Ethiopian National Project: Youth Centers Third …...representatives of Ethiopian Jewish community organizations, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), the American Jewish Joint Distribution

ENGELBERG CENTER FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Ethiopian National Project:

Youth Centers –

Third Evaluation Study, 2012

Ruth Baruj-Kovarsky Dalia Ben-Rabi

The study was initiated and funded by the Ethiopian National Project

by the Ethiopian National Project

The Ethiopian National Project (ENP) is a partnership between

the Jewish Federations of North America, the Government of Israel,

representatives of Ethiopian Jewish community organizations,

the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), the American Jewish

Joint Distribution Committee in Israel and Keren Hayesod-UIA.

RR-635-13

Ethiopian National Project:

Youth Centers –

Third Evaluation Study, 2012

Ruth Baruj-Kovarsky Dalia Ben-Rabi

The study was initiated and funded by the Ethiopian National Project

The Ethiopian National Project (ENP) is a partnership between the Jewish Federations

of North America, the Government of Israel, representatives of

Ethiopian Jewish community organizations, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI),

the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Israel and Keren Hayesod-UIA.

Jerusalem September 2013

Editor: Anat Berberian

Translation to English (executive summary): Evelyn Abel

Layout and print production: Leslie Klineman

Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute

Engelberg Center for Children and Youth

P.O.B. 3886

Jerusalem 91037, Israel

Tel: (02) 655-7400

Fax: (02) 561-2391

Web site: www.jdc.org.il/brookdale

Related Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute Publications

Ben-Rabi, D.; Baruj-Kovarsky, R. 2011. Ethiopian National Project: Scholastic Assistance

Program – Evaluation Study. RR-577-11.

Baruj-Kovarsky, R.; Cohen-Navot, M. 2009. The Ethiopian National Project: Youth Centers

2008, Second Evaluation Report. RR-531-09 (Hebrew).

Baruj-Kovarsky, R.; Cohen-Navot, M. 2009. The Ethiopian National Project: Program for the

Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Abuse 2008 – Evaluation Study. RR-544-09 (Hebrew).

The Ethiopian National Project: An Evaluation Study of the SPACE Program, Scholastic

Assistance, Youth Centers 2005/6-2006/7. ES-27-07.

Related Institute Studies:

Kahan-Strawczynski, P.; Amiel, S.; Levi, D.; Konstantinov, V. 2012. First and Second

Generations of Immigrant Youth from Ethiopia and the Former Soviet Union – Similarities

and Differences. RR-627-12 (Hebrew)

Habib, J.; Ben-Rabi, D.; Somekh, S.; Konstantinov, V.; Angel, M. 2012. Evaluation of the

PACT and PACT+ Projects to Promote Ethiopian-Israeli Children and their Parents.

RR-628-12 (Hebrew)

Ben-Rabi, D.; Amiel, S. 2010. After-School Educational Programs: Goals, Work Practices and

Best Practice Indicators. RR-567-10.

Kahan-Strawczynski, P.; Levi, D.; Konstantinov, V. 2010 Immigrant Youth in Israel – The

Current Situation. RR-561-10 (Hebrew).

Kahan-Strawczynski, P.; Vazan-Sikron, L.; Levi, D. 2008. From Risk to Opportunity – A

Project for Immigrant Youth: Findings of an Evaluation Study. RR-515-08 (Hebrew).

To order these publications, please contact the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, P.O.B. 3886,

Jerusalem, 91037; Tel: (02) 655-7400; Fax: (02) 561-2391; E-mail: [email protected]

These reports are available on the Institute website.

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Executive Summary

Youth centers are part of the holistic support offered by the Ethiopian National Project (ENP) to

Ethiopian-Israeli youth to help advance them in all areas of life, restrict risk behaviors and avert

deterioration. Designed for youth aged 13 to 18, the centers are meant to offer: a pleasant place

for organized afternoon recreation; an attentive ear, support and personal reinforcement through

self-empowerment, the development of knowledge and skills in a variety of areas, and

educational activity. In 2012, there were 20 youth centers at 19 localities countrywide with a total

registration of some 1,800 youth.

