“330,000 is the estimated number of at-risk children in Israel.  This number should raise a red flag for any citizen or government.” This statistic was noted at the three-day, 34th annual FICE International World Congress that opened at Ono Academic College on October 29, 2019.  FICE (Fédération Internationale des Communautés Educatives) is a global network of organizations and professionals in the field of child and youth out-of-home care in more than 45 countries. FICE maintains contacts with UNESCO, UNICEF, the Council of Europe and ECOSOC. It is also a member of the UN-NGO-Group on the Rights of the Child and member of ENSACT.

Mr. Avi Naor, the founder and chair of the Israeli Public Forum for Youth Villages and Boarding Schools for Children at Risk said:

“I’m a numbers person, and the number that hit me 20 years ago and which unfortunately has not changed since then is: 330,000 – the estimated number of at-risk children in Israel. This should raise a red flag for any citizen or government. These are children who did not chose to be at-risk.  They were born in a neighborhood or environment or to a family that put them at risk.  These children have every legal right to get out of the cycle of risk.  They have the amazing potential to be part of Israeli society.  This can be done, is being done, and must be done.”

Professor Emmanuel Grupper, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Academic Director of the School of Education and Society at Ono Academic College also spoke at the conference. Since 2018, Grupper has served as the President of FICE, an international organization for boarding school education.  He said, “FICE is the only international organization that deals with the welfare of children and youth that learn and live in communities outside of the home, in youth villages and boarding schools.  I am proud of Ono Academic College, a multicultural academic institution that is hosting this important event that conducts discussions among representatives of 40 countries on a variety of subjects including at-risk youth and new models for boarding school education.  All of these subjects are united by a focus on the good of the child.  Prof. Grupper is a world-renowned expert in the fields of education and treatment of at-risk youth in boarding schools and other frameworks outside the home.

Professor Emmanuel Grupper

Member of Knesset, Dr. Avigdor Kaplan, the Director General of the Ministry of Labor, Welfare and Social Services said:

In Israel, there are 700,000 children in frameworks outside of the home.  Our goal is to reduce this number. The government is focused on protecting these children.  We have increased the budget for these services investing 130 million shekels. We are working to increase the programs that allow youth to begin living independently.  The programs include training for integration into the Israel Defense Forces, social rights and more.  We are building a professional training program to help the children acquire tools for their adult lives.  We struggle with many challenges but are determined to overcome them together with our partners.

Professor Tova Hartman, the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at Ono Academic College said:

In the 1980’s, researchers saw hopeful signs that the problems requiring children to live outside the home would be ameliorated.  Sadly, this has not been the case. In fact, the problems have mushroomed and too many little people are not safe.

Recently, we finished the holiday season (in Israel) and the central motif was looking inwards and wanting to improve our actions, both as individuals and also as a community.  Our liturgy uses the language of “We”, demanding a communal change of heart and call to action.  Therefore, protecting children is something that must take place on our watch and our responsibility is to give them better opportunities.  

Ono Academic College takes this challenge seriously and we are trying to create change in Israeli society. We know that multi-cultural education can become a slogan without real content and therefore we are committed to the following principles taught to us by Fosslien and West Duffy:

  • Accessibility is being able to get into the building
  • Diversity is getting invited to the table
  • Inclusion is having a voice at the table
  • Belonging is having your voice heard at the table

Mr. Avi Naor, the founder and chair of the Israeli Public Forum for Youth Villages and Boarding Schools for Children at Risk said:

“I’m a numbers person, and the number that hit me 20 years ago and which unfortunately has not changed since then is: 330,000 – the estimated number of at-risk children in Israel. This should raise a red flag for any citizen or government. These are children who did not chose to be at-risk.  They were born in a neighborhood or environment or to a family that put them at risk.  These children have every legal right to get out of the cycle of risk.  They have the amazing potential to be part of Israeli society.  This can be done, is being done, and must be done.”

Professor Emmanuel Grupper, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Academic Director of the School of Education and Society at Ono Academic College also spoke at the conference. Since 2018, Grupper has served as the President of FICE, an international organization for boarding school education.  He said, “FICE is the only international organization that deals with the welfare of children and youth that learn and live in communities outside of the home, in youth villages and boarding schools.  I am proud of Ono Academic College, a multicultural academic institution that is hosting this important event that conducts discussions among representatives of 40 countries on a variety of subjects including at-risk youth and new models for boarding school education.  All of these subjects are united by a focus on the good of the child.  Prof. Grupper is a world-renowned expert in the fields of education and treatment of at-risk youth in boarding schools and other frameworks outside the home.

Member of Knesset, Dr. Avigdor Kaplan, the Director General of the Ministry of Labor, Welfare and Social Services said:

In Israel, there are 700,000 children in frameworks outside of the home.  Our goal is to reduce this number. The government is focused on protecting these children.  We have increased the budget for these services investing 130 million shekels. We are working to increase the programs that allow youth to begin living independently.  The programs include training for integration into the Israel Defense Forces, social rights and more.  We are building a professional training program to help the children acquire tools for their adult lives.  We struggle with many challenges but are determined to overcome them together with our partners.

Professor Tova Hartman, the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at Ono Academic College said:

In the 1980’s, researchers saw hopeful signs that the problems requiring children to live outside the home would be ameliorated.  Sadly, this has not been the case. In fact, the problems have mushroomed and too many little people are not safe.

Recently, we finished the holiday season (in Israel) and the central motif was looking inwards and wanting to improve our actions, both as individuals and also as a community.  Our liturgy uses the language of “We”, demanding a communal change of heart and call to action.  Therefore, protecting children is something that must take place on our watch and our responsibility is to give them better opportunities.  

Ono Academic College takes this challenge seriously and we are trying to create change in Israeli society. We know that multi-cultural education can become a slogan without real content and therefore we are committed to the following principles taught to us by Fosslien and West Duffy:

  • Accessibility is being able to get into the building
  • Diversity is getting invited to the table
  • Inclusion is having a voice at the table
  • Belonging is having your voice heard at the table