Golomb Street 52
Tel Aviv 6617141
Israel
- Human rights
ASSAF believes that only by working on three levels - the individual, the community and the political - can full change for refugees and asylum seekers be achieved. ASSAF's mission is to assist those entering Israel in search of asylum, to strengthen their coping mechanisms so they can better face economic, legal, social, and emotional challenges, and to advocate for refugee rights on the basis of international law, in the aim of facilitating their humane and dignified existence. Through psychosocial and advocacy programs, ASSAF aims to provide a source of familiarity, strength, and support to the refugee community, in addition to encouraging institutional service providers to expand their services to include refugees. ASSAF’s long-term goal is to facilitate policy change; namely, the formal recognition and implementation of refugee rights and a fair asylum process by the State of Israel – an initiator and signatory of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention.
ASSAF’s platform includes various projects and activities that coordinate to create a holistic response to the ongoing needs of the refugees. The Psychosocial Support Program provides a supportive response to hundreds of refugees, mainly at-risk individuals and families. The goal of this project is to help the refugees regain a sense of normality in their lives and gain emotional support as they transition into Israeli culture. ASSAF has a program for unaccompanied minors and youth in the community. The Refugee Youth Program serves over a hundred young refugees, operating three days a week, five hours each day. The minors come to ASSAF where they can socialize, enjoy a hot meal, and receive support from trained staff and volunteers. At the heart of ASSAF is the Advocacy and Support Center. This Center provides refugees with employment assistance, referrals to services of partner organizations, and potential entry into ASSAF’s psychosocial programs.