Also in 2012, the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute conducted an evaluation study of the youth

centers that takes its place beside two earlier ones, in 2006 and 2008. The study goal was to

provide feedback to the Ethiopian National Project, to the Ethiopian-Israeli community and to

center implementers in order to strengthen and further develop the program. Data were collected

from 181 directors and 267 youth at 5 selected centers.2 At three centers, there was a qualitative

in-depth study including interviews with representatives of the implementing agency, center

directors, and a focus group of youth participants. Three of the five centers3 in the study took part

in all three surveys and the multi-year comparisons presented in this report relate to these.

Findings

A. Youth Characteristics

The average age of the youth was 15, most (82%) were between 13 and 17.

Both girls and boys attend the centers though the percentage of boys is higher (66%); this

characteristic has been stable over the years.

Most of the youth attending the centers (81%) are Ethiopian-Israelis, and most (62%) are

Israeli born. Only a few (4%) immigrated to Israel in the past decade (since 2002); the rest

(34%) immigrated before 2002. Over the years, the percentage of native born Ethiopian-

Israelis rose, reflecting the demographic changes of the population.

Over the years, the percentage of non-Ethiopian Israeli youth attending the centers rose (from

2% to 4% in 2006 and 2008, up to 15% in 2012).

Like the rest of the Ethiopian-Israeli population, center youth reported characteristics of a low

socioeconomic status: 15% were single-parent families, and 12% had no breadwinner.

Furthermore, about half (53%) of the families had at least five children.

1 Two additional centers that opened mid-year were omitted from the study.

2 Gadera, Bet Shemesh, Kiryat Bialik, Beersheba, Lod. The questionnaires were administered at the

centers in the form of time sampling – i.e., to all youth attending the centers in the week of the study.

Four youngsters refused to answer the questions. 3 Beersheba, Gadera and Lod. These three centers participated in the program from the beginning, in 2005,

and in the studies conducted in 2006 and 2008 as well as the present one.

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Scholastic performance: the overriding majority (94%) of center youth attend school. In

general, most reported a positive attitude towards school and teachers, saying that they felt

good at school. Nevertheless, there are still scholastic difficulties, reflected in: the high

percentage of students failing certain subjects (44% reported failing at least one subject on

their previous report cards), their frequent absences (45% reported at least one day’s absence

from school for reasons other than illness or holidays), and the assessment of their ability to

perform scholastic tasks (42% noted at least one difficulty in three of the scholastic tasks

mentioned to them). Scholastic characteristics are also reflected by the sum total of behaviors

that indicate a latent risk of dropout. An analysis of the summary measure showed that about a

quarter (23%) of the youth manifested characteristics related to latent dropout: boys more so

(27%) than girls (15%).

The analysis of differences between the three surveys at the three older centers showed a

decrease over time in a youth’s sense of alienation from school and an increase in the

percentage reporting both a sense of belonging to school (from 68% in 2006 and 2008 to 81%

in 2012), and the feeling that the teachers treated them fairly (from 45% in 2006 to 64% in

2008 and 70% in 2012).

Risk behaviors: many of the center youth, particularly the boys, reported that they had

engaged in risk behavior or had been exposed to risk situations: 43% –drank alcohol (“more

than a sip”); 32% – had gotten drunk at some time; 31% – smoked; 7% – used drugs. As

noted, more boys than girls attend the centers. Distinguishing between girls and boys, we

found, for the most part, a higher percentage of center boys reporting risk behaviors than boys

in the general Hebrew-speaking education system.4 In contrast, a lower percentage of center

girls reported risk behaviors than girls in the general Hebrew-speaking education system (the

cited behaviors were the same).

The percentage of center youth reporting violence was particularly high. Despite the decrease

over time in the percentage of youth involved in fights, the rate was still significantly high

compared with that reported in the general Hebrew-speaking education system. Among boys,

23% of the center youth reported involvement in at least three fights in the past year vs. 10%

of the boys in the general Hebrew-speaking education system.

Envisaging the future: almost all the youth reported that they intended to do either army

service or National Service (90% of the boys, 98% of the girls). Forty-one percent of the youth

noted that they believed they would acquire higher education (college or university) in the

future. The percentage of girls so persuaded was significantly higher than that of the boys

(59% vs. 32%).

