About the Course 

Rehabilitation counselors, mentors, support workers, and employment coaches are a crucial component of the mental health rehabilitation system. They interact directly with service recipients and work closely with them on their rehabilitation plans, under the guidance and supervision of professionals. Their role is central and highly significant in supporting individuals coping with mental illness, and they are the driving force on the ground.

The intensive work, which is carried out in close and direct contact with the lives of those receiving care, presents many challenges that require a comprehensive and in-depth professional approach. The training course will provide rehabilitation counselors, mentors, and support workers with basic and professional training on the day-to-day aspects of mental health rehabilitation and the recovery approach, and will help them acquire the knowledge, tools, and professional skills needed for their daily work.

The course will cover topics such as: the Rehabilitation Law and rehabilitation services, the vision of recovery and its application to daily work in the field, psychopathology and pharmacology, the strengths-based approach, the significance of hope in the role, active listening, empathic communication, boundaries in relationships, and, of course, additional skills, tools, and intervention methods relevant to the work of a counselor, mentor, or support specialist.

In addition, the course will broaden the participants’ perspectives, for example: understanding the perspective of those facing challenges; understanding the family and its role in the rehabilitation process; understanding the importance of applying knowledge gained from work experience; examining the roles of the service user and the service provider, as well as the structure of the rehabilitation process within the framework; and more.

In accordance with Ministry of Health procedures, this course is a prerequisite for working in the community mental health rehabilitation system. Rehabilitation instructors, mentors, and supervisors must complete the course specific to their role within three years of assuming their position.

Course Objectives

• Understanding the principles of the recovery vision and the basic concepts of rehabilitation work.
• Familiarity with key approaches in rehabilitation work and the acquisition of practical tools and skills for the job.
• Acquiring a wealth of professional and diverse knowledge relevant to rehabilitation work.
• Gaining tools for dealing with dilemmas and issues that arise during work.
• An introduction to a range of complementary services and resources available in the community.
• Reinforcing the significance of the role of a counselor/mentor in a rehabilitative setting.

The course will be tailored to women from the ultra-Orthodox community.

Course Structure

The course consists of 18 sessions, each lasting 6 academic hours. 

Over the next two hours, a training workshop will be held in two parallel groups.

Participants

The course is intended for 30 rehabilitation counselors, mentors, support workers, and vocational counselors from the ultra-Orthodox and religious communities, working in various rehabilitation settings.

Course Requirements

• Mandatory attendance in 90% of classes.
• Active participation in class discussions and exercises.

• Dilemma presentation in the training workshop and its processing in a written assignment.
• Submit assignments as required.
• Submission of a final paper at the end of the course.

Admission Requirements

• Rehabilitation counselor/mentor/support worker/employment coach in any of the fields within the community mental health rehabilitation system.
• A graduate of at least 12 years of schooling.