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Yeladim - Fair Chance for Children Young Adults Program

A steady path to independence

“I left residential care without knowing where I was going. I got an apartment – but more importantly, I met Racheli, my housing mentor, who truly saw me. Suddenly, I wasn’t alone.”

Noa, 19

 

Each year, hundreds of young people turn 18 and are required to leave residential care or foster families.
For many, this marks the start of adult life – but also a moment of real vulnerability.
The door closes behind them, and they are expected to manage housing, military or national service, work, studies, relationships, and daily life on their own.
Around 450 of them have no family home to return to and no support system to rely on. Most also leave care with limited everyday life skills – not because of neglect, but because many decisions were made for them, rather than practiced alongside them.

This is where we step in.

Yeladim’s Young Adults Program supports around 500 young people aged 18–28 across Israel.
It provides a stable safety net – a place to turn to, a community, and consistent adult support – so young people can choose their path, not settle for survival. Support includes: Transitional and supported housing, Personal and social guidance, Employment and education pathways, Financial counseling, Emotional support, Volunteer mentoring, Tailored tracks for young adults in critical life situations – including lone soldiers, young mothers, and young people facing crisis.
Every participant receives support tailored to their needs, grounded in a deep belief in their potential.

Core Program Areas

Young people connect with us at different moments in their lives – through housing, personal guidance, military or national service, work and studies, parenting, leadership, and emotional resilience.

What This Looks Like in Practice?

  • 500

    young adults supported each year,

    nationwide

  • 21

    transitional apartments

    within the national Bridge to Independence program

  • %

    95

    complete successfully

    military or national service.

  • %

    80

    successfully integrate

    into employment or education pathways

Beyond numbers, the program builds a connected community of young adults who understand one another and support each other’s growth.

What the Program Offers

  • Bridge to Independence
    A national program funded by the Ministry of Welfare, in partnership with foundations and civil society organizations.
    A network of 48 transitional apartments across Israel, supporting young adults as they move toward independence within a supportive community.
    Implemented in partnership with Or Shalom and SOS Children’s Villages.
  • Personal Mentors
    Ongoing personal guidance for young adults building independent lives in the community.
    Each participant is matched with an adult mentor who believes in them and accompanies them consistently.
  • Lone Soldiers & Reservists
    Support for young adults without family support during and after military, national, or civil service – including those who are orphaned or entirely on their own.
  • Pathways to Independence
    Education, employment, and entrepreneurship support for young adults for whom these steps are not obvious – but life-changing.
    Guidance is personalized, practical, and partnership-based.
  • Young Mothers at Risk
    Support for young mothers who grew up in residential care and are building independent lives while raising a child – often without family or economic support.
    The program offers steady, human support at a critical moment.
  • Leadership Forum
    A group of young adults who meet regularly, initiate projects, create content and public discourse. They grew up in residential care or foster families and are leading social change – for themselves and for the generations to come.

Meet Our Graduates

Listen to an episode of our podcast Lights Out (in Hebrew), where young adults talk openly about life after residential care – independence, fear, love, and hope.

Listen to Lights Out

Yeladim - Fair Chance for Children In The Media

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