4 According to the health survey, Health Behavior in School-Age Children, mental/emotional and social

wellbeing, and patterns of risk behavior in school students, conducted in Israel from 1994 as part of an

international survey. The study was headed by Dr. Yossi Harel-Fish of the Bar-Ilan School of Education

in conjunction with the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute and the funding of the Ministry of Education,

the Ministry of Health and the Israel Anti-Drug Authority. In 2010 the sample numbered 3,800 students

at Hebrew-speaking schools in grades 8, 10, 11 and 12.

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B. Youth Participation in the Centers

The youth centers are open in the afternoon, most of them – for five days a week and six

hours a day on average. The youth reported average attendance at the centers of 3days a week

for 3 hours a day.

Center directors noted that about 50% of the registered youth attend regularly, at least once a

week. The rest, including youth living in boarding schools, attend occasionally or mainly

during school vacation.

Most youth (70%) had not previously attended a center or taken part in other extracurricular

activities; for a similar percentage (74%), the centers are the only framework of afterschool

activity in which they participated in 2012.

Center attendance attests to stability and continuity: most youth (71%) noted that they had

been attending the centers for more than a year.

C. Center Activity

According to the reports of both the directors and youth, most of the centers offer a normative

framework in which to spend free time. In addition, all the centers offer a wide range of

activities, mainly in the following areas: courses and hobbies, personal growth and leadership

workshops, and special social activities. About half of the centers also offer external activities

(such as excursions, theater, sports days etc.). A few centers hold structured activity with the

parents.

About a quarter (24%) of the youth said they participated in leadership groups that are partners

to the center work. An additional 9% said they would be interested in joining such a group.

The youth reported attending the centers mainly to spend their free time (57%), to be with

friends (55%), but also for center activities (44%) and to talk with counselors (27%).

As said, over time, more non-Ethiopian Israeli youth began to attend the centers. The

Ethiopian-Israeli youngsters were asked if they would prefer separate or mixed activities with

the non- Ethiopian-Israeli youth. Slightly less than half of the Ethiopian-Israeli youth (43%)

noted a preference for joint activities. A similar percentage (42%) said that they had no

preference. Compared with the previous studies, the percentage of youth interested in separate

activities for Ethiopian-Israeli youth decreased – from 22% in 2006 to 10% in 2008 and 8% in

2012.

In choosing activities, center directors are guided mainly by the youth’s desires and needs, and

by content they consider important to the youngsters. All the centers had a joint “think tank”

comprised of center youth and staff. About half (51%) of the youth reported that the

counselors involved them to a large or very large extent in decisions about center activities; an

additional 21% reported moderate involvement.

Collaboration with other services: All the directors reported collaboration with community

services as needed. Mainly, center staff held regular meetings with youth centers or other

youth clubs (53% of the centers), the Kiddum Noar Youth Advancement Program, and the

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Israel Corporation of Community Centers (47% of the centers in both cases). Over the years,

the local authorities became more engaged in center activities; in 2012, some two-thirds of the

centers (67%) enjoyed funding from the local authority vs. only 39% in 2008. Most

communities with active youth centers have also a scholastic assistance program, and it too is

implemented by the ENP for the same population. However, the interviews with directors

revealed that not all the centers maintain ongoing contact with the scholastic assistance

program in their communities.

Center staff: center staff consists of a fulltime director and part-time or volunteer counselors

(including young people doing pre-military service, as well as soldiers). On average, half

(51%) the center staff stem from Ethiopia in keeping with the concept that they serve as role

models for the youth.

D. Satisfaction with the Centers and Implementation Challenges

Most of the youth are satisfied with the time they spend at the centers (83%). They feel that

they do things there that interest (78%) and are important to them (73%). As one youngster

noted: “It’s an excellent center, whoever enters doesn’t want to leave.”

The role of the counselors in center activity is significant. Most of the youth (82%) felt that the

counselors understand them. More than half (58%) felt that the counselors relate to them

personally to a large or very large extent; an additional 22% cited a moderate extent. In the

interviews, the youth spoke of the great importance of their talks with the counselors: “The

talks with the counselors really help;” “They listen to you, treat you as an equal”; “They’re

always interested in what’s going on with you.” “We especially like the counselors”; They

listen and are nice.”

