The forum was founded at 2011 by senior professionals from civil society organizations and specialists from relevant disciplines, with the support of The "Gandir" Foundation. Its establishment came as a result of encounters different professionals had with the numerous severe adversities that young women at risk have to face.

In our forum we discuss different issues regarding the welfare and personal security of young women at risk. This group includes, among others: young women who face poverty, unemployment, low salary and/or debts; graduates of out-of-home placements and foster care; immigrants from third-world countries; young women with no family support networks and/or who escaped their homes or out-of-home placements; young women who have been sexually assaulted and/or involved in prostitution; Muslim-Arab women that were removed from their communities due to assault, threats or violence; young women who are being severely exploited in different manners in return for money or housing; young women who suffer from difficulties engaging in society, employment and/or academic studies and young women who were formerly treated by different welfare services.

 

The forum thrives to empower and promote young women at risk through policy changes, professional platforms, better accessibility to knowledge and rights and a wider knowledge base and tools for professionals in the field.

The fruitful and diverse discourse between the different partners in the forum enables us to develop a mutual professional jargon, to address complex issues and to execute  various solutions and ventures to solve them, all in favor of improving the quality of life of young women at risk.
These are conducted through mutual learning of professionals  and young women at risk, and through steering and work teams which focus on writing, conceptualization, naming and analysis of existing welfare procedures in the arena of social work and welfare service providers, and  in the space between social work, law and public policy. 

 

The formation and existence of the forum, its unique collaborations -both inwards and outwards- and the work with policy makers create a practice of its own. This practice enables new and pioneering ventures to thrive, whilst offering and designing new ways of working together.