“Yedah Or” (the Light of Knowledge) - Program with Hope for the Student and Society

Abstract

The humanistic approach emphasizes every person’s right to determine his own needs and to develop according to his aspirations.  For people with intellectual developmental disability there is difficulty actualizing this right, and therefore, it is the responsibility of the community to help them achieve this goal.   Research has shown that attaining education and learning from institutions along the path of one’s life is an effective way for personal development in this population. In light of this, we have opened a program called “Yedah Or” (the Light of Knowledge) which is for young adults with intellectual developmental disability who have finished their studies under the auspices of the Ministry of Education.  
The program has been built on the principle of equal opportunity for education and employment. Its purpose is the improvement of the quality of life of these young adults, in addition to contributing to their integration into society. Both parents and students were integral in determining the contents of the program. The program is carried out on an academic campus. It includes courses and workshops to develop personal and social skills which are necessary for integration into society and the workplace. Research accompanying the program showed that there was a significant improvement in the communication skills of the students in their self - efficacy, in both examining reality and their own identities. The central conclusion, which has come out of the application of this program, emphasizes the importance of the educational continuum for people with intellectual developmental disability in retention existing knowledge and in the acquisition of new knowledge and new skills.