Our Elders program (Bogrim) aims to preserve and strengthen relationships with our former teenagers in order to guide and accompany them at the beginning of their new path.
We started this year with the determination to continue to develop our Elders program and we are happy to inform you that we were able to reconnect with 46 young people! We see this as a huge step up from the 26 who were with us at the start of last year. The group is made up of young people who are currently serving in various units of the army (Tsahal), young girls in national civil service, others who have finished their military service and who are looking for orientation for their studies, and some who are already students!
Last month, we organized two Elders evenings, by age group: 18-20 and 20-27. The purpose of these evenings was to get to know each other better, to strengthen the relationship between them, to motivate them to come and organize activities in their former group and at the same time to try to detect their needs, or their daily difficulties, on which we could help them. Thus, we seek to build a system of support and leadership within our young people.
We were happy to hear the Elders talk about their “pride” to have been in Negba, the importance and meaning of the work of the association in their eyes, the extent of the influence that their animators had until they got their baccalaureate. We then discussed their desire to maintain and strengthen their ties with the association and to contribute to joint activities with the children of Negba.
Following these meetings, various projects were proposed: continuing to build and consolidate the community of Elders, strengthening personal ties while emphasizing their specific needs – such as a workshop to learn how to manage one’s budget –, personal interviews to advise on the choice of higher education (technical or university studies), help them in the scholarship application process, organize joint activities with the Elders and youngsters of Negba’s Homes and Clubs…
We would like to thank Michal Peretz, our Elders Project Coordinator, for her continuous and tireless work in locating and making contact with each one of them, leaving none behind, as well as for organizing these exceptional meetings which gave everyone a great desire to see each other again very soon.
Some quotes from our Elders: short sentences but full of meaning…
“Negba is for me a journey of personal development, which I will never forget in my whole life!”
“Negba is like our take-off runway.”
“The years spent in Negba shaped who I am today.”
“Without Negba, I would have had problems with the law.”
“It’s time to give of ourselves to the place that gave us so much in our childhood.”
