Emergency Volunteer Teams in Gush Etzion

As a result of the recent escalation of Terror since the Disengagement and the building of the 'Anti-Terror Fence', combined with information provided to the Gush Etzion Security Department, we have valid concerns that the security situation in our region will continue to worsen. In the last month alone, we have experienced various events that unfortunately support this scenario. Flammable bottles and rocks thrown at cars, suspicious objects on the road, a drive by shooting in which 3 young people were killed and the arrest of terrorist ring leaders in our area indicate the need for us to upgrade our security immediately.

 In preparation for the likely scenario that we will soon be entering an emergency period, we must refresh and upgrade our equipment and prepare our voluntary emergency teams in each community. The purpose of these teams is to properly react at the time of a terrorist action and provide the immediate emotional and psychological support that is vital for the well-being of our residents.

There are 15 communities in gush Etzion with 10 volunteer members in each emergency team.

Costs:

Project coordinator in a 1/4 time position to recruit volunteers, maintain and refresh the teams, and handle the training logistics 2,500 NIS per month.

Training: An overall fee of 75,000 NIS includes training for working as a team, learning about trauma, how to notify the families, informing the public, managing a community during the emergency period, etc...

Equipment requirements are mobile phones or communication beepers for every regional social worker and trauma member to ensure that immediate communication is possible at the time of an event. The cost is 100 shekel a month per unit, and 75 units are required. 

In addition, there is an annual cost of 40,000 NIS in order to maintain the teams, by providing them with rejuvenating and energizing activities, in order that they are able to be effective despite the depressing situations that they encounter.  

The Government Ministry of Social Work will participate in the amount of 20,000 for the entire training budget.

Previously, the Regional Volunteer Emergency Team included representatives of every community, but we must expand this to include the educational institutions: 40 pre-schools and 9 schools (elementary and high school).

Youth and New Immigrants:

In light of the involvement of youth both as victims and community activists, we must consider how the youth are affected, mainly from the therapy perspective.

 

Additional costs, beyond what has already been mentioned.

Establishing volunteer emergency teams within the education system:

Overall regional costs: 15,000 NIS.

Building teams within each institution: 7,000 shekel for every school and pre-school (40 pre-schools and 9 elementary and regional schools) summing to 350,000 NIS

Building a team of youth leaders to be part of the emergency teams: 10,000 NIS.

These youth will be incorporated into the communities by the continuing education program that will be implemented at a community level.

And finally, maintaining the teams as mentioned earlier, but in this case each time must have its independence (for example, the youth and new immigrants must have its own flavor- such as a meeting once every other month with a relevant topic- each meeting costing 4,000 NIS.

A summary of the costs follows:

Annual:

Project coordinator: 2,500 per month = 30,000 NIS

Beepers: 7,500 NIS per month = 90,000

Overall Training: 75,000 NIS

Maintaining the teams: 40,000 NIS

Total: 235,000 NIS, minus 20,000 NIS from the Ministry of Social Work = 215,000 NIS

Educational System Costs:

Overall Regional Costs: 15,000 NIS

Pre, Elementary and High Schools: 350,000 NIS

Total: 365,000 NIS

 

Youth and Olim:

Building a team: 10,000 NIS

Bi-Monthly meetings: 24,000 NIS

Total 34,000 NIS

 

Sum Total, minus participation from Ministry of Social Work:

614,000 NIS