Every year, principals and coordinators look for external programs that bring something the timetable can't: employment skills, entrepreneurship, digital skills, or a new way to learn with AI. Choosing well takes time, and booking can feel complicated the first time.
This guide covers what Gefen is, how to choose a workshop, the usual steps to book one, and the questions to ask before you commit.
What is Gefen?
Gefen (גפ"ן in Hebrew, from "pedagogical and managerial flexibility") is the Ministry of Education's framework that gives schools a flexible budget to choose programs that fit their own goals. Schools can use it to book programs from providers listed in the Ministry's approved catalogue.
For a school, that means two things. You can pick programs that match your students, rather than one fixed list for everyone. And when a program is approved in the catalogue, the Ministry has already reviewed it, which saves you part of the checking.
The exact rules and screens change from year to year, so always check the current details in the Gefen system or with your coordinator.
Start with the goal, not the catalogue
The catalogue is long. Before you browse it, write down in one or two sentences what you want to change. For example:
- "Our grade 11 and 12 students don't know how to present themselves for a first job."
- "Our teachers want to use AI in lessons, but don't know where to start."
- "We want students to think like entrepreneurs, not only consumers."
- "Students choose what to study without enough information."
Then decide who it is for (which grades, how many groups, students or staff), when it fits in the year, and in which language it should run.
A clear goal makes every other decision easier, and helps the provider adapt the program to your school.
The usual steps to book through Gefen
The details depend on your school and the current year, but the path usually looks like this:
- Choose the goal and the audience, as above.
- Find programs in the approved catalogue that match the goal, and read their descriptions.
- Talk to the provider. Ask for the full outline, the ages it suits, group size, length and language. Ask which of their workshops are included in their approved program.
- Agree on dates and format: at the school or online, one session or a series.
- Order the program through the Gefen system, using the school's budget, following the current year's procedure.
- Prepare the day: room, equipment, internet if needed, and a teacher who stays with the group.
- Collect feedback from students and staff, and decide whether to continue next year.
Questions to ask any provider
Whatever program you consider, ask:
- Who will actually stand in front of the students? Their experience with this age group matters more than the program's title.
- Is it hands-on? Students should leave with something they made: a CV, a pitch, a plan, a tool they tried.
- Does it run in our students' language? Arabic, Hebrew or English, and are the materials in that language too?
- How do you adapt it to our school? A good provider asks about your students before the first session.
- What do participants leave with? It should be one clear sentence.
- What do you need from us on the day: room, devices, internet, a teacher present?
What workshops do schools usually choose?
From our experience, schools and youth programs often look for:
- Employment and careers: getting ready for work with AI, smart CVs, job interviews, LinkedIn.
- Learning skills: self-learning with AI, choosing what to study.
- Entrepreneurship: young entrepreneurs, from idea to opportunity.
- For staff: AI for teachers and educators.
You can see examples like AI for teachers, choosing what to study, with AI and young entrepreneurs, each with what participants cover and leave with.
Not booking through Gefen?
Municipalities, employment centers, community organizations and companies can book the same workshops directly. You send a request with the group, dates, place and language, and receive a fixed quote.
About our workshops
NazAdv's program is approved in the Ministry of Education's Gefen catalogue, and we run workshops for schools, employment centers and community groups, in Arabic, Hebrew or English, at your place or online. See all our workshops and add the ones you want to one request, or book a free call and we'll help you choose.
