Young-Adults Voluntarism & Leadership

The program presents young adult Ethiopian Israelis aged 18-26 with a unique opportunity: to be on the giving rather than the receiving side, where most immigrants find themselves from the day they arrive in Israel.

While many of the young adults in the neighborhoods where Ethiopian Israelis live, are considered "at risk", others have become more successful, having joined the army, found occupation and are considering or joining university. Unfortunately, the younger population is usually mostly exposed to the less successful young adults. Those who are more successful prefer to stay at home, away from negative influences. 

This program enables these young and motivated adults to assume responsibility as positive role models for the younger children and youth: It provides them both with the opportunity and the tools to do so.

Ethiopian Israeli young adults encounter difficulties that cut them off from the center of Israeli society. For example, the Adva Center's data from 2005 showed that among 21-24 year old young Ethiopian Israeli adults, 58% are unemployed. These young adults are forced to live off of temporary jobs and low salaries. While most of them are aware of the option of higher education, they are not available to this possibility. Therefore, the program includes ways of exposing the participants to the options of higher education or professional advancement, as well as ways to integrate into these programs.

5 Community Gar'inim now implement the program; in Gedera, a third of the participants enrolled in institutions of higher education, and, despite the tempting offers to live in the dormitories, chose to continue to live in the neighborhood and volunteer with the community, without any stipend.

The Community Gar'inim invite young adults to become members, and take part in all the activities: Multicultural Community Beit-Midrash, seminars, joint weekends, etc.