Exposure: A national system for adult volunteering will be established Israel today

The Ministry of Social Equality is establishing a national system for adult volunteering, with a budget of about NIS 50 million - this was revealed today (Wednesday) for the first time at the "Israel Today" conference.

According to Minister of Social Equality Meirav Cohen, this is a system in which retirees in Israel will assist in nationally addressing the challenges of the Corona: reducing educational gaps in schools, assisting the elderly in reducing technological gaps, building a database of seniors in local authorities for emergency emergencies and emergency support.

The national system for volunteering is a key pillar in the framework of the national program for combating adult loneliness, led by the Minister of Social Equality, which was first revealed in "Israel Today."

Minister for Social Equality Meirav Cohen at the "Israel Today" Conference on Socio-Economic Resilience, Today, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon

According to Minister Cohen, the national volunteer program for adults, "Welcome," focuses on the population with the most skills, knowledge and experience in Israeli society: the population of retirees.

About 80% of the elderly population are completely independent senior citizens.

On the other hand, Israeli society faces significant challenges that have worsened greatly over the past two years as a result of the corona crisis: an increase in educational gaps among children and adolescents;

Adult loneliness as a result of technological gaps in the older age groups;

Sharpening the need to create an up-to-date database of the elderly population in local authorities in an emergency, and above all, the phenomenon of loneliness among the elderly population as a result of the prolonged closures and isolations experienced by the adults.

In light of these data, the Ministry of Social Equality initiated the establishment of a national volunteer system for veterans with an investment of about NIS 50 million for the next four years, and a target of 55,000 active volunteers at the end of the first three years of the program.

Hundreds of thousands of retirees

The Ministry of Social Equality has selected a partnership with the National Community Centers Company to operate the program based on expertise and knowledge, as well as the existing volunteer infrastructure in the company's 200 community centers, spread throughout the country. National volunteering for adults in most localities throughout the country, and according to estimates by professionals, the cumulative value of volunteer hours is expected to be about NIS 300 million a year.

Minister for Social Equality Meirav Cohen at the "Israel Today" Conference on Socio-Economic Resilience, Today, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon

Cohen also said in an interview with Daniel Roth-Avnery that "through the national volunteer system, the state opens up the possibility for every retiree to enlist and contribute to meaningful work for the state, and for himself. We will invest a lot of resources to provide volunteers with long-term quality support." Bring the assistance and volunteering of adults in Israel to a significant extent, so that a standard is created that every person who retires will continue in the circles of action for society and the community. "They are happier, and much less lonely."

"I believe in our preparations for the aging population, it is a national challenge," the minister said.

"We are not prepared for that in terms of the employment market. It's awful to have an age where you can come to a person and tell them 'go home just because you're old.' To me, it's discrimination.

Avi Wertsman, chairman of the Community Centers Association, said that "thanks to the program, we will be able to turn the volunteering of retirees based on volunteers from the Shalem movement in community centers into a huge national volunteer system, which will reach hundreds of thousands of retirees in a few years. ".

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