Etgarim - Who Operates Within Etgarim

Who Operates Within Etgarim

Etgarim offers activities for disabled IDF veterans, victims of terrorist actions, victims of car accidents, children and adolescents with physical or sensorial limitations or people with special needs, suffering from:

· Autism

· Cerebral Palsy or degenerative diseases

· Sensorial limitations: hearing impairments or deafness, vision impairments or blindness

· Special needs – a slight retardation, behavioral problems, learning disabilities and more

· Adolescents at risk

Currently there are about 4,500 children and 700 adults who participate in Etgarim activities, in about 240 different frameworks across the country.

Etgarim leads an original and innovative approach in its activities

Etgarim applies to the entire disabled population in Israel – disabled IDF veterans and disabled civilians, children, adolescents and adults, with any kind of physical, sensorial or mental disability.

Etgarim promotes the social integration of the disabled population with people who aren't disabled through outdoor sports and active recreational activities. The activities are held at regular sports and recreational clubs.

The challenging activity focuses on the person's ability, and not their disability. It focuses on empowering the abilities of the disabled population, as opposed to the feelings of being crippled and deprived, and exposes their abilities to the public at large.

Etgarim passes on the knowledge gained by the adults to the children and adolescents, while integrating them with members of their age group who aren't disabled.

The motivation to act: exposing the children to the activity and integrating them, while creating a system of stimulants, brings the child to want, out of his or her own personal choice, to get out of their shell and take part in the activity.

The organization's outdoors activity is held in a new environment, without a feeling of failure. In this environment, the foundation helps build a chain of successes, and strengthen the children's self confidence.

The challenging activity provides a full and rich life, while emphasizing freedom and quality of life.

Etgarim has created a significant social change in the way the disabled population views itself, and in the way society sees them. This turning point promotes the social integration of the disabled population in all aspects of life in Israel.