Planting the seed
Ein Yael Open Museum hosts special program for endangered youth, teaching them life skills while combining school work with employment opportunities. 'We teach them to believe that the little seed they planted will grow,' says the project manager
The Ein Yael Open Museum in Jerusalem launched a unique program recently, targeting engendered teenagers. The program, called Yeelim, combines school work with employment opportunities, helps the teens attending it through plant therapy – they run a plant nursery.
"We built this nursery from scratch," Tom, 17, one of the teen participating in the program told Ynet. "It took us a year of hard work and now we're trying to find people to by the plants so we can stay in business."
Tom spent five years in a boarding school, and has a police record. "I came home (from boarding school) at 14, and began running with a bad crowed, because I had no guidance," he said. "Eventually it came down to coming here or ending up in boarding school again."
"The nursery is a business, just like any other," said Tamir Deutsch, the project manager. Yeelim is backed by several social groups, such as Zionism-2000, Ashalim and Matan, as well as the National Insurance Institute of Israel and the First International Bank of Israel.
Starting from scratch. Yeelim (Photo: Yoel Zohar)
"We want to build a divers clientele: Public institutions, corporations, plant stores and private customers," added Deutsch. " The kids get paid for their work and get some hands-on business experience."
The project, he added, also helps them develop environmental awareness: "The nursery in organic and the entire process is done without any chemicals or fertilizers.
"Working in the nursery demands their full attention and responsibility, just like any future job they will have as adults… the project gives them life-skills and all of a sudden, after years of being disappointed with the adults in their lives, they get a remedial experience – we trust them, we give them responsibilities, we teach them to believe that the little seed they planted will grow. It all part of their process," he said.
And Tom? Bursting with pride he showed us around the nursery. "It's part of our job, to guide visitors through the place," he said. What are his plans for the future? To keep working and finish high school, he told us, adding "my parole officer has already recommended my police record be expunged, so I can join an IDF combat unit."
For more on Yeelim, or to visit the nursery, please contact 972-50-6318656, 972-54-4617496
