WIZO Gan VaNof Youth Village
In Israel, approximately 345,000 youth are categorized at various levels of risk. As a result of personal circumstances, poverty, dysfunction or death in the family, these children often have severe challenges, in addition to behavioral, academic, and social difficulties.
Without WIZO
Without intervention, these lost youth will continue their downward plunge. With no structure, support system or encouragement, they will gravitate toward anyone or anything that makes them feel like they belong.
With WIZO
WIZO’s five youth villages specialize in taking disadvantaged youth, giving them a home and enabling them to learn on par with their peers from normative backgrounds. Each has a unique combination of areas of study and special projects.
WIZO Gan VaNof has 415 students, 165 dormitory students and 250 day students. The youth village sits on 63 breathtaking dunams in the center of Israel. Because the youth village is relatively small, there is a real feeling of family and closeness that is not found in other villages. Gan VaNof excels at caring for those students who need that extra love and attention to succeed.
The school offers students a full matriculation certificate and the possibility of further study in higher education. WIZO’s Gan VaNof is a model school for dealing with children at risk. Though they come to us with almost nothing, each youth leaves our youth village with everything they need to succeed.
The campus includes a tissue culture laboratory, a computer center, a gym, a multi-purpose playground, a swimming pool, a dining room, a theatre hall, a music center, a library, a small zoological center and dormitories.
Students at the youth village enjoy learning a wide variety of pre-university academic subjects. Areas of Study:
- Veterinary Medicine (the only one in Israel)
- Dog Training
- Theater
- Herbal medicine & Aromatherapy
- Accounting
- Environmental Science
The youth village also provides many educational enrichment programs and extracurricular activities. Social leadership programs, music groups, arts, theatre, and sports are all an integral part of the student’s daily life in the dorms, giving the students a chance to pursue individual interests and develop skills for succeeding in life.
Special Projects:
Learning centers – Students from underserved communities such as new immigrants and native Israelis with dyslexia and learning disabilities, receive additional assistance from our trained staff.
Agricultural and Animal Farm– A hands on farm that provides the practical end to the theoretical studies of plant and animal studies. It includes a sophisticated high-tech laboratory, cutting edge green house, petting zoo, and dog kennel.
Long School Day – Students receive lunch and assistance in their studies and homework.
Afterschool Program for Kids at extreme risk – Children with parents who cannot or do not care for them come to the youth village after school and for therapies and academic assistance as well as meals and extracurricular activities. They return home only to sleep. This is the step before children are removed from their homes.
Social Club – Each of the six dormitories have a social club where students spend their leisure time. There is a rich social life with various activities. Students receive tutoring and help with homework according to their needs.
Dropout prevention project and new beginnings – The project aims to change perceptions and bad habits among students, improving the relationship of the student to society and vice versa. The project is extremely successful.
Life and Health Education– This program prevents drug and alcohol abuse, and teaches life skills such as family dynamics, Army preparation, defensive driving and more.