Spreading the Yemin Orde Philosophy
Yemin Orde Initiatives disseminates Yemin Orde’s educational philosophy and
programs to residential education and child welfare institutions throughout
Israel with the overall goal of having a substantial impact on Israel’s national
educational system.
Derech Kfar (The Village Way) Educational Institute
The heart of Yemin Orde Initiatives is the Derech Kfar (The Village Way) Educational Institute, which was established to provide innovative and timely educational solutions for Israel’s immigrants and youth-at-risk. Based in the successful educational philosophy and novel programs developed over 30 years at Yemin Orde Youth Village under the leadership of visionary educator Dr. Chaim Peri,
Derech Kfar aims to infuse educators with educational methodologies which will enable them to provide children at-risk with the tools to overcome obstacles in their past, reach their potential, and succeed.
The Derech Kfar Educational Institute staff is comprised of an outstanding team of educators, each with a deep understanding and successful history of working with children-at-risk, led by Dotan Levy, an outstanding educator, who has been a teacher and senior informal educator at Yemin Orde for the past 15 years. Among the five facilitators, who all have extensive experience in myriad educational and therapeutic frameworks, is a former director of a youth village. The Institute staff has developed, and is continuing to enhance, a unique curriculum for teaching the
Derech Kfar educational philosophy.
In October 2007, the Ministry of Education formally endorsed Yemin Orde’s methodologies as the “leading conceptual and applicable framework of [the government’s] "rejuvenation of youth villages in Israel" program. Through
Derech Kfar Educational Institute, Yemin Orde Initiatives has embarked on a national, multi-year project that will ultimately change the educational philosophy of the youth village structure in Israel and these villages’ role in the Israeli educational system for decades to come.
Derech Kfar's methodology focuses on transforming declining youth villages into dynamic frameworks for youth at-risk.
Derech Kfar aims to “deinstitutionalize” the institutions and to provide these children with the security and advantages that every child deserves.
Derech Kfar has published a book which details the educational philosophy and is used to complement the educational workshops. The Institute provides educators working with youth-at-risk and community psychosocial professionals with innovative tools and has created a “community of educators” from which they can draw ideas and inspiration.
Institute programs take place in 4 different forums:
1. Staff Training Programs
The educational philosophy is taught through a series of experiential workshops in
which educators participate, adapted to the specific institution and/or
population. Every session is a building block in the educational philosophy and
is accompanied with practical tools and methodologies.
2. Beit Midrash
This is a special learning forum that
has been developed by the Institute to help staff absorb the
Derech Kfar educational philosophy through the discussion of day-to-day situations placed in
the context of tradition and heritage. Based on these discussions, workshops and
case studies, staff from the Institute are able to help guide villages in the
implementation of various educational programs.
3. Mentoring and guidance
The staff from the Institute provides one-on-one mentoring
to staff members, enabling them to maximize their effectiveness as educators.
4. Educators' Forum
Staff members in parallel
positions at different villages meet regularly to share experiences,
problem-solve and brainstorm– maximizing the collective effect of the program.
These meetings are facilitated by members of the YOI staff.
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