This study was carried out by Michlol- the Evaluation and Measurement Unit of the Shalem Fund
The “Spotlight” project was born from the rationale that exposure, information and personal recognition reduce concerns and fears, increase empathy, and can contribute to the understanding, inclusion and integration of a variety of populations in society. The project aims to develop projects in which a creative, experiential and empowering process takes place for a group of students together with a group of people with disabilities, for the benefit of mutual recognition of individual and group abilities, promoting social integration and the visibility of people with disabilities in the world of culture and the arts. Also, the purpose of the project is to bring for revealing the abilities and skills of people with disabilities, exposing them to artistic expression and higher studies, and creating a joint final product with public visibility. The project evaluation combined quantitative and qualitative approaches, and included data collection through questionnaires from four populations (the project leaders in schools and operating organizations, students and service recipients). As part of the “Spotlight” project, 7 projects across the country were able to weave skin and sinews and come to fruition. The findings show the achievement of all the goals as well as the high satisfaction of the participants and the leaders. The findings also indicated the impact of the project on the students’ perception of people with disabilities, and its overall contribution to personal growth and social inclusion. Insights and recommendations emerged among the steering committee and are detailed at the end of the report.
Keywords : Spotlight project, community integration, social attitudes and perceptions, advocacy, education and enrichment, developmental intellectual disability, evaluation research