About the project
Project Springboard aims to break the cycle of future poverty in Jerusalem’s poorest neighborhoods. Strategic partners include the local community council, local schools, relevant municipal and national agencies and public and private organizations. The Springboard initiative has three axes: extended school day for all elementary school children, developing high-potential students from low-income families through after-school enrichment, and vocational training and mentoring for youth at risk. The program serves more than 1000 children in the community. At the end of 2016 academic year, one third of the students at the local Guatemala school were accepted to some of the best schools in the city, a first for the school. This was largely due to the students’ s exposure to subject matters that they otherwise would not have had were it not for the enrichment we provided and learned how to identify their own strengths, motivation and self esteem. Parents in the community report an extremely high level of satisfaction with the program. The community environmental hub that is shared by the schools produced a team of researchers who won the Municipality’s first prize in science. Nearly 100 youth received vocation training, of which 60% who attended the secretarial course and 75% who attended the computer course secured summer employment. Many of the students in vocational training secured high level positions in the IDF or in National Service thanks to their vocational training.
