Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Troubled Teen Industry
Darckenu Israel - new wilderness program abroad
Yael Eshet Khever:
--- Quote from: "Abir" ---Hi all,
1. Our site is "on the air" so you are more than welcome to visit, read and understand more about us, our concept, philosophy etc...so I am sure that many questions raised here previously by some members, will be more clear (we are still working on the site, some things will be added and corrections will be made in the next few days).
2. I was somewhat surprised in regards to the many speculations, comments and ideas expressed here (some of them are pure insult if i may say this) based on nothing but a homepage with a notice that "our site is coming soon".
--- End quote ---
Shaul - many of the speculation of people here are based on fear that your program will use the exact same false-marketing tactics and unethical practices used by many, many other programs, often with tragic results.
--- Quote --- 3. Among the many questions and points raised was one that I would like to answer: "...not against the teenager will" - That means that we will not accept to the program teenagers who do not want to participate in it! even if their parents want to! As simple as that. Just to let you know, we have in our site a mini site designed for teenagers in order to enable them to speak with us directly and get all the information they need.
--- End quote ---
That's good to hear. As you may know, many of the "teen help" programs in the industry use what is euphemistically called a "transportation / escort service" - which essentially means kidnapping the teen (with their parents' approval) out of their bed in the middle of the night, and detaining them in the program against their will without due process. I hope you will not turn to coercing teens into your program.
Abir:
Heretik and Yael Shalom,
Thank you for your information and highlights.
I was not aware of the following:
"many of the "teen help" programs in the industry use what is euphemistically called a "transportation / escort service" - which essentially means kidnapping the teen (with their parents' approval) out of their bed in the middle of the night, and detaining them in the program against their will without due process."
I fully condem those kinds of practices and can assure you that we will never do that!
Thanks again
Shaul
Ursus:
--- Quote from: "Abir" ---Heretik and Yael Shalom,
Thank you for your information and highlights.
I was not aware of the following:
"many of the "teen help" programs in the industry use what is euphemistically called a "transportation / escort service" - which essentially means kidnapping the teen (with their parents' approval) out of their bed in the middle of the night, and detaining them in the program against their will without due process."
I fully condem those kinds of practices and can assure you that we will never do that!
Thanks again
Shaul
--- End quote ---
Depending on the kid and on the program, there are also less extreme measures which can accomplish the same goal. A visit with an empathetic church counselor or school guidance counselor, which ends with being handed over to a pair of uniformed "escorts." A family excursion "to the country" or Disney World or similar such desired location, which ends with arrival at the program. These all involve a fair amount of deception on the part of formerly trusted adult figures in the kid's life.
And then there are cases of kids going to a program willingly, seemingly fully aware of and in agreement with said destination. Problem is, the description of the program, not to mention its philosophy and the purposes for which the kid is being sent there, are not in keeping with the information that the kid was given. By the time the kid figures that out, it's usually too late. Sometimes the parents are even similarly misinformed, although usually not quite to the same degree.
For a kid to go to a program "not against their will," to *my* mind at least, any such consent should by rights entail a certain amount of disclosure and transparency on the program's part. Consent that is not fully informed is not really "consent" at all. How will you ensure that children and their parents will be fully informed as to what to expect from your program, Shaul?
Abir:
Hi Ursus,
I will do my best to answer:
1. As mentioned before (and it is also mentioned in our website), We do not accept kids who do not want to join the program even if their parents want them to do so.
2. The parents are a very important part of our program: they have to commit themselves and come for 8 days (from day 30th to day 38) and participate in various trainings and workshops (for details please see the "parents' program part in our website).
3. We will have a Teen Zone in our website (coming very soon, right now yo can see only the homepage of our Teen Zone)) in which we explain in details everything in regard to the program. We do intend to talk to each kid and make sure he/she understands what it is all about.
4. We are totally transparent in regards to everything starting from the cost, cancellation policy, enrollment agreement and a quiet detailed website that presents everything we could think about.
5. Our "philosophy", way of doing things, way of thinking etc...is clearly presented in our site, and the words there are so straightforward and sharp clear.
And on top of all, our values and ethics will not permit using deception in order to build trust...It simply does not make sense !!! How could one build trust based on lies and deception?
In addition, by the end of the day you could believe me or not...I hope that the more we talk, exchange ideas and know each other better, trust will be built between us and the other members that read these lines.
have a good weekend,
shaul
Ursus:
AHah! I see that you've finally updated your website! Now we actually have some real meat to chew on (apologies to any vegetarians reading this)...
One question that I have right off the bat, and one that was actually inspired by your post, prior to discovering the substantially updated website, is ... how will you screen kids and their parents — with regard to the question of appropriate fit for your program as well as fully informed consent issues — prior to the undertaking of a "Darckenu walk?" Will you be conducting any prescreening in the country of residence? Pragmatically speaking, and perhaps also crudely stated, round-trip airfare from the United States to Israel for two adults plus child is no small piece of change.
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