Jewish Care

Five Jewish organisations join forces to launch Skills for Life

A partnership between Drugsline, Jewish Action and Training for Sexual Health (JAT), Jewish Care, Jewish Women’s Aid and Streetwise has been launched. Schools’ representatives, community professionals and youth workers heard how Skills for Life will together educate and support young people who are facing difficult life situations.

The list included personal relationships, addiction, bullying, stress and depression, and being a young carer. The initiative builds on the educational work done by each organisation, as well as a life skills project started at JFS.

“Skills for Life will run tailor-made programmes that take into account the ethos of the school or youth group and draws on the expertise of each partner organisation,” explained Jewish Care’s Sonia Douek, who presented the project with JWA’s Abigail Morris. They stressed the importance of the Jewish approach to issues and the power of joint messaging, which was also cost-effective.

Describing some issues as “taboo subjects,” Ms Morris said social problems were prevalent in the Jewish community. Confirming this, Emma Spiegler, founder of the Children of Addicted Parents’ (COAP) website, talked of growing up with an alcoholic mother.

Educationalist Lynndy Levin said the network had “an important role to play as people are very afraid to approach controversial issues.”

There was a message of support from Schools Minister Jim Knight MP, who was unable to attend. “I was immediately struck by what a great idea it was. It’s so important that all young people have the opportunity to learn – and to talk about – difficult issues which affect them.”

Find out more about Skills for Life