Kivunim Towards Independence

Kivunim Towards Independence (Hebrew: כוונים - בדרך לעצמאות) is an Israeli non-profit association (amuta) founded in 2003 by Ayelet Shofeti and Gidi Tzur, both graduates of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership. Its mission is to build a more equal, respectful and safe reality for young people with disabilities, in which they can realize their full potential, manage their own lives independently, hold independent positions, and contribute to and influence their status as equal citizens. The association pioneered what it calls "non-formal rehabilitation," an approach that blends the principles of non-formal education with rehabilitation principles. Its flagship offering is the "Mechina" (life-preparatory program) for independent living: a long-term training framework for young adults roughly aged 18–30 that combines personal development, group training and the worlds of rehabilitation, education and health. Participants live together in apartments operated by the association, receive group workshops and individual guidance across housing, employment, education, leisure, health and civic participation, and in parallel serve in national or military service, work, receive vocational training or study in higher education. The first such program, "Knafayim" (Wings), was described by the association as the first preparatory program in Israel and the world for independent living for young people with physical and sensory disabilities. Following its success, Kivunim established additional mechinot tailored to specific populations: "Koach" for deaf and hard-of-hearing young people, "Carmel" for young people on the autism spectrum, and "Al-Mustaqbal" (The Future) for Arabic-speaking young people. Alongside the mechinot, the association develops other innovative services, including supported independent housing (Levi BaMegurim), the "Koach BaMadim" track supporting deaf and hard-of-hearing youth toward meaningful IDF service, and the Meaning Center (Merkaz LeMashmaut), a sheltered vocational-rehabilitation training center run in cooperation with the Kochav HaTzafon association. Kivunim's target population includes young people with physical disabilities, sensory impairments (vision and hearing), disabilities resulting from chronic illness and rare syndromes, head injuries, and high-functioning young people on the autism spectrum. According to its English-language materials, its programs have operated for over 20 years, serve young adults aged 18–30, and have been adopted by various organizations including the Ministry of Welfare. The association reports a community of over 210 alumni, 76% of whom are employed, 34 married, and 82% living independently, and states that its program currently includes 45 training apartments serving around 120 participants. The association's offices are located at Kibbutz Lohamei HaGeta'ot near Acre and in the Neve Sha'anan neighborhood of Haifa. It reports supporting about 400 beneficiaries per year aged 10–50 from across Israel and across sectors, and operates in the Western Galilee (Nahariya), Haifa, the Sharon region (from Hadera to Herzliya), Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Kivunim works in partnership with bodies such as JDC-Israel (Joint Israel), the Ministries of Welfare and Education, the National Insurance Institute, and various funds. It is a civil-society organization rather than a commercial enterprise, and its "brand" is its program model and network of mechinot.