The ongoing operation of the youth centers demands concerted effort. Challenges arise that

warrant consideration. The following challenges were noted in the interviews with

implementing agencies, center directors and youth:

- The need for a broader response – On weekends, there is no suitable activity for youth;

there is also a sense that the offerings during vacation are inadequate, in terms of both

opening hours and size of manpower.

- Greater parental involvement – Implementers and directors noted the great importance of

involving parents in center activity. But in practice, the directors reported problems in

enlisting parents; there were hardly any joint activities with parents.

- Inclusion of non-Ethiopian/Israeli youth attending the centers – Over time, two parallel

processes developed: non-Ethiopian/Israeli youth began attending the centers, and fewer

non-Ethiopian/Israeli youth today are interested in separate activities. The inclusion of non-

Ethiopian/Israeli youth attending the centers naturally should thus be investigated though

not at the expense of specific activities for Ethiopian/Israeli youth: it may be necessary to

raise more funds to respond to the needs of the additional youth. On the other hand, thought

should be given to integrating specific activity for Ethiopian-Israeli youth (e.g., on the

question of cultural identity) and simultaneous activity for all the youth.

v

- Coping with risk behaviors – Most center youth are not characterized by risk behaviors nor

does their behavior deviate from that of the general population of Jewish youth in Israel.

Nevertheless, two areas showed significant gaps between the groups: fighting and truancy.

The centers face a significant challenge in terms of coping properly with these two

circumstances.

- Increasing cooperation with additional services in the locality – particularly with the local

authority, with other bodies addressing youth activities, and with the ENP scholastic

assistance program.

E. The Perceived Contributions of the Centers

80% of the youth noted that because of the centers, to a large or very large extent, they have

somewhere to go to in their free time; an additional 10% cited the extent as moderate.

65% noted that the centers contribute to a large or very large extent to their self-confidence

and broaden their social circle (56% noted that they had made new friends at the centers).

In keeping with center goals, particularly through structured activities in personal growth and

leadership workshops, the centers contribute to self-empowerment. As said, about a quarter of

the youth participate in leadership groups through the centers. These were highly valuable, as

seen from the participants’ responses: “The group gave me a lot of knowledge, opening up life

paths for me”; “I matured and became more responsible”; “It’s fulfilling”; “It contributed

in terms of behavior, confidence and ways of thinking”; “I feel a sense of belonging and that

I have an impact.” Another activity that greatly enhances youth self-empowerment is

participating in the activities of a youth movement. More than a third of the youth attending

the centers are also active in a youth movement: 30% as young participants and another 7% as

counselors, comparable to the general participation rates of youth in Hebrew-speaking

schools (HBSC 2010). Most of those participating (56%) joined a youth movement through

friends although about a fifth (19%) noted that they had joined through the centers they

attend. This impact marks a significant contribution of the centers to the empowerment of

youth and their integration into the general responses offered at a locality.

The youth mentioned the contribution of the centers in providing an “attentive ear”; most

(70%) said they felt (to a very large, large or moderate extent) that they could turn to the

center with a problem; 68% said that they are helped at the center (to a very large, large or

moderate extent) to see or think about life differently. This contribution was meaningful as

part of the general emotional response offered by the centers, especially as part of the

significant relationship that the youth form with counselors, their envisaging the future, and

constructing positive attitudes and perceptions.

Note that although center activity focuses on the youth attending, the interviews disclosed a

significant contribution to the Ethiopian-Israeli directors who manage the centers. Their work

at the centers is a significant part of realizing their own picture of the future and of personal

empowerment: “Every day I go to sleep feeling that I accomplished something today, that I

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put something into a child’s head,” “I chose a life path for myself, I hope that the children

too will choose their own ways”.

In conclusion, the evaluation study showed that the youth centers play an important part in the

general package of services offered by the ENP to Ethiopian Israelis: they meet the goal of

providing a high-standard, normative response to the needs of youth to fill their free time. They

also provide opportunities for personal growth, a stronger social circle, self-empowerment and

enrichment. Moreover, they are a focus of leadership activity; leadership groups formed at all the

centers and are involved in center work, affording participants experiences that foster

empowerment and responsibility.

