The work of the medical department will be expanded by the recruitment of
another pediatrician to allow for more specialist care, including the neurological
screening of children in their first year, and more medical care for adolescents.
The social department will offer more therapeutic courses especially for traumatized adolescents, mothers, and wounded youths. This will entail a greater emphasis on expressive art therapy which has proved especially useful for those victims of Israeli "peace-keeping".
| Seeing
its success with their wives, many fathers have expressed an interest
in counselling, and a male social worker will be joining our two female
ones as Palestinian men do not usually respond well to being addressed
by a woman. This will also help augment our work with a mostly male youth-group.
The psychological
department will expand its courses in Reiki, special education, and
play therapy for 2 to 7 year old children, by working longer hours. |
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In the cultural department emphasis will be put on encouraging children's environmental awareness. In a society in which there is no existing tradition of voluntary work, we will also work to encourage volunteering within the community giving mothers and youth more responsibility for planning and managing activities. |
We also hope to implement recommendations arising from our Special Education Program, by piloting a teacher-training course to help teachers identify children with special educational needs, so that they can help the less severe cases and refer the more serious ones to specialists. It is our hope that we will be able to raise enough funds to reach all teachers in the West Bank within a few years, as the needs of the children are very pressing.
See also our report on 2001.
The year that had started so well with the Millennium celebrations ended wretchedly. Celebrations for Christmas, New Year and the end of Ramadan were cancelled.
The different departments
have worked hard this year and accomplished far more than expected. The credit
goes to the enthusiastic, dedicated and loyal staff who gave many extra, and
often unpaid, hours to the Center. The benefit to the families and children
of Jerusalem and its surrounding areas has been immense and is increasing.
Plans for 2001
SCC will continue its work to strengthen the health and well-being of children, young people and families. We will respond pro-actively to the present crisis, alleviating suffering and helping victims to broaden their horizons. In addition to consolidating our current activities, and sharing our knowledge more fully with project partners, we will achieve the following in the coming year:
Quilt painted by children during International Child's
Day
The year 2000 began with promise at the Spafford Children's Center. Thousands of children and mothers reported in glowing terms on the benefits of their treatments, courses and activities. Demand for all services were so high that the Center extended its hours.
The summer was very
hot with soaring temperatures and water shortages, but there was a feeling
of hope as staff, mothers and children followed news of the negotiations.
At last it began to seem possible that the situation might improve and we
could look forward to a brighter future. When the Camp David talks broke
down, disappointment and depression were all-pervasive. The start of the
uprising - the Al Aksa Intifada - was the result: frustration overflowed
as people realized that yet again their expectations would not be fulfilled.