The Volunteer in Community Development Program in Palestine is a unique opportunity for students, undergraduates, gap year students, professionals, teachers, retired people and anyone who seeks to volunteer or intern in Palestinian community development organizations in the area of Palestine and Israel. This program is for you if you wish to help Palestinian children, youth, Palestinian refugees in refugees camps and other community members in and around Hebron, West Bank. As a volunteer, you will be immersed in Palestinian culture while meeting new people (from Palestine and abroad), studying Arabic, and making a difference in the lives of people.

The Community Development Volunteer and Internship Program in Palestine has an important impact on the Palestinian community. Volunteers make a real difference in many ways for Palestinian people: children, people with disabilities, orphans, Palestinian refugees, school and university students as well as other community members. Through this program, you can assist in empowering community member to develop themselves personally, professionally and economically. At the same time, volunteers gain additional valuable experience both in their own personal development: running seminars, giving lectures, offering employment advice and building interpersonal relationships and in the local Palestinian community.

Unique Cultural Exchange Opportunity

As part of this unique cultural exchange opportunity, you will also have the opportunity to learn or improve your Arabic. During the program, each  participant receives 3 hours of Arabic classes per week from our educational hub at the Excellence Centre in Hebron. There will also be ample opportunities to learn and practice Arabic with locals in the wider community, both in your project and in your free time. This is of course in addition to being immersed in Palestinian culture and daily life in Hebron. Additionally, you will have plenty of free time to travel to different cities such as Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem and Jericho. Traveling between Palestine and Israel is really easy and inexpensive for internationals, the program gives you a lot of free time to discover the area.

We welcome anyone to our Community Development Program who has either a strong interest or a competence in economic development, self-development, leadership, communications or similar. This volunteer and internship program in Palestine is open to current college or university students as well as postgraduates with degrees in economics, international relations or political science. We also welcome anyone with relevant work experience who would like to share their knowledge in the field by carrying out their own customized activities.

The Community Development In Summer Program

Our Community Development In Summer Program is ideal for anyone who seeks to engage and volunteer with the Palestinian community, especially with members such as children, youth, students and refugees in the field of community development. This program is especially suitable for university students who are looking for volunteer opportunities or internships abroad to gain practical hands-on experiences in the West Bank, Palestine and Israel or the Middle East more broadly.

While we operate our Community Development Program in Hebron year-round, we have also a dedicated summer program, specifically designed for students seeking volunteer opportunities during their summer break. Additionally, The Excellence Center is able to grant academic credit to currently enrolled university and college students thanks to collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Education. So students are able to gain practical hands-on experience while working towards their degree. However, if you are not a current university or college student, or you are not seeking academic credit, you are still very welcome to join us for this program in summer.

We invite you to join this program to make the most of this excellent chance travel throughout the summer, obtain practical experience in your chosen field or profession, and work towards your degree all at the same time.

Brief information on Community Development Volunteer Program

A Flexible Volunteering Program

When you join the Community Development Program in Hebron, you are welcome to choose what kind of activities you would like to organize during your program, as well as if you would like to work with certain target groups (for example, children or students of a certain age or a certain section of the community).

We understand that our international participants have different skills, expertise and interests, so we are very flexible with the kinds of activities and projects that you wish to develop and there are almost no limits to what you can do. Additionally, we also make the length or all our programs flexible, you can participate anywhere from 1-13 weeks, enabling you to choose the option that best suits you.

Your Impact

Our Community Development Program in Hebron, West Bank is well researched, targeted, and suitable for anyone who wants to gain insights into daily Palestinian life, education, human rights and community development.

With all our programs, we aim to make a long term difference for the Palestinian local community through the exchange of ideas and “walking in each other’s shoes”. Our programs foster shared and mutual learning, for both our community and our volunteers and interns. Even when you are teaching or facilitating an activity such as a workshop, you are sure to learn from your students while also educating them. 

