Thinking Doing
ICL is committed to being a catalyst for social-environmental processes that foster social empowerment and strengthen local identity. This commitment is realized through its flagship project – “Thinking Doing” - an ICL initiative for community partnerships throughout Israel’s Negev region. The Primary Mission: As a partner in leading change in the quality of life of communities in the Negev, ICL is creating a sustainable community network that creates and motivates regional processes through partnerships and empowerment of local initiatives. ICL aspires to ensure community resilience in the Negev region by strengthening its environment, economy and society. \
The Thinking-Doing Project – Active Communities Lead Quality of Life
The program, an ICL initiative, has been active since 2014 as part of a strategic plan to promote partners and partnerships in the Negev. The program supports social and environmental processes, creates social empowerment and strengthens local identity by creating a regional network of local entrepreneurs, who have both the ability and desire to contribute to the local community as well to as to the entire Negev region. The program does not engage in services already provided by the state, but instead focuses on improving the quality of life for local residents. The program is designed for working in close cooperation with the local municipalities, and for utilizing their existing resources.
Principles of the Program:
- Motivating social and environmental processes for social empowerment and strengthened local identity
- Creating a regional network of communities to promote social and environmental issues in the Negev
- Communities that work independently on social and environmental issues, while identifying local needs and adapting to various communities and working together with them
- Building human infrastructure – empowering and strengthening local social and environmental leaders
- Focusing on combined activities in the communities – children, youth and adults
- Improving the quality of life for residents of all socioeconomic backgrounds, including for those unfamiliar with the sustainability concept.
Method of Operation:
ICL, as an influential and major factor in Negev communities – acts as a catalyst to motivate processes that will create a joint effort comprising industry, the environment and the community to strengthen the Negev and help to build a social, environmental and professional network as part of its community activities. Various projects and initiatives are supported, including long-term projects which promote change by pooling forces and resources for greater empowerment and creativity in the community space.
The Thinking Doing Project enables individuals and the community to use and initiate practical tools to realize local dreams related to the environment and society. These individuals establish community and environmental initiatives in various Negev communities, for the purpose of building an independent and active community that promotes the environment and society. During the development process of this project, local residents select areas in which they wish to focus their activities, including education and community, the local economy and environmental resources. A community representative is involved in each part of the program.
This is a significant community program, initiated and supported by ICL, and with the active cooperation of many local organizations. ICL contributes both funds and volunteering time of its employees to these community projects.
The Operational Model
- Recruiting the authority to promote social and environmental issues and strengthen the local economy
- Establishing and leading a professional team in the region
- Writing a public appeal to communities – to motivate processes
- Guiding and leading community initiatives
- Building a professional human infrastructure
- Creating young leadership with scholarships for students
- Establishing a centralized sustainability network in communities
- Establishing groups of mentors who work in sync to establish independent innovative programs
The Thinking Doing Project in Yeruham
A pilot project of the program was initiated in the city of Yeruham, and it has been operational for the past three years. As a result of the program, a regional network of local entrepreneurs was created possessing the ability and the desire to contribute to the local community and to the entire Negev region. Together with Yeruham residents and the town’s local leadership, and by connecting with the town’s agenda and the town council head’s vision for sustainability, the program supports social and environmental initiatives of local residents, thereby improving Yeruham’s status as a sustainable city.
The connections and partnerships between various organizations in the city, as well as the empowering of social entrepreneurs and the motivating processes of engaging in partnerships, have served to create social empowerment and to increase local identity, in addition to transforming the public realm into a ‘warm home’ for the town’s diverse population. Yeruham is comprised of a diverse human mosaic. Therefore, public discourse and shared social action are an important platform for the development of the economy, employment, infrastructure, the environment, intellectual property and the quality of life in this desert city. Thanks to the successful combination of active entrepreneurs and a supportive leadership, change is already visible. This model of activity is the first of its kind in the Negev and is an inspiration for additional local authorities in the Negev.
Projects include: establishing community gardens for urban farming and renovating public gardens, establishing a communal farm and a fruit tree orchard, adding and maintaining shade trees, establishing composters for recycling and fertilizing gardens, promoting sustainability and raising awareness about separating garbage, establishing nesting areas for bats, street libraries, “Improve the World” community carpentry workshops, a subsidized community alternative healing clinic, and others.
The Thinking Doing program also operates in the Tamar and Ramat Negev Regional Councils, and, since 2018, in Dimona, BeerSheva and Mitzpe Ramon. The program is managed by ICL, in cooperation with the local authorities and non-profit organizations, through volunteer work done by ICL employees, as well as donations by the company.
