Send page to a Friend Civil Society Projects The Council for Volunteers The ultimate vision for the Council is that it will operate as an umbrella organization for NGOs in Haifa that will coordinate the activities of civil society organizations, empower NGOs and their volunteers, and increase the connection between Boston and Haifa NGOs.  Specifically, the Council will strengthen NGOs by helping the organizations to network and coordinate activities with one another.  At the same time, the Council will provide resources to individual NGOs such as advice regarding media access, fundraising techniques and volunteer management.  Finally, the Council will empower volunteers by providing placement services with volunteer organizations within Haifa.  The Council is currently engaged in reviewing their institutional design and activities.  We have asked the Council to comment on how their institutionalized structure will best facilitate their ability to acheive the aforementioned goals and to suggest specific programs that will bolster their effectiveness. The Civil Society Web Site The web site is an interactive site designed to provide exposure and networking opportunities for organizations, information and placement services for volunteers and direction and assistance to people in need.  The site contains a database of volunteer organizations in Haifa, which are organized into categories based on international standards developed by international research institutions.  This database provides pertinent information on member groups including the organizations' goals, activities and contact information, as well as volunteer opportunities.  As of the spring, the web site has been operational in both Hebrew and English, in order to help facilitate the placement of American volunteers.  Click here to visit the site. Continuing Education for Civics Teachers This program is designed to provide high school teachers with the tools to increase their students understanding of, and desire to participate in, civil society organizations in Haifa.  Teachers are required to take part in continuing education courses during the duration of their time within the education system.  The general aim of our participation in this process is to enable teachers to incorporate the values of civil society, as well as the dual concerns of needing the state and not wanting to depend too much on the state, into their curriculum and classrooms.  The first of these courses was given last spring.  Over seventy teachers participated within the course and it will be offered again during the next round of courses.  In the near future, the project hopes to continue to provide this course and to expand its reach, as well as evaluate its effectiveness.