We all know what makes us feel great: being involved in something that captures our interest, mastering a complex skill, seeing results of our own making, being part of a team, success in a new project, the admiration and approval of others. These become the stepping stones enabling us to tackle the tough situations in life.
And for those dealing with super tough situations? Like mental illness? Who so desperately wish to climb out of the quagmire that traps them like a flaying fly ensnared in a spider web? Building, creating, assisting and being assisted by others on the team and eventual success …these form the building blocks for the hard work of effecting a cure.
Among the multi-faceted programs of Ezer Mizion’s Mental Health Division are Social Clubs focused around shared interests. Gardening, baking, are just two. And, as of late, drones.
Drones have become a major part of our lives in recent years, in the worlds of science, of agriculture, of planet exploration, of warfare, of search and rescue, of delivery.
The goal of the Ezer Mizion Mental Health Division social and leisure centers is to encourage and enable individuals coping with mental illness to develop social connections with peers from a place of choice and personal empowerment. The centers promote improvement and acquisition of social and interpersonal communication skills. They also expand areas of interest, encourage personal choice, and strengthen self-efficacy within an accepting and nonjudgmental space.
The drone workshop develops many abilities, such as precision and focus, exposure to a new and unfamiliar world, a sense of control while flying a drone, teamwork, mutual assistance, empowerment and successful experiences.
The workshop is divided into two phases: In the first phase, participants learn the foundations of drone technology, drone structure, flying laws, basic knowledge for operating and flying drones. Each participant builds their own personal drone and receives it upon completion.
In the second phase, participants learn how to fly drones and the basics of drone photography, including knowledge about industrial, event-related, and security uses of aerial footage. Additionally, two outdoor sessions are held where participants fly, photograph, and film using drones. During the sessions, participants are taught to use professional photo and video editing software. Each receives a personal tablet for editing.
A total of sixty participants, divided into gender-segregated groups in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak and Modiin Ilit are registered. At the end of the workshop, each person presents their work and receives a graduation certificate.
At the conclusion of each stage, both participants and staff provide feedback. According to the professional staff at the center, there has been a noticeable increase in participants’ sense of success and confidence. Mastering control over a device like a drone—managing to launch it high into the air and fly it far away fosters excitement and a sense of achievement that is beyond words. This activity has had a broad impact on participants’ life experiences, fostering feelings of success, capability, meaningful engagement, and the formation of social connections. It has become a powerful tool leading to growth and eventual mental health.
