About two years ago a group of young parents in the Arava began to formulate a process through which the community would take a leading role in shaping the educational system in the region. They felt that the time had come to actively participate in changing the face of local education (rather than simply criticizing and complaining!), and that by making the regional educational system a main priority in the Arava, they could put a better future within the grasp of their children, and could even help to leverage the entire region.

Together with the Central Arava Regional Council, and with much funding and assistance from Partnership 2000, the group approached the Democratic Education Institute, asking them to guide the Arava in the formulation of a comprehensive "picture of the future" (the Institute has a well-known track record in the field). The main aim is to create a vision through which all of the educational and social institutions and programs operating in the Arava would work together in order to provide responses for the needs of all of the students and residents in the region. In addition, the educational-social system would be seen as a leading entity for the promotion of other fields of development in the Arava, and would at the same time help to attract new residents to the region.

Several steps have already been taken to begin implementation of this exciting initiative - the existing situation has been charted, working groups have been formed, and over 100 residents took part in a community meeting at which the results of the regional charting were presented. Roy Patrick, director of the Regional Council's Education Dept, is enthusiastic about the ongoing progress on several levels, noting that while change is never easy, the process is moving along extremely well. Impressive advances have already been made in the field of activities for young people in the region, and on the community level the leading team, composed of representatives of the local schools, the community and the Council, meets bi-weekly. The region's educational staff (teachers, nursery school teachers and counselors) has also been meeting on a regular basis, and the goal is put at least some of the proposed changes into practice by the beginning of the school year on September 1, 2009 - watch this space for continued updates!