Kivunim Towards Independence was founded in 2003 by Ayelet Shofeti and Gidi Tzur, both graduates of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership. According to the association's own account, they identified the need of young people with disabilities for a social and training framework that would allow them to develop a high capacity for independent living in the community. In 2003 they conceived the idea of a "mechina for independent living" — a long-term training program combining personal advancement with group training and bridging the worlds of rehabilitation, education and health. To realize the idea they established the Kivunim association and, in partnership with JDC-Israel (Joint Israel), the Ministries of Welfare and Education, the National Insurance Institute and various funds, developed a model that was adopted by the Ministry of Welfare and replicated in different ways and for different populations in Israel. The first mechina, "Knafayim" (Wings), was described as the first program in Israel and the world for independent living for young people with physical and sensory disabilities. It was a pioneering program that offered a continuation track including integration into national-civilian or military service, employment and studies, together with training programs for managing independent life. Following its success, Kivunim established additional mechinot to provide more precise responses: the "Koach" mechina for deaf and hard-of-hearing young people, the "Carmel" mechina for young people on the autism spectrum, and the "Al-Mustaqbal" (The Future) mechina for Arabic-speaking young people. Over the years the association expanded its model into a broader set of services. These include supported independent housing (Levi BaMegurim), a nationwide program accompanying the transition to independent living for people with disabilities who live with their parents or in out-of-home frameworks and wish to live independently in the community; "Koach BaMadim," which accompanies deaf and hard-of-hearing young people on the volunteer track toward meaningful IDF service; and the Meaning Center (Merkaz LeMashmaut), a sheltered vocational-rehabilitation training center established in cooperation with the Kochav HaTzafon association, serving about 25 participants and offering varied employment and a rich social framework. Programs that operated in the past include "Dirot Imun" (training apartments) for young people on the communication spectrum and with hearing impairments, involving weekly overnight stays in community apartments to increase capability, readiness and motivation for independent living; "HaHanut LeMashmaut" (the Shop for Meaning), which became part of the Meaning Center and focused on fair-trade products, recycled materials or products made by artists with disabilities, and hosted a branch of the online bookstore Simania; "Mo'adonit Simanei Derech," a rehabilitation club for deaf and hard-of-hearing middle- and high-school students at the Carmel Zevulun school; and "BeGova HaEinayim," a rehabilitation youth movement for blind and visually impaired young people aged 10–18 that combined educational activity, social life and leisure with peers. According to the Hebrew Wikipedia entry, the association's offices are located at Kibbutz Lohamei HaGeta'ot near Acre and in the Neve Sha'anan neighborhood of Haifa, and it supports about 400 beneficiaries per year aged 10–50 from across the country and across sectors. It operates in the Western Galilee (Nahariya), Haifa, the Sharon region (from Hadera to Herzliya), Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Its English-language materials state that its programs have been running for over 20 years, serve young adults aged 18–30, and have been adopted by various organizations including the Ministry of Welfare; they report a community of over 210 alumni, 76% of whom are employed, 34 married, and 82% living independently, and note that the program currently includes 45 training apartments serving around 120 participants.

• 2003

  Kivunim association founded by Ayelet Shofeti and Gidi Tzur; concept of a 'mechina for independent living' conceived.

• First mechina, 'Knafayim' (Wings), established as the first program in Israel and the world for independent living for young people with physical and sensory disabilities.

• Additional mechinot established: 'Koach' for deaf and hard-of-hearing youth, 'Carmel' for youth on the autism spectrum, and 'Al-Mustaqbal' for Arabic-speaking youth.

• Meaning Center (Merkaz LeMashmaut) established in cooperation with the Kochav HaTzafon association.

A pioneering Israeli non-profit in non-formal rehabilitation and independent-living preparation for young adults with disabilities, working in partnership with government ministries and national bodies.

• Knafayim Tze'irim (Wings Young)

  Mechina for young people of national service age with physical disabilities, rare syndromes and sensory impairments.

• Knafayim Bogrim (Wings Adults)

  Mechina for young people past national service age with physical disabilities, rare syndromes and sensory impairments.

• Knafayim Al-Mustaqbal

  Mechina for Arabic-speaking young people with physical disabilities, rare syndromes and sensory impairments.

• Knafayim Koach

  Mechina for deaf and hard-of-hearing young people.

• Carmel Tze'irim (Carmel Young)

  Mechina for young people of national service age on the autism spectrum.

• Carmel Bogrim (Carmel Adults)

  Mechina for young people past national service age on the autism spectrum.

• Levi BaMegurim (Supported Independent Housing)

  Nationwide program accompanying the transition to independent living for people with disabilities.

• Koach BaMadim

  Accompaniment of deaf and hard-of-hearing young people on the volunteer track toward meaningful IDF service.

• Meaning Center (Merkaz LeMashmaut)

  Sheltered vocational-rehabilitation training center established with the Kochav HaTzafon association, serving about 25 participants.

1. 1כוונים - בדרך לעצמאות (official website)kvn.org.il
2. 2מי אנחנו - כוונים - בדרך לעצמאותkvn.org.il
3. 3About Us - כוונים - בדרך לעצמאותkvn.org.il
4. 4Kivunim Towards Independence - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5כוונים - בדרך לעצמאות - Hebrew Wikipediahe.wikipedia.org