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"OUR CHILDREN'S HORIZON" -
A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS
Mrs. Guila Seidel
President, Israel National Association of Parents of Visually Impaired Children
"Ofek Liyladenu" - Our Children's Horizon, is Israel's National Association of Parents of Visually Impaired Children founded in 1996. The main goal of "Ofek Liyladenu" is to function as a lobby on behalf of children with special needs. The Association publishes a newsletter, runs support groups for parents, organizes seminars, regional and annual conferences dealing with issues of special skills in which visually impaired children need training. The Association actively promotes a better understanding of and tolerance toward visually impaired children within the general public.
All these goals can only be achieved through close partnerships with professionals. Some of the joint projects include:
* Remodeling a Resource Center for the mainstreamed visually impaired students in Tel-Aviv.
* A joint team, parents from "Ofek Liyladenu" and professionals from the Ministry of Education - prepared a brochure for parents of visually impaired children. The brochure includes relevant information about services and useful addresses.
* A permanent Committee, including professionals from various governmental Ministries and a representative of "Ofek Liyuladenu", discusses and decides about the distribution of the budget for technical aids for visually impaired pupils.
* Representatives of the Association serve as active members in the "Council for the Improvement of Services for the Blind in Israel", recently established by the Minister of Welfare.
Jerusalem Center for Multi-Handicapped Blind
3 Abba Hillel Silver St, P.O.Box 23523, Ramot A, Jerusalem
"Keren Or" -
"Keren Or" (Jerusalem) was founded in 1976 with the purpose of providing an answer to special needs of multi-handicapped blind children and young adults. Three principles serve as the basis of "Keren Or" educational program: individual work with each student, close contacts with students' parents, and creating a loving and homely atmosphere in the institution. In the framework of the daily educational program, the students receive occupational, physical, music, speech, and art therapy, as well as special treatment in the therapeutic swimming pool. More advanced of our students are working with the Braille version of Feuerstein's "Instrumental Enrichment" program supervised by Dr. Roman Gouzman. "Keren Or" aims at providing its students with skills necessary for leading a life of dignity and maximum independence. In order to reach this objective "Keren Or" has initiated a young adults program including separate living quarters within the community and sheltred workshops.