During this program, you will have the opportunity to share valuable knowledge and skills with members of the community to help them develop themselves personally, professionally and economically. Volunteering and interning is a unique opportunity to genuinely make an impact on your life as well as others including Palestinian children, refugees, youth and community members in the West Bank, Palestine.

Once You Arrive To Volunteer In Hebron, Palestine 

Before setting a schedule, volunteers are welcomed to the Center. As a volunteer, you will participate in an orientation which includes both Arabic classes, information about the city of Hebron and an introduction to Palestinian culture.

In order for you to be as involved as possible in the Palestinian community and culture, the Center provides you with accommodations with a Palestinian host family who will help you in your acclimatization and with any issues that might arise. Male volunteers may instead stay at the Excellence Center dorm.

Subsequent to orientation, you will decide what kind of activities to develop and present to your students. These will be based on your individual knowledge and topics of interest, your field of specialty and your level of experience and skills in the subject of Community Development.

We are very flexible and you will be free to choose which activities to introduce and implement in your own syllabus and schedule.

Community Development Project Role Explanation

Your Community Development program is based at the Excellence Center’s facilities in Hebron in the West Bank, Palestine. Your volunteering will include planning and executing lesson plans, workshops, programs and activities which are aimed at teaching our Palestinian youth about community and economic development in and around the city of Hebron.

This short term, affordable internship requires participants to engage particularly with the local youth, to improve their self confidence and discuss career and job opportunities with them. During this short term placement, you will be encouraged to work with the local Palestinian youth to enhance their own prospects for employability, or guidance on how to start a business.

Volunteers in the Community Development Project, will gain valuable cultural experience around the local employment opportunities in Palestine for the youth and young adults in the West Bank. In addition, volunteers will have a valuable opportunity to develop themselves personally and professionally. This program gives you the opportunity to harness your knowledge, skills, experience and passion to create tangible activities for the benefit of the Palestinian community.

What Kinds Of Activities And Projects Can You Develop During Your Volunteering Period?

Below are some ideas of projects you can run and activities that you can take part in during your time in the Community Development Program with the Excellence Center:

• Classes on personal and professional development
  • Working or studying in an international environment
  • Employability skills (How to write a resume, how to conduct yourself in a job interview, how to write business, formal emails, and so forth)
  • How to start up a successful small business
  • Important communication skills
  • How to be successful in your community
  • Leadership and problem solving
  • The job market in Palestine
  • The benefits of studying abroad for job prospect

• Meet with and learn from other programs in Hebron and gauge their effectiveness (such as the UN, USAID, other NGOs)

• Other activities (we strongly welcome your suggestions)

• Attend cultural nights featuring entertainment and activities

Who Comes To Volunteer With Us?

At The Excellence Center in Palestine, we do not discriminate on any basis, this includes a person’s nationality, ethnicity, religious standing, gender, sexual orientation or by any other discernible means. 

Furthermore, we have a long history of welcoming people from around the globe including those from: the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Canada, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Brazil, Mexico, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Singapore, South Korea, China and New Zealand. 

Although the majority of our volunteers are aged 18 and above here in Palestine, if you are younger than 18 please feel free to contact us and discuss volunteering possibilities. We have welcomed volunteers up to the age of 75 in the past and we have programs suitable for everyone with any specialization and interest.

What Do You Need To Volunteer In The Community Development Program?

No special skills or experience are required for this Community Development Volunteer Program, but many kinds of skills can be put to use. Volunteers in Palestine with expertise in computing, leadership, life skills, soft skills, employability skills, business, and many other areas can often put this knowledge to work assisting the Palestinian community in Hebron, Palestine.

All internationals aged 18 and above who are able to communicate in English are eligible to participate in the Community Development Volunteer in Palestine Program. If you have patience, enthusiasm, are eager to learn and have the ability to work with an international team, you are welcome to join this program.

You do not need prior travel experience, to be a native English speaker nor to have any ability to speak Arabic. A university degree is not required to participate in this program. 

The duration time for this Community Development Program is flexible, from 1 to 13 weeks.

