A program by the “Value Sports” organization creates an opportunity for developing and realizing the inherent potential of every girl and boy from the periphery through soccer or basketball classes twice a week. Together with professional sports training, the program includes life-skills workshops, meetings with role model athletes, formation of a vision for the future, the establishment of a positive and unified group, tournaments, and community volunteering, with the aim of strengthening the emotional fortitude of the participants.

The core concept of the program is that belonging to a sports team, combined with a values-oriented education, create both a positive experience and a foundation for a sense of belonging and integration into the community, which is essential for building strong and supportive communities.

The students in the program are in grades 5 and 6, with up to 20 participants in each group. The program operates in 10 local authorities in the northern and southern peripheries of Israel. 200 youth participated in the program.

The Israel Sports Association for the Disabled identifies children and teenagers with motor disabilities or visual impairment and blindness who are well-suited for participating in Paralympic sports. In addition to the multitude of advantages and values associated with physical activity, participating in Paralympic sports yields additional value for people with disabilities by providing them with an equal opportunity, breaking down prejudices and stigmas, and integrating them into mainstream society through sports. 100 youth participated in the program.

A “HeHalutz – Education Through Sport” program offering an assistant coaching course for economically-disadvantaged and at-risk teens ages 15-17. The course provides professional training to be an assistant coach, after which the teens use their acquired skills in “HeHalutz” youth groups and at municipality sporting events. The course also contributes to the fostering of values such as collaboration, leadership, self-confidence, social responsibility, and perseverance. 37 youth participated in the program.

In August 2022, an eight-day summer sports camp took place for Jewish and Bedouin girls ages 13-16, with 42 girls from around the country participating (including 24 Bedouin and 18 Jewish girls).

The camp, which was held in Kfar Silver, allowed the girls to forge bonds through sports and shared dormitory lodgings. The connection was followed up by a reunion, which included the girls’ parents in the hope of strengthening the bond between the girls and expanding the impact created to other circles. The meeting took place in the village of Abu Queider, the home of most of the Bedouin teens who took part in the camp, and included a tour of the village, the sharing of post-camp experiences by the girls, lunch, and a sports activity. It was the first time the Jewish girls visited an unrecognized Bedouin village and a first time the Bedouin girls hosted Jewish friends. This event enabled a face-to-face meeting of the families, and the strengthening and expansion of the bonds between the girls and their communities.

In light of the success of this program, another summer camp will be held this year in the same format, with the participation of around 50 girls. This year, the camp will again be operated by “Kadima Mada”, the representative in Israel of World ORT.