As part of an initiative that is the first of its kind, Injaz-the professional development force engine of the Arab local authorities in Israel and the Follow-Up Committee on Arab Education Issues, in cooperation with the National Committee of Heads of Arab Local Authorities and with the support of Taawon association, are setting up a forum for youth departments in the local Arab authorities with the aim of presenting an educational vision to refine and forge identity through promoting informal education and adapting educational programs to the national and cultural specificity and needs of our Arab society, encouraging initiative, taking responsibility and playing an active role in influencing the contents and values that are passed on in activities and programs and raising awareness of the challenges and dangers facing work among young people in general and in aspects related to national identity and affiliation in particular.
This initiative is promoted within a vision and project presented by the Follow-up Committee on Arab Education Issues to organize Arab educators in forums as part of a strategy to strengthen our society and take responsibility for the development of Arab education, support professionals and professional work, and raise awareness of issues related to education for national identity and affiliation in accordance with the goals of Arab education and all aspects absent from the official curricula and to encourage educational initiatives needed by our society. The Follow-Up Committee for Arab Education Issues has initiated the establishment of a forum for the directors of education departments in Arab local authorities and contributed to the construction of forums for Arab teachers and educators.
This forum seeks to frame the directors of youth departments, accompany them professionally and take the initiative to establish study days and formulate policy papers in the field of extracurricular education and education for values, national affiliation, volunteering, strengthening collective work and educational initiatives. It is a joint struggle to achieve the rights of our society in the field of complementary education and work among youth, the treatment of problems and challenges, and support and strengthen the role of managers in light of the challenges they face in this regard.
This initiative was launched in a study day organized by Injaz Center and the Follow-up Committee for Arab Education Issues, in partnership with the Committee of Heads of Arab Local Authorities, in which over 40 directors of youth departments participated. The day included several sessions dealing with the topic of identity among Arab youth, the challenges existing in this field and ways of working to promote the concept of identity, the most prominent of which is the Roots Project, which aims to promote educational and cultural activities and youth work in the spirit of identity and affiliation values”.
At the end of the study day, the participants stressed the importance of continuing this meeting and accompanying the directors of the youth departments professionally and supporting them in their journey to provide a better, more fostering environment for Arab youth, especially in light of the challenges they face. The organizers of this study day also stressed the importance of enriching the youth departments with extracurricular programs and activities related to identity, giving and national affiliation corresponding to the approach of our representative bodies and to a sound political and professional vision. Therefore, the forum’s organizers will issue policy papers, a brochure of programs and events, and initiate programs, in addition to continuing these meetings that would enhance professional work between civil society institutions and youth departments on important educational issues such as identity and volunteering.”
