During the past year, the pilot of the "Youth Futures" Program began in Ofakim. Eleven trustees operated from two groups - the volunteer commune from the Alon Association, and the graduates group from the Noar Haoved veHalomed youth group.

The program operated in the following schools:

Elementary schools: Ben Gurion, Hagivah, Eshelim;

High schools: Ofakim Makif High School.

Participants included 138 children, from Grades 3-9. The children were selected by the school counselors and principals, who were requested to recommend children who need reinforcement in the educational, social and emotional spheres. Activities with the children were both pedagogical and social.

During the program's activity there were weekly meetings based on "Another Kind of Learning" activity (informal teaching methods), accompanied by a trustee. Also trustees and pupils jointly operated the "At Eye Level" program where they trained the younger participants of the program. "Educational Campaign" for arithmetic, English and sciences in all of the elementary schools took place as well as Fun event days in various topics (holidays, story tales etc.) and other pedagogic and social activities during school vacations.

During the summer vacation there were meeting every 3 weeks for social activity such as courses, Fun Days outside the city, and others. The older participants participated a camp in which they guided and activated children from the North during the war in Lebanon.

During this past year an empowerment campus was operated as part of this program, which offered lessons and educational reinforcement to junior high school and high school students on Fridays.