The Youth Futures Netivot-Sdot Negev program operates at six schools via the work of 14 trustees, one coordinator, and three family trustees.

Total children in program: 181.
Families enrolled in Family Futures: 45.

Key activities in 2008-2009:

 Hanukah outing - on December 25, 2008, we embarked on a Hanukah outing to the Big Crater and Yerucham Lake.  A total of 150 children participated in the trip.

Week of volunteering - During volunteering week, each trustee led individual and group activities focused on the subject of volunteering.  Each group followed up by engaging in volunteer work in the community.

Green Week - activities focused on quality of the environment-on the individual, group, and school levels.

Purim party - On March 11, 2009, the children of Unistream Netivot held a Purim party for Youth Futures children (3rd and 4th graders); the party included designing costumes, food stands, games, quizzes, and guided activities.  A total of 30 children attended the party.

Otzma - Five volunteers from Philadelphia came to the Region as part of this Partnership 2000 program.  Within the framework of their volunteering activity, they presented stimulating English lessons to Youth Futures children.

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Trip for sixth graders - On July 7 we set out for a two-day trip to mark the departure of 6th graders from the program.  On Sunday we participated in an ODT activity followed by an excursion to Latrun.

We finished off the day with a safari ride near Jerusalem.  On the second day of the trip, the children enjoyed themselves in Superland.  A total of 40 sixth graders took part in the trip.

Book Week - To mark Book Week, we held story writing competition for the children, who handed in some exciting stories.  We intend to compile the stories into a pamphlet which will be given to the children as a Book Week souvenir.  In order to complete the week's mission and encourage reading among young people, children whose stories were included in the pamphlet will be given a gift voucher for purchasing a book (contributed by the Steimatzky Book chain).

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Nitzana summer camp - On August 4, 2009, we set out for a three-day stay at Nitzana science summer camp, which targets 5th and 6th graders.

Children at the camp learned how to navigate using stars, learned about the Solar Park and the importance of water in the desert.

The children were also treated to enrichment activities led by Nitzana counselors.

Bat mitzvah ceremony - on August 9, 2009, we held a Bat mitzvah ceremony for 24 girls in Youth Futures.  At the ceremony we discussed the importance of this ceremony in the lives of the girls, who, for their part, performed dances and songs they had prepared in advance.  Attending the ceremony were the girls' parents, representatives of Partnership 2000, Youth Futures, and local municipalities. 

 A total 150 people attended the ceremony.

The Family Futures Program

We conducted a number of workshops for families in the program:

1. Workshop on stress and distress - Following the war, we identified a need for correctly confronting the problem of stress, so we organized a workshop consisting of three sessions led by NATAL (Israel Trauma Center for Victims of Terror and War).  The first session was intended for parents only, while the second and third sessions were for both children and parents.

2. Empowerment workshop - Personal empowerment and positive communication are important tools for all families on the path to correct parental functioning.  Thus we held a workshop consisting of ten sessions for ten families in the community of Ma'agalim.  The workshop was led by Yehudit Bar-Chai and was highly praised by the families. 

3. Introduction to computers course - A great many families took interest in the course for employment purposes (how to write out a CV, send it by email, etc.) as well as out of a social need.  Working in association with Lehava Center, we developed an introductory computer course consisting of 15 sessions.

4. Workshop on budget management- The Pa'amonim organization conducted four sessions for families from Netivot and Sdot Negev; this was in response to an identified need among families for professional tools.

5. Family seminar in Nitzana - The seminar was held on August 13, 14 and 15, 2009 and was attended by a total of 18 families.  Activities included a fun day at Neve Midbar, a tour of the Solar Park and the recycling center, and nighttime sing-along's.  A total of 133 people attended the seminar.

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Operation Cast Lead

During the fighting Youth Futures trustees underwent training, organized by NATAL, for identifying signs of distress and learning ways of dealing with children in times of emergency and crisis.

Trustees transferred their activities into shelters; at the same time a program was constructed for working in shelters, where most of the children of Youth Futures were concentrated.

Family trustees stayed in continuous contact with the families.

The trustees organized two trips, each attended by about 80 children.

For the first trip, we were invited by the Kadima-Tzoran Community Center to take part in enjoyable activities at the center and in the city of Netanya.  On the second trip, we were hosted by Beit Avichai in Jerusalem, where the children were led through various activities by the staff of counselors.