The "Youth Futures" initiative, the Jewish Agency's flagship project for empowering children and youth in the periphery operating in 22 localities in the Negev and Galilee, has recently begun activities in the Western Galilee.

Seven schools, two in Mateh Asher and five in Acco, will be part of the project during the next three years.  To date, 248 children will participate in the project under the direction of a staff of 18 trustees who were specially recruited for this role from among the local authority's residents.

A list was put together during the summer of the children who will be participating in the project in conjunction with authority representatives and the schools.  During the last month the trustees visited the children's homes in order to study their environment and their relationships with family and friends, held preliminary discussions with their teachers in school, and also began meeting with the children themselves.  All these encounters are designed to help the trustees build a strong personal relationship with the children.

The trustees underwent several training sessions that helped orient them to the project, familiarized them with the region's existing infrastructure, and introduced them to various personalities, methods for working with the children, etc.  The training process is ongoing and will continue throughout their work.

From reports we have received from the field, the children appear to be very happy with the kind of personal relationship the trustees offer them.  The schools held preparation days where the trustees were introduced to the education and treatment staff, in order to ensure full cooperation.
With the approach of the new school year, the Western Galilee College Students' Union donated 250 backpacks for children participating in the Youth Futures project.

On October 22 there will be a happening to kick off the activities for the new year for all 248 children and 18 trustees.  A delegation from Indianapolis will also take part in this happening, representing the communities that contributed towards bringing the Youth Futures project to the Western Galilee.
Best of luck to all those participating in this project - children, trustees, coordinators, local authority representatives, and project coordinator Romi Saar.