The survey of the evacuees by the 121 association and the 710 project for the occupational treatment of evacuees a year before the war found that 70% of the residents of the north are considering not returning home.
The large survey of evacuees by the 121 association and the 710 project years after the evacuation found that half of the evacuees from the south and the north are considering leaving and not returning to their permanent settlement. Among the evacuees from the north, 70% are considering not returning to their original settlements. 60% of the evacuees reported that their livelihood was damaged, 53% of the evacuees give the government a bad grade for handling their employment situation. A fifth of the evacuees do not work.
The initiators of the survey, Hana Redo and Tali Nir say:
We are facing an occupational-economic catastrophe. This is not a personal problem but a national issue. Correct utilization of the period will result in faster growth than the crisis.
The survey of the evacuees of the 121 association and the 710 project
On Tuesday (22.10/121) the 710 association and the XNUMX project for finding work for evacuees are publishing the findings of a survey they conducted among evacuees from the north and south that examined the employment status of the evacuees one year after the war. The survey was conducted for the associations by the "Mind Pool" institute and was carried out among a representative sample of evacuees from the south and the north during the month of September. Only evacuees and evacuees who worked before the war participated in the survey.
Attorney Tali Nir, CEO of the 121 association which leads the Mkapka partnership which includes 50 business and social organizations that works for investment in occupational development:
We are facing an acute employment crisis among the evacuees, mainly from the north, when 32% report that they do not work at all and their occupational skills are eroding. This is a real danger to both the economy and the mental health of those people. The survey found that there is a great demand for vocational training or studies among evacuees to improve their occupational skills, and this is a need that the state must respond to immediately. Investing in the connection between employers and kashrut applicants and kasharah bodies, at the regional level, will restore resilience to the north and south and secure the future of its residents. A crisis is also an opportunity. It is important and urgent to take advantage of this period to support those who do not work and can study a professional course, but need state funding for this. Correct utilization of this period will enable rapid growth after the crisis, as the employees will emerge from it strengthened with higher abilities, and in the future they will have a higher salary.
The main findings of the survey:
- 70% of those displaced from the north are considering not returning to their original settlements at all.
- 50% of all evacuees (South and North) are considering not returning home even after the end of the war
- Most of the evacuees (68%) report that their income from work has changed for the worse.
- Most of the evacuees (68%) did not receive employment assistance at all and 53% give the government a poor to very poor grade for handling their employment situation.
- 64% of the evacuees would like to increase their income and 20% would like to do vocational training. This while one in five evacuees does not work at all.
- Of those who returned to work, 35% testified that their mental state improved following their return to the workforce.
- 34% testified that professional training or studies could have helped them in employment and 52% testified that the financial cost involved in studies is a significant difficulty for them.
Hana Redo, founder of the 710 project to find work for populations affected by the war, said:
The findings of this survey illustrate the urgent need for systemic support for evacuees, especially from the north of the country, who face unprecedented challenges in returning to routine and finding stable employment. With 71% of the evacuees not receiving employment assistance and a significant portion of them seeking to increase their income or change their profession, this is not only a personal crisis for those people, but also a fundamental national economic issue that will affect the economy in Israel for decades to come. After more than a decade of activity to create employment in the Negev and the Galilee, I believe that now there is an opportunity to enter with all the strength into the subject of training and employment in order to build the Galilee and the Negev in a healthy way. After 75 years of neglect by Israeli governments, it is important to change attitude and act before the next catastrophe. It is important that the state intervenes and provides the necessary training and resources to help them restore their livelihoods. At 710, we believe in the power of employment and re-employment as critical components of resilience, and we are committed to ensuring that these evacuees have access to new opportunities and can return to feeling financially secure.