Thousand of Israel's Arab citizens study at universities in the Palestinian Authority, but struggle in the Israeli workforce. At the same time, Israel lacks qualified social workers, especially in Bedouin towns and villages.
The School of Social Work at Sapir inaugurated a new program to provide social work graduates of Palestinian colleges with theoretical background, practice experience in Israel, and training from social workers who have experience in the country.
Once in the Israeli workforce, Arab social workers can use their Arabic language skills, cultural background and familiarity with their home communities in their roles in Israel’s social service system. The program will help students overcome difficulties with Hebrew, better understand the Israeli workforce, and overcome barriers to entry in the Israeli system.
According to Professor Orit Nuttman Schwartz, Dean of the School of Social Work, the program will help "bring about social change. This program will help Israel’s social welfare system provide quality social services to Arab society in Israel by providing these graduates with knowledge and skills that are adapted to Israeli needs."
The year-long program is a collaboration between Sapir, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and the local councils of Hura, Kseifa, and Ara’ara in the Negev.
According to Dr. Nuzha Allassad Alhuzail, a senior lecturer at Sapir who came up with the idea, “all you need is the right kind of investment and this human resource can be a vital asset for social service departments in Bedouin communities.”