The centers play a highly important role in the lives of the youth. For most of the youth, they are

their only framework of afterschool activity. Furthermore, most of the youth have been attending

the centers for more than a year, attesting to their stability and diligence, and to their satisfaction

with center activities. The work of the center counselors and the nature of their relationships with

the youth are of great importance: there, the youth are able to find an attentive ear, to receive help

in solving their problems, to form a significant relationship with an adult, to receive guidance and

assistance in constructing a picture of the future. Most of the youth are very satisfied with center

activities and greatly appreciate their contribution to their lives. Challenges of implementation

were also cited in the study, and these should be given consideration in order to reinforce the

ability of the center to contribute to the participating youth.

vii

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank everyone whose efforts made the study possible: Roni Akale, ENP Director-

General; Sharon Trakin, ENP Director of Operations; and Grace Rodnitzki, ENP Director of

International Relations.

We would also like to thank those responsible for the program of youth centers at the

implementing organizations, for their own and their staffs’ cooperation, as well as the center

directors and staff who helped us collect data and shared their experience and insights with us.

Special thanks go to the youth participating in the study for their cooperation, sharing and

openness.

We are grateful to Miriam Cohen-Navot, director of the Engelberg Center for Children and

Youth, who was involved in the study from the start and whose insights and experience were of

great benefit; to Prof. Jack Habib, director of the Institute, for his support and guidance

throughout.

We also thank other colleagues at Brookdale: Chen Tamir-Tzuk, director of the Fieldwork Unit

and Mark Malkovich who coordinated the fieldwork and data collection; Itzik Alfasi who

conducted the interviews, and Ronli Rotem, who helped write up the introduction to the report

Anat Berberian for editing the report, Evelyn Abel for translating the summary, and Leslie

Klineman for preparing it for publication.

Table of Contents

1. Preface 1

1.1 Background 1

1.2 The Ethiopian National Project (ENP) for the Ethiopian-Israeli Community 1

1.3 Youth Centers as a Response to the Needs of Youth 1

1.4 The Youth Centers of the ENP 3

2. The Study: Goals, Tools, Method 3

3. Characteristics of Youth Attending the Centers

5

3.1 Socioeconomic Characteristics 5

3.2 Scholastic Characteristics 7

3.3 Risk Behaviors 11

3.4 Envisaging the Future 12

4. Youth Centers Operations

13

4.1 Center Activities 14

4.2 Collaborations 17

4.3 Center Staff 18

5. Feedback on the Youth Centers' Activities

19

4.1 Activities 19

4.2 Challenges 20

6. The Centers' Contributions 22

Sources 25

Appendix A: Comparison with HBSC 2010 27

List of Tables

Chapter 3: Characteristics of the Youth Attending the Centers

Table 1: Characteristics of the Youth Attending the Centers in 2012, by the Youth's Reports 6

Table 2: Socioeconomic Characteristics of the Youth Attending the Centers in 2012, by the

Youth's Reports 7

Table 3: Scholastic Characteristics of the Youth Attending the Centers in 2012,

by the Youth's Reports 7

Table 4: Envision the future in 2012 – Comparison between Boys and Girls,

by the Youth’s Report 13

List of Figures

Chapter 1: Preface

Figure 1: Distribution of Youth Centers over Time 3

Chapter 3: Characteristics of Youth Attending the Centers

Figure 2: Youth Reports on their School Experience, 2012 8

Figure 3: Ability to Perform Selected Scholastic Tasks, as Reported by Youth Attending

the Centers, 2012 10

Figure 4: Risk Behavior, Comparison of Boys and Girls, as Reported by Youth Attending

the Centers, 2012 12

Chapter 4: Youth Centers Operations

Figure 5: Reasons Cited by Youth in Response to the Question, “Why do you come

to the center?” 16

Chapter 5: Feedback on the Youth Centers' Activities

Figure 6: Centers' Activities, as Evaluated by Youth Attending the Centers in 2012 20

Chapter 6: The Centers' Contributions

Figure 7: Feedback from Youth Attending the Centers in 2012 on the

Contribution of the Centers 23