Darca works to build high schools of excellent standards, with the ultimate goal that students graduate furnished with the skills and emotional foundations necessary to break the cycle of poverty, fulfill their potential and positively contribute to society. Thousands of students have now graduated from Darca’s schools, and Darca has identified significant value in developing a program that continues to accompany them as they move forward to encounter new challenges. Whether graduates are undergoing strenuous tests sorting them into Israel’s different Defense Forces units or stressful interviews for professional positions in the job market, they stand to benefit from real-time guidance.
This need led to the development of Darca’s Alumni Unit. Each of Darca’s schools designates one or two educational staff members as the Alumni Unit coordinator. As the program is in its early stages of development, coordinators are putting significant efforts into building the alumni network. This of course includes each year getting 12th grade students already involved as they prepare to graduate from high school, and it also involves reaching out to graduates and encouraging them to join the network. As alumni experience the value this program provides in their life, the network will organically grow through alumni encouraging each other to join.
The Alumni Unit provides graduates with guidance and counsel on several different levels, always tailored to the individual’s needs. Firstly, the Program offers pre-army and during-army advice, helping participants navigate their way to the army service positions best suited for them. The Program also helps alumni going on to university level studies, exposing them to all their options, directing them to available scholarships and supporting them as they go through difficult application processes. Finally, graduates find Alumni Unit to be a great resource for family and household planning, benefiting from coaching on how to best manage their finances and household matters.
In addition to the ongoing guidance alumni receive from school coordinators, the Alumni Unit program includes two to three seminars per year centered around furthering these goals. School coordinators come together annually in seminars that train them how to best be of service to alumni, and are joined by alumni in additional seminars that are tailored to meet the counseling needs of the alumni participants.
As Darca’s Alumni Network begins to grow and give back, follow along here for updates and stories!
12th Grade Darca students are invited to learn about the Alumni Unit and how it will be able to both benefit students going through school as well as themselves as they develop their army careers and professional lives.