Pesach !
Mendi
In 2013, the association launched in the Haifa Hostel a center dedicated to provide weekend and short vacation recreations for children with special needs. Sometimes the events take place for the entire families. The complete facility was specially designed to be easily accessible also by wheelchairs. The city of Haifa allocated this building to the Yad LaYeled Hameyuchad association for this purpose. Thanks to the generous donation of Mr. Chezi Shabbat and his family, the deliberate renovation could be facilitated. Therefore the building is dedicated to Chezi’s parents Carmela and Avraham Shabbat Z”L (blessed be their memory). The cost of the project was over one million NIS.
The Hostel has now 5 fully furnished dormitory rooms with 25 beds, a larger room for social activities, a fully equipped kitchen, a dining room and a library. A “Gymboree” in-house playground is under construction. Outside in the front yard of the building an open space playground of about 120 square yards with lawn, and a pergola which provides a pleasant sitting area. Parents and coaching volunteers can watch over the kids comfortably.
Each weekend the Yad LaLeyeled HaMeyuchad – "Lend a Hand to the Special Child" – Recreation Center at the Haifa Hostel named in memory of Carmela and Avraham Shabbat holds fun days for children with autism, other syndromes or severe intellectual disabilities. This recreation framework enables the parents to have time for errands, rest and to spend time with other family members like the siblings of the disabled children. This getaway enables the family to gather new energies to cope with the regular daily challenges.
The children are transported to the event by bus, provided by the association. They are accompanied by a large team of warm and affectionate volunteers from the time the children leave their homes until they return. Financial support is provided to families with economic difficulties. The association cooperates with the Ministry of welfare & Social Services, the department of rehabilitation and services for people with mental and/or developmental disabilities. Children recognized by this government department are entitled to subsidies covering the weekend getaways. The association advises and assists the recipient families how to submit the required forms in their respective municipality.
During the summer vacation and during holidays like Sukkot, Hanukkah and Passover, the Yad LaYeled HaMeyuchad – “Lend a Hand to the Special Child” – Recreation Center at the Haifa Hostel holds camps for children with special needs. This project provides their parents and families a few days of rest and relaxation, knowing that their children are well cared for and enjoying fun activities especially designated for them.
The camps operate in cycles of 3-5 days, each cycle catering up to 10 children with 15 counsellors and other staff.
The children enjoy field trips and various other activities including creative workshops. This way the children are not lonely at home, but enjoy social interaction and gain new experiences.
In July 2016 the new employment initiative – "Nature Watch" (Mishmar HaTeva) of the "Yad LaYeled Hameyuchad" association was inaugurated in Nes Ziona.
Director of the association, Mendi Belinitzki, and the new "Nature Watch" team.
From right: The association Chairman Gen. res. G. Ophir, Vice-Chairman O. Helman, Nes Ziona Mayor Y. Shvo.
In August 2016 Liran was integrated in our employment program of "Nature Watch". In this program he is employed at the Sportech Park in Nes Ziona as a member of the team of "Nature Watch". He works in security and maintenance of the municipal park. Liran is an example of young people with disabilities who, thanks to the employment program, became independent, and supports himself with dignity and contributes to society.
Further employment examples which the association arranged for young people with special needs: Nature Watch Nes Ziona, Aroma Coffee Shop Rehovot, Idea company, Sheckem Company, Secutity Guard at Court House.
During school vacations (the summer vacation), and during holidays (Hanukkah and Passover) children have no formal framework to spend the time. The “Yad LaYeled Hameyuchad“ association is aware of the need of families with children with disabilities to provide suitable solutions. Therefore, the association organizes dedicated vacation camps, trips and outings for children with special needs. These informal programs attract hundreds of children each year.
The children are inspired by exciting events and experience social interaction with new people, which enhances their development. They come back home smiling and happy instead of being lonely and bored at home. The parents are grateful for the enormous help in coping with the challenges that vacations pose for the families. At the same time in which the activities for the children take place, the parents are offered to attend workshops and seminars. Sometimes the parents join their kids in the excursions. The new joint experiences of parents with their children enrich the relationship, and provide renewed strength to meet the challenges of the daily struggles they face.