Other Volunteering Opportunities Available

Besides our Community Development Volunteer Program, the Excellence Center provides a wide array of other volunteer opportunities and programs. Areas of volunteering in Hebron, West Bank, Palestine include but are not limited to:

Furthermore, if you can’t decide between two programs or would like to do both to get a broader experience, you are welcome to combine programs. For example, you can volunteer in the Community Development Program for two weeks and then join the Human Rights Program the following week.

Arabic Classes For Volunteers At The Excellence Center

Volunteers in our Community Development Program are provided with 3 hours of Conversational Arabic classes each week (12 hours per month). 

Your Arabic lessons will be taught by an experienced and knowledgable Palestinian teacher, either one-on-one or in small groups. Whether you have studied Arabic before or this is your first time, we make our Arabic lessons suitable for you and your level. 

Additionally, you will have plenty of chances to meet many people in Palestine, allowing you to learn the language in context as well as providing many opportunities to practice your Arabic skills with native speakers. 

Volunteers can freely choose what form of Arabic they would like to learn during their time in Palestine at the Excellence Center.

Arabic Dialects To Learn

Volunteers in our Community Development Program in Hebron will receive a choice of Arabic dialects to study during their time in the West Bank. As part of your volunteer placement, we offer the following options: 

• Shami or Levantine Arabic (Amiyya dialect)
• Colloquial Palestinian Arabic
• Modern Standard Arabic (MSA)
• a mixed Program: (Modern Standard Arabic & Shami Arabic)

We are always here to offer advice if you are unsure about the differences between these dialects or which one is right for you.

Homestay During Your Time In Hebron

The Excellence Center aims to achieve social discourse through cultural immersion. The center provides the Volunteer in Community Development Program’s participants homestays in Hebron, West Bank as follows:

• Female participants have the opportunity to live with a designated Palestinian host family in the local Hebron area

• Male participants are able to stay in male dorms provided at the Excellence Center, Hebron, West Bank, Palestine 

Private rooms can also be arranged, although these naturally come with an additional fee.

A Typical Day At The Excellence Center

Your day generally begins at 10am and finishes at approximately 5pm. Your expected commitment hours are around 25-30 per week, and you will have two days free each week – Friday and a second day of your choice. 

The day begins with a breakfast at the Excellence Center at 10am and it is shared with teachers, directors, and volunteers from other programs. Breakfast gives you the chance to not only try traditional Palestinian food such as hummus and labneh, but to socialize and practice your Arabic if you wish. You can take a break for lunch whenever you have time in your schedule, and it is easy to find supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, falafel and shawarma nearby for your lunch. 

Your schedule is likely to be different each day, and can include your Arabic lessons, visit to local organizations, sightseeing trips in Hebron organized by the Excellence Center as well as your program commitments. Additionally, there will be time used to prepare your lesson plans for the workshops you will oversee.

Evenings are usually free, although we will organize occasional optional activities as part of our commitment to showcasing Palestine’s culture. During the evenings, our volunteers often arrange to go to a cafe to study or socialize, have dinner at a restaurant together, spend time with their host family (only for female volunteers), or go to a local gym.

Free Time And Weekend Exploration

We understand that traveling to the Palestine and Israel region is a large attraction for most of our volunteers. Our volunteer programs in Palestine are designed to give you plenty of free time to explore the exciting destinations within Palestine and Israel. All of our programs are located in the city of Hebron, Palestine, a beautiful and historic city with many shops, cafes, and other offerings.

On your days off, you are welcome to spend them how you choose. Many of our volunteers arrange to visit other cities together on their days off. This includes, but is not limited to cities such as Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Jericho (and the Dead Sea) Nablus, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Haifa and many more. Traveling around Palestine is relatively easy and affordable.

Indeed, you may be surprised by how fast your schedule will fill up and how quickly your time will fly!

Your Benefits During Your Program With Us In Hebron, Palestine

• Immersion in Palestinian culture, daily life and society while living in Hebron 

• Undertaking trips to the old city, holy sites, other sites, local organizations, a refugee camp in Hebