Partnering for Social Change with Israel's Police Force

This year, the Shalva Institute took its “Intro to Disability” workshop to a national level by partnering with the Israel Police Forces in a multiyear project to train over 5,000 police officers at the Shalva National Center.

As part of the program, police officers belonging to various units in the Israeli Police Force come to Shalva in small groups to complete an interactive workshop, tour the center and volunteer with our program participants. The purpose of the workshop is to teach police officers how to identify people with disabilities and engage with them appropriately in the context of their daily work. They emerge with a newfound understanding and appreciation for disability care and inclusion from both professional and personal perspectives. As our world becomes more inclusive and people with disabilities are included in a variety of arenas, the Israeli Police Forces are making an effort to advance their professional training in tandem.