JDC-Israel-Ashalim: ECHAD
JDC-Israel-Ashalim: ECHAD
ECHAD (Partnership for Early CHildhood Achievement and Development) was developed by JDC-Israel Ashalim to promote equal opportunity among Arab-Israeli children under the age of six. ECHAD aims to minimize the risk factors that threaten their development and to improve the quality of Israel's early childhood services for Arab-Israeli society.
ECHAD works with children, parents, and professionals. ECHAD provides training for professionals working in early childhood and family programs, specifically in the areas of education, health, and social welfare. ECHAD also develops support and training programs for parents and helps to improve language and literacy skills among young Arab-Israeli children.
The ECHAD partnership has concentrated on six Arab-Israeli communities in order to cultivate a more comprehensive, tailor-made response to specific local needs. ECHAD has benefited 8,600 children, and has provided guidance for 3,600 parents, ongoing training to some 700 preschool teachers and assistants, as well as professional and leadership training activities for an additional 350 health, education, and welfare personnel. The ECHAD work model is being disseminated to additional Arab-Israeli communities in Israel through collaboration with the New Beginnings national early childhood initiative.
ECHAD is run in partnership with the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties, and the Israeli government.