Not many people have heard of the Nativ after school center. This is a very successful ESRA project, now in its third year – having been run quietly and modestly up till now.

Nativ is a Ministry of Education school for children with special needs in the Neve Yisrael neighborhood in Herzliya. Most of the children are of normal intelligence but suffer from severe emotional and behavioral problems and many of them are on medication.

Until ESRA started the center in conjunction with the Herzliya municipality the children only studied until 1pm and then went home. Now they are in a framework till 5pm. The center provides the children with a supportive and nurturing environment. Many of these children would probably have ended up on the streets until their parents came home, and we all know what this can lead to.

The program focuses on enhancing the children's educational and social abilities, reinforcing normal behaviors and discouraging violent ones. The children are given a hot lunch, after which they have an hour in which they do their homework, helped by volunteers – and believe me those volunteers deserve a medal, for the children are extremely difficult. Then they have activities such as computers, sport, carpentry and science. Jewish holidays are celebrated and there are occasional treats such as bowling and swimming.

The instructors are qualified special education teachers. There can only be a maximum of six children in a group, and this is one of the reasons why the cost of the project is so high. In a normal after-school center there are about sixteen children in a group.

Most of the parents cannot support the special needs of these children and the budget is sponsored by ESRA and the welfare authorities and occasional donations, of which there are very few.

Last year we had thirty children in the center and this year we have started with twenty due to the high cost per child.

Nativ is an amazing school and afternoon center and if you would like more information, either to volunteer or help financially or donate board and card games which we need urgently, please contact 054 237 0071.