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Affirmative action in I srael: Access to academia for the ultra‐orthodox community
Author(s) -
Marcus Shelley,
Josman Naomi,
Zlotnik Sharon
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
australian occupational therapy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.595
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1440-1630
pISSN - 0045-0766
DOI - 10.1111/1440-1630.12161
Subject(s) - bachelor , occupational therapy , workforce , intervention (counseling) , normative , medical education , psychology , political science , nursing , medicine , physical therapy , law
Background/Aim This article explores the development of a unique, culturally sensitive, designated academic occupational therapy programme for the U ltra‐ O rthodox ( H aredi) minority in I srael. This normative university environment did not provide the opportunity for H aredi participation due to the lack of consideration of the strong commitment to a modest way of life of this community. This prevented their participation in academia and resultant employment that are necessary for economic advancement of the community. Method A follow‐up survey that tracked the programme's graduates’ participation in the workforce was used to determine the success of the initial goal of the establishment of the designated programme. Results Slightly above 97% of the respondents worked as occupational therapists during the first year after completing their bachelor's degree. The employment data obtained from the graduates showed that the central goal of the C ouncil of H igher E ducation has been achieved. The designated culturally adapted occupational therapy programme has provided varied employment opportunities for its graduates in diverse professional environments. Conclusion With the implementation of this programme, the occupational therapy department of the U niversity of H aifa has created greater accessibility of the profession to both the occupational therapy providers and the recipients of occupational therapy intervention as well as serve as a model for other communities.