The document summarizes research on the educational experiences and outcomes of youth living in youth villages in Israel. It finds that while the youth feel supported by teachers and peers in their schools, they face barriers to completing higher education. Specifically, youth villages' students are less likely to obtain a high school diploma or succeed on matriculation exams compared to the national average. The research suggests youth need expanded educational support both during and after care to improve higher education completion rates and social mobility.

1. Rami Benbenishty, Anat Zeira, Eran Melkman, Tehila
Refaeli
Bar Ilan University & Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Funded by Jacobs Foundation

2.  Care leavers are of the most socially excluded
groups in society (Stein, 2006)
 Education- central for social mobility and a
key for the breaking of the ‘poverty cycle’
 A small proportion of care leavers complete a
high school diploma of a high standard
The result:
A very small proportion of care leavers enroll in
higher education, and thus their earnings and
integration into society are impeded

3.  What educational resources are
available for youth in the settings?
 How much support is provided by
teachers or staff?
 What is the role of peers?
 What are their future educational
expectations and needs?

4.  Sample: 1,685 adolescents (42% girls) from
34 youth villages. Attempt to survey all
relevant youth (40% response rate)
 Youth villages:
 Large facilities with school on premise
 The most common form of placement in Israel
 Children of families from the geographic or social
periphery of Israel
 Procedure: Structured self-report
questionnaires

5.  Immigration
 Low level of education of parents (many do
not even know their parents’ education)
 Limited exposure to adults with higher
education
 Only about 40% of their staff have higher
education
 High rates of diagnosed learning disabilities
and history of special education

6. 86.2
82.0
77.4
69.3
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
90.0
100.0
I feel safe and
secure in school
I feel I belong my
school
I am satisfied with
the school
I like going to
school

7. 82.1
70.168
48.7
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
My teachers
respect me
I have a good
relationship with
my teachers
I can trust most
teachers in my
school
I can talk to my
teachers about
personal things

8. 77
6970
49
73
6058
22
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
I am satisfied
with the school
I like going to
school
I have a good
relationship
with my
teachers
I can talk to my
teachers about
personal things
Youth Villages
National Survey

9. 91.1
84.8
71.1
56.5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
My teachers know
my caretakers in
the youth village
My Teachers are in
contact with my
caretakers
My teachers tell
my caretakers how
to assist me in my
studies
My teachers know
what goes on with
me in the youth
village

10. 89.987.8
64.2
60.3
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
I have many
friends in school
When I am sad or
feel bad, I always
have a friend in
school to talk to
Sometimes there
are students who
disturb my
studying
Most sudents in
my school have a
real motivation for
studying

11. 76.8
75.6
79.6
81.7
82.2
89.6
90.1
93.4
0102030405060708090100
Expect me to go to college
Encourage thoughts about further studies
Attend school parent meetings
Help me with difficulties in school
Do all they can so that I have a diploma
Interested in how well I do in school
Know my teachers
Expect me succeed in my studies

12.  The large majority plan to:
 Complete a full matriculation diploma (90.8%)
 Enlist in military or civil service (86.4%)
 Enroll in higher education (61%) or vocational
training (26.2%)
 Future education was important for many
 They often think about it, plan it, and
actively look for related information

13. Having a great need for assistance
18.5
23.4
29.2
34.6
35.0
36.3
37.5
0510152025303540
Support for emotional difficulties
Preparing for final exams in high school
Counseling on study plans
Financing study related expenses
Financing daily living when studying
Preparing for HED admission exams
Paying tuition

14. On the one hand:
 Feelings of belonging to school and of highly
supportive teachers, staff, and peers
 High educational aspirations
On the other:
 More youth villages’ youth take the
matriculation exams but less succeed
(Benbenishty & Shimoni, 2012)
 The disadvantage persists?

15. “ English sits exactly on my learning
disabilities. English exactly sits on the
gap I opened because of
coming…leaving home and not having
support in this. They don’t teach you
English in closed institutions or stuff
like that. Hebrew I learned by myself.
English, I couldn’t learn by myself”

16. “ Again the thing was I didn’t have, I
didn’t have the energy to focus on
studies. I didn’t have the possibility, I
was worried about so many things
that…that were going on. That I forgot
that I am actually here (in higher
education) to study, that my main goal I
thought was to earn money, eventually”

17. During care:
 Broadening educational support and exposure to
higher education
After leaving care:
 Continuing youth villages’ educational support to
HED (completion of diploma, entrance exams,
counseling)
 Financial support for further education (entrance
exams, tuition, living)
 Appropriate HED institutions’ policy

18. For more information
please contact us:
eranmelkman@gmail.com
or
hei4cal.com