Ori Hacohen
Head of public Operation division, BDO Consulting
The ‘Taasuka Shava’ program, which operates under the BDO Public Operations Division, is a nationwide government program for both job seekers and employers. The program consolidates all the services in the employment field for people with disabilities, young people from the periphery, Israelis of Ethiopian descent and the elderly. The program aims to provide employees and employers with all the tools needed to overcome existing obstacles and to allow equal and rewarding employment for these population groups that are underrepresented in employment in general, and in quality employment in particular. The program acts to promote equal advancement of employees and employers for the benefit of the Israeli society as a whole. To achieve this goal, ‘Taasuka Shava’ provides a nationally dispersed and free suite of services to both job seekers and employers. The services include professional consulting and training, suitable job training for employees and supervisors in the workplace, individual assistance and accompaniment for every employee and employer up to one year from the start of employment and help in rights exhaustion and in receiving support from the State. This includes, for example, participation in funding the adjustments which need to be made in order to employ employees with disabilities.
The program’s employment centers are located in the cities: Haifa, Karmiel, Tamra, Akko, Tiberias, Isfiya, Sakhnin, Yarka, Nazareth, Umm al-Fahm, Be’er Sheva, Rahat, Sderot, Jerusalem, Rameh, Afula and Bir al-Maksur. From these cities the centers provide services and assistance to the entire Negev, Galilee and the Jerusalem region.
The abovementioned population groups often encounter an inaccessible or discriminating work environment which poses barriers for them in realizing their basic right to feel that they are an integral part of society. The result, talented persons who do not find employment compatible with their abilities, is everyone’s loss – workers and their families, employers, the economy and Israeli society.
Owing to the funding and assistance provided by the labor branch of the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the services we provide as part of the Taasuka Shava program are offered free of charge or at a symbolic price, in the aim of achieving higher level and more quality employment among the target populations.
The Taasuka Shava professional staff accompanies employers and employees from the acquaintance stage and identification of needs and preferences, through design of an accompaniment plan that includes a suite of services. These services include coaching, employment accompaniment and professional training, as well as tools and guidance in writing a resume, conducting a job search, preparing for a job interview and more.
The program brings great value to these employers and job seekers. Furthermore, combined with our rich experience operating civil service systems and unique ability to bring business professionalism to the civil service, the program makes an extensive contribution to the robustness of the Israeli economy, both economic and social.
It is a great honor for us to play a significant role in this important undertaking.