22.03.2010

On Monday, February 22nd 2010 a conference was held on the topic of "Inter-sectorial, Inter-organizational and Inter-disciplinary Joining of Forces in Community Development – from Theories to Practice as Devised in Sderot".   The conference was held at The Center for Social Justice and Democracy in memory of Yaakov Chazan at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute.     

    The conference, which was arranged following the publication of the book entitled "Interdisciplinary Community Development" (2009), discussed the issue of interactions between state institutions (the public sector), and third sector organizations (associations and non-profit organizations) and the civil society, while focusing on their relationships with the various target populations in the community. An additional issue discussed was the inter-disciplinarian partnerships, which place the emphasis on the encounter and interaction between professionals from different organizations and different fields of knowledge on the one hand and the community's population on the other.  During the course of these discussions various examples from Sderot were presented, from the area of preschoolers and the field of young adults with disabilities.

     Ms. Nomika Zion, the chairperson of the Gvanim Association, director of The Center for Social Justice and Democracy in memory of Yaakov Chazan at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, and the initiator of the conference recounted that at Gvanim different models emerged from the field and the time was ripe to conceptualize them, so that the knowledge gained could be passed on to others, and that for a long time now she had sought to establish a connection between academic circles and what was happening in the field on such an important issue.   
    Nitai Schreiber, the CEO of the Gvanim Association spoke about "a partnership for growth" and presented the "Sderot model".  This is a unique model for building synergetic relationships between sectors, which place the individual at the core of their concerns.  When questioned about the secret of Gvanim's success and what is the additional value gained in partnerships, Nitai spoke about the orientation towards the question at hand, waiving the right to credit as well as a willingness to generate conditions which will enable social entrepreneurs to create and work.  Schreiber described a partnership as a compass which demands a constant struggle and cultivation.

     Anat Lerner the Association's vice-CEO and director of the center for early childhood spoke about the partnership model as a driving force for regional development for the early childhood age group.  She also described the ongoing successful cooperation over the past three years between the regional councils of Sha'ar HaNegev and Sadot Negev, together with the municipalities of Sderot and Netivot.

   Dr. Michal Almog-Baer from the School of Social Work at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem outlined the problems and obstacles associated with partnerships.  She argued that a partnership was neither an ideal solution nor the most important thing.  Owing to the problems and the risks involved in building partnerships and maintaining them it is necessary to think also about other ways for advancing projects, such as for example, ad hoc cooperation projects. 

   As the conference proceeded Nirit Rimon, a social worker and director of the department for young adults with disabilities at the Gvanim Association, reviewed the programs developed for young adults with disabilities.  Together with Nirit, Yehiel Shershevsky, who is in charge of rehabilitation for the mental health services at the Ministry of Health, presented one of the ways for working in partnership using "a study group" – an inter-disciplinary study workshop in which a diverse range of people from different fields participate together with representatives of the services' recipients, and the participants raise their dilemmas at this session.  Towards the end of the discussions Amit Cemesh, a young women aged 24, and a graduate of the "Hed program" (a program for young people who experienced a significant mental crisis) got everyone emotionally involved.   Cemesh who currently works as an assistant at the "Hadar" school in Sderot spoke about what she had gained personally from the program - "My voice was heard, I am a young woman with an opinion, it is important for me that people should know and not try and think or decide things for me which are not necessarily in my best interest, I am an equal among equals.  My handicap is only a minor part of me and it is not what defines me".

    Other participants in the conference included representatives from the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services, and the Ministry of Health, the authors of the book entitled "Interdisciplinary Community Development": Dr. Yossi Korazim – the director of policy planning at the Ministry of Welfare, Dr. Hanna Katz, from the department for Administration and Policy at the Sapir Academic College, and Dr. Amnon Karmon – the director of the Kerem Institute for Jewish Humanistic Education in Jerusalem.  Dr. Yaron Sokolov – the CEO of "Civic Leadership", Professor Benny Gidron – the center for research into the third sector, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, and additional professionals and personnel.