FOOTSTEPS Teen Therapeutic Activity Support Groups is KIDS FOR KIDS positive approach to the Israeli teen crisis for emotional recovery from the pain of grief and trauma utilizing peer influence, creativity and energy.

Because Israeli youth, like many of their generation, often resist direct therapeutic help, KIDS FOR KIDS has developed an alternative solution: Using young professionals (social workers, psychologists & clergy) and young adult counselors (madrichim) to teach and provide tools for our Israeli youth to better cope with the hard realities facing them.

FOOTSTEPS goal is to enable kids to discover their own strengths, find their own answers, and to follow their own healthy footsteps forward.

This year KIDS FOR KIDS has ten shevets (tribes) throughout Israel serving 128 teens.

Adding Drama Therapy to FOOTSTEPS Program

In three separate areas, K4K’s FOOTSTEPS program instituted yet another therapeutic methodology to its   clinical curriculum. THERAPEUTIC THEATER TROUPES expands the organization's ability to reach out to appropriate youths in their natural peer group setting. The Theater Troupes assist youths individually and in their groups during various psychodrama sessions, workshops and improvisational exercises involving the complexities of their personal experience with violence, terror, war, and loss. The Theater Troupes encourage the youths to explore, express, and perform their ideas and feelings. Drama Therapy is a unique therapeutic approach towards healing from traumatic events adversely affecting the lives of Israeli children.

 

Jerusalem – Seven teenagers (nifgei terror) from the Jerusalem area participated in a successful Therapeutic Theater Troupe. Culminating seven months of activity, the Troupe performed the production, “Yesterday’s Kids” in Israel and in the United States. The live, multi-media production highlighted six heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto and six heroes of today's Israel. The nearly two thousand people who saw the performances were deeply touched by the experience.

                               

Barkan – Twenty teenagers have been participating in the Therapeutic Theater Troupe program in Barkan.  They have been meeting weekly under the leadership of Erez Meshulam, who has many years of experience in dramatic arts creatively integrating into therapeutic settings. (K4K is looking for funding to continue this group for another 10 months.)

  

                

 

Alei Zahav - There are two THEATER TROUPES meeting weekly in Alei Zahav with fifteen in each group, servicing a total of 30 youths.

Each FOOTSTEPS Group Answers the Unique Needs of its Youth In:

Itimar - Fifteen nifgei terror participate in the weekly group facilitated by a young psychologist as their  madrich. Over the course of Footstep sessions where the teens delve into issues surrounding their experiences in the 'matzav', they develop strengths and coping tools. The set up of this particular group includes individual private therapy with Asaf. As a preventive measure, this group participated in a day long seminar at Retorno, a resident substance abuse rehabilitation center.  There have also been many purely recreational activities for this groups including: paintball, bowling and other sports event. 

                        

Jerusalem – A second Footsteps group was started in Jerusalem. This particular group of five teenagers and a madrich were sent abroad to South Africa on a winter camp holiday.

                          

Gav Ha’har- Focus on Education - Fifteen youth at-risk participate in our weekly meetings. This program is called Lekathila (Lo Kol Talmid Hayav Lilmod Harbe – Not every student has to learn a lot). The program focuses on study of topics picked by the students themselves. Topics thus far have included: History of Israel, Limudei Kodesh and bagrut study in language and English. In order for the children to be eligible for a high-school diploma, they must attend at least 3 hours a week which this program provides them. 

                            

Nofim - 10 youth participated in meetings focusing on coping with living in a high-impact area.  Art expression and outdoor adventures were successful methods the madrich used. Sport activities were also instrumental in this group's progress.

                      

Maalei Shomron - The Footsteps group in Maalei Shomron calls itself the Painball Club.  Each activity focuses on different elements of living in a high-impact area where threat of violence is a painful every day occurrence.  The sessions take a good look at and fielding expressions of  aggression through group dynamics.  Sixteen teenagers participate.

Bat Ayin – The teens in our Bat Ayin Footsteps group are viewed as high risk youth.  K4K sponsored a club house for these disenfranchised youngsters, demonstrating that we had confidence in their ability to take responsibility. The madrich, because of own youth (27yrs) and personality, he has developed a close rapport with these teens. Working on his PhD in Israeli History, he was able to grab these youngsters' imagination and build on their interest and love of the Land. There were field trips throughout the country where history and Zionism was brought to vibrant life, and these youth who were all High School drop-outs, began studying for their equivalency tests. 

                          

As much needed funding comes in,

K4K will open new groups during the 2007-2008 school-year and will continue to expand FOOTSTEPS activities.

Often, it will be these very same teens who will go on to become representatives of the Jewish youth at home while interacting with those in the Diaspora.