In coordination with the various municipal social services and welfare departments “Yad LaYeled Hameyuchad” conducts dozens of meetings of parents of children with special needs. They are provided with workshops and seminars with professional experts all over Israel. In these meetings, the parents may share their daily experiences and can consult with the lecturing experts. The challenges the families face are discussed in order to provide additional ideas of how to deal with them on a daily basis.
The goal of the program is to enhance the confidence of the family in the abilities of their children in order to enable the children to realize their potentials and talents. It provides the parents with up to date professional solutions to daily problems.
The group dynamics of the meetings and the social networking which takes place give the participants new strength to cope with their challenges back home. The parents also learn about the various facilities and services offered by the association.
The association learns a lot from these sessions and extends the scope of its services in accordance with the feedbacks received.
The Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a very meaningful mile-stone in a person’s life. The “Yad LaYeled Hameyuchad” (Land a Hand to the Special Child) association created a unique platform providing every boy and girl with special needs who reaches the “Mitzvah-Age” all the arrangements of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration with family members and friends. Each such event is very exciting and emotional for the families and brings endless joy to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrants. The Bar Mitzvah boys are called “Chatan haBar Mitzvah” (a Bar Mitzvah Groom). The Bar Mitzvah girl is a “Kalat haBar Mitzvah” (a Bar Mitzvah Bride).
The project is available to young people with physical disabilities as well as complex mental difficulties. The service is provided even to people with severe degree of disabilities. Everyone receives a full-fledged ceremonial celebration generating genuine joy and happiness.
Priority is given to families where the parents would not be able to facilitate such events on their own.
For Bar Mitzvah grooms the special team of “Yad LaYeled Hameyuchad” offers the option of a ceremony with “Aliya” (Ascendance to read from the Torah scroll) at the Kotel (Wailing Wall). For Bar Mitzvah brides, a joyful party with well-known artists and guest singers is offered. Our team tries to provide creative individual solutions suitable to each person and to each family, in order to overcome the obstacles of disabilities and/or resources. So far, the association arranged dozens of such Bar/ Bat Mitzvah celebration ceremonies all over Israel. See on other page also Bar Mitzvah trip to Masada.
In the framework of contributing to the community the “Yad LaYeled Hameyuchad” association connects students from all over Israel with children with special needs who live in their vicinity. The coaching student spends quality time with the child. All students specialize in the field of special education, so they have the professional tools to use the two hours to promote the child.
The coaching provided by the project includes a weekly meeting of two hours in which each student takes a child for various activities such as going to a nearby park to play together or visiting a shopping mall. The activities with the coaching student take place outside home in order to enrich the child with new interesting social experiences. Some activities take place at the Haifa Hostel facility of the association. This service enables the parents to have the time for errands, for rest, and to spend quality time with other family members.
The coaching instructors are students for BA or MA at recognized institutions of higher learning, who study fields related to special needs such as teachers for special education, social workers, paramedics etc. The association organizes professional workshops for the students where they can exchange experiences with each other.
Over the years of coaching, this close cooperation has often evolved into friendships between the students and the children, which continue long after the period of the formal coaching.
The Yad LaYeled HaMeyuchad, "Lend a Hand to the Special Child", association was established in 2004 by a group of parents of children with special needs who believed that by joining forces they can provide their children with the tools necessary for dealing with their difficulties and disabilities so that their children may achieve growth, quality of life and happiness as much as possible and be integrated in the family and in society.
Over the years, we developed progressive, qualitative services and projects for children and youths with various disabilities, all this thanks to an array of thousands of volunteers countrywide.
We believe that a full partnership in the community coupled with a better quality of life promotes the independence of persons with disabilities and their integration in society.
Based on this concept, we act to integrate hundreds of young people with special needs in the IDF under the Special in Uniform Project. This is the greatest gift for these youngsters that leads them to an independent life with minimal dependence on family and community.
Thousands of families in Israel, from all walks of life, enjoy the variety of services Yad LaYeled HaMeyuchad offers thanks to the volunteers, private donors and charities.
We are present each and every day to fulfill the dreams of the association’s founders and to prove that a special child in the family, as challenging as it may be, is also an opportunity for empowerment of the entire family and of society in general.