Yossi, Noa, Tal, Yuval, Tzlil and Shahaf are 6 Israeli youth who live in Confrontation Line settlements.

The six of them decided at the end of their high school studies to postpone their army service and joined the Partnership 2000 Confrontation Line/Great Britain Shnat Sherut programme.

The Partnership 2000 Shnat Sherut programme is very unique. It includes several months of training at the Machon Lemadrichei Chul in Jerusalem, followed by volunteering in the Partnership's region.

Only here our youngsters join the whole programme of their peers from the British youth movements who arrive for a year of in-depth acquaintance and volunteering in Israel.

Yossi, Noa, Tal, Yuval, Tzlil and Shahaf felt that their contribution to the community throughout the year was not enough and contacted the British youth movements, offering themselves as counselors in the summer camps in Great Britain.

"I was 'Mr. Israel' at camp"; Shahaf from Shlomi described his experience at the Netzer camp. "I taught activities connected with Israel, which wouldn't have happened otherwise at the Reform youth movement in Britain".

"My connection with the camp organizers was exceptional" added Tzlil, who participated in the Hanoar Hazioni camp. "I felt I was an integral part of the staff".

"In spite of my wonderful experience", said Yossi, "our activity is not taken for granted. The counselor must take the initiative and push himself in order to be felt and be significant". "Yet" added Noa, "even as an art counselor I managed to bring the Israel into the camp".

We learned about their success from the feedback we received from the organizers of Hanoar Hazioni camp: "All three madrichim wrote educational peulot (activities) of a very high standard and really took on board all of the hadracha training they had received…. all three were an asset to us and we really hope to have them return in the future (maybe even as shlichim!)"

When we asked the group what values they took with them from their experiences in the Shnat Sherut programme and as counselors at the British camps, their answers were additional proof of the quality youth our region grows: responsibility, Zionism, personal initiative, mutual respect, love of their country, belief in themselves and Am Israel arevim ze l'ze.

I left this meeting feeling exalted. At the practical level it seemed right to establish the participation of Shnat Sherut participants as counselors in British camps as part of the programme. But beyond that, I felt that with such quality youth who do and not only demand, the future of us all can only be better.

Written by Anat Sharvit, Partnership 2000 Confrontation Line/Great Britain Director