COVID-19 Impact in Israel:
A Call for International Networking to Promote Resilience and Coping among
Front-Line University Social Work Students

Shmaya Bender – BSW*
shmayab@post.bgu.ac.il
Mor Yehudi – MSW
moryehu@post.bgu.ac.il
Roi Erel – BSW*
erelro@post.bgu.ac.il

Corresponding Author: Shmaya Bender
Spitzer Department of Social Work – RADAR Center
Ben Gurion University of the Negev
Beer Sheva, Israele-mail: shmayab@post.bgu.ac.il* June 2021

COVID 19 is a serios challenge faced by university students responsible for the well-being ofindividuals, families and communities (International Federation of Social Workers, 2020). This
brief report provides insight of COVID-19 impact on the health and well-being of Israeli university
social work students during the first and second waves of infection.
“R.M.” is a 26-year old female student who works as a counselor in a community
based mental health residential facility for young adult patients.
" I’m a very social and friendly person that needs social interaction, so social distancing
and quarantine led to deterioration of my mood resulting in short episodes of depression,
low self-esteem and incompetence... In response, I began self-medicating with cannabis
and alcohol more than before ... In the beginning, it was a way to deal with boredom, but[overtime] it was needed to escape reality and generate calm.…During quarantine, I was
heavily self-medicating but continued my client responsibilities...."“Y.M.” is a 22-year old male student providing mental health services to youth withbehavior problems placed in a residential facility.
"As an instructor in a home for at risk youth, the coronavirus outbreak was an emotional
obstacle for me, a heavy responsibility regarding the emotional therapy I provide toteens… At the beginning of the outbreak, the fear was intense and I was quarantine for twoweeks. That decision caused me much guilt, leaving the teens when they needed me most.”“M.S.” is a 23-year old female student counselor working with older adults at a local
welfare office.
"At the beginning, I didn't take the virus seriously and continued to do my clinical work
online … I was highly affected by older clients who expressed anxiety, fear and loneliness...
and began to experience such conditions myself. My workplace offered me to stay home. I
felt guilt and anxiety about that decision…...As weeks went by, my clients began to relax
and adjust to the situation; and, my ability to treat them became better."Discussion
The COVID-19 pandemic is a major crisis with multiple consequences for those needing andproviding support and services. For social work students addressing COVID-19, opportunities forinternational peer contact and experience sharing should be promoted to build student residence
and coping during disaster conditions that call for social work intervention.

References
International Federation of Social Workers (2020). Statement on IFSW and Covid-19. Available
at: http://www.ifsw.org/statement-on-ifsw-and-covid-19. Accessed November 6, 2020.
Yehudai M., Bender S., Gritsenko V., et al. (2020). COVID-19 Fear, Mental Health, andSubstance Misuse Conditions Among University Social Work Students in Israel and Russia. Int J
Ment Health Addict. 6: 1–8.