Youth Panel: Learning from Our Clients

Since 2005, youth at risk program "Bridge to independence by "Israeli council for children in care " has been accompanied hundreds of young adults who are graduates from residential care and without family backings. The youth come from care centers, foster families and residential care at the age of 18 -26 all across the country. The program treats the youth in a holistic point of view to the challenges of independent life and the different needs of young people. Over the years, the professional counselors has learned to work in full partnership with the youth and to recognize them as "experts" in their field - leaving care center, challenges of independence, gaps and needs, significant success experiences and so on. As part of this process, the program developed a model of a group of young leaders who choose to lead their lives and take an active part in the development and implementation of the program.

In the recent years the leaders group is involved in developing and implementing processes for all youth in the program. They participate in committees of the Ministry of Social Affairs and in professional conferences, and even in Knesset debates. Their powerful presence, their mature and fascinating story. The ability to express themselves in this way is a very significant event for professional teams, academics and all those involved in the field.

Thus, A guided youth panel that speaks first hand about the experience of leaving care, the needs and concerns, the support system that has helped them on their way to independence, the unique viewpoints and insights- have a very important meaning in the conference.