Dolev Homes for Youth at Risk is a network of a total of 8 projects for 250 girls and young women at risk in Dolev, Jerusalem and Modiin. The original, flagship project, Ulpanat Dolev is a residential rehabilitation school in the community of Dolev near Modiin for 130 high-risk girls (ages 10-19) from all over Israel. Referred to the school by the courts, local social workers, school counselors, and others, the pre-teen and adolescent girls have been removed from unsupportive environments and abusive relationships that have caused learning problems, underachievement in school, emotional insecurity, and trauma. The experienced staff of Ulpanat Dolev takes these vulnerable girls and empowers them to feel worthy and good about themselves and realize their potential to become productive citizens of Israel.100% of the students live in 11 different mishpachtonim - family units comprised of one small nuclear family living with and mentoring 10-12 troubled teenagers in each family unit. Besides the standard secular and religious high school curriculum, they study vocational studies such as cosmetology, event planning, computer programming and repair, and early childhood education (to learn proper mothering skills they lack). They also enjoy music, dance, drama, equestrian and video therapies. They initiated “Sweet Success”- a student-run patisserie in their learning kitchen and a restaurant and a beauty salon open to the public! They are now formulating a brand new Vocational Center- a three-year certification for Computer Repair, Video Production, Commercial Pastry Baking, Early Childhood Care and Metal Art.Why we are unique?While there are numerous institutions in Israel for high-risk teens, Ulpanat Dolev, founded in 1988, is the only school that integrates its students with the local community. For the duration of their high school years, students on a weekly basis are hosted in the homes of Dolev families, where they experience a nurturing environment and role models for positive parenting. Even though the Ministry of Welfare stops subsidies past the age of 18, one-third of our graduating class are not emotionally equipped to live on their own. We are the only school in Israel that has a program for those graduates who are not emotionally ready to enter society on their own and have no biological family to provide for them.Visit us at: dolev4u.org