Israel Family Planning Association
The Israel Family Planning Association is Israel's leading organization advancing the human right to sexual health. It is Israel's affiliate of the IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation), the world's second-largest volunteer organization. The organization's activities rely on the contributions of hundreds of volunteers, many of whom are leading professionals in the fields of welfare, health, education, and immigrant absorption, from all across the country. Our activities reach out to hundreds of thousands annually and are conducted with cultural and social sensitivity.
Selected Projects and Activities:
"Open Door"
"Open Door" is a national network consisting of 14 information, counseling and treatment centers. The centers deal with issues of adolescence, such as intimacy, love, prevention of sexual violence, and healthy and responsible sexual behavior. They serve as open and safe places for youths, in particular at-risk youths, some of whom have no recourse to any other service that can deal with their problems.
"Open Door" serves Jews and Arabs, secular and religious, native Israelis and new-immigrants, in a variety of languages and with cultural sensitivity; moreover, it provides accessibility to individuals with disabilities.
Free-of-charge, anonymous, professional service is provided to hundreds of thousands of people every year, through face-to-face meetings, by phone, through the internet, and by educational activities in the community.
The service providers are professionals, mostly volunteers, who get special training and certification, and whose activities are monitored and guided constantly.
The “Open Door” is included in the World Health Organization (WHO) list of best preventative practices for youth in the world.
Opening Doors to the Arab Society
For over a decade, IFPA has been operating a unique and comprehensive certification service for professionals from the Arab sector as "Sex Educators."
More than a thousand graduates of this certification program promote and disseminate information and counseling on sexual health to youths, parents and teachers, in their language and in a context of cultural sensitivity and understanding.
"Open Door" centers uniquely adapted for the Arab society are active in Nazareth, Haifa, Be'er Sheva, and Umm Al-Fahem.
"Open Door" is Accessible to People with Disabilities
"Open Door" aims to make the rights of intimacy, relationships, and healthy sexuality accessible to adolescents and adults with physical and/or sensory disabilities, as well as to members of their families, their partners, and their caretakers.
Disabilities-accessible "Open Door" centers are active in Tel Aviv (at the "Reuth" rehabilitation center) and in Haifa.
In addition, IFPA staff are out in the field with the "Mobile Open Door" service, counseling and treating people with disabilities in close proximity to their familiar social surroundings
Internet
The "Open Door" website, www.opendoor.org.il, makes reliable, professional, and up-to-date information available to youth, parents, and professionals, in topics related to adolescence, relationships, love, and healthy sexuality. Moreover, it encourages personal counseling in full confidentiality and with easy access.
The website is also accessible to the blind and visually impaired, as well as to Arabic-speakers.
National Training Center
The national center for learning, guidance, and training in healthy sexuality offers the following activities:
· A comprehensive certification program (of 300 hours) for becoming a "Sex Educator" - leading groups on topics of human sexuality.
The program is culturally adapted for diverse populations, including immigrants from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union., and members of the Arab sector. Some 2000 professionals have been trained so far.
· A "Sex Educator" certification program for individuals with physical or sensory disabilities. This program is one-of-a-kind in the world, and accordingly received an International Innovation Award.
· Courses and continuing education for different groups of the population, tailored to suit the target audience and its needs.
Community Outreach Center
The Community Outreach Center organizes workshops, lectures, and seminars for all sectors of the population on topics of education and the promotion of healthy sexuality, in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian and Amharic.
In what settings? Schools; youth centers (also for at-risk youth); boarding schools; absorption centers; community centers; women's centers; centers for individuals with disabilities; universities; welfare centers; and the army.
For whom? Youth and adolescents; at-risk youths; soldiers; students; young couples; new immigrants (culturally adapted); individuals with disabilities; parents; instructional and educational staff, and more.
Unique Project: Empowering Specially-Enlisted Women Soldiers (Hagam): Workshops for young, at risk women, preparing them for life and social integration. In the past five years, aided by this project, 4500 specially-enlisted young women soldiers successfully completed full army service.
Information Center
The Information Center provides access to continuously updated professional information, in topics related to healthy sex, in Hebrew, English, Arabic, and Russian. The high level information in our extensive database is unparalleled anywhere in Israel, and includes lesson plans, instructional videos, presentations, group activities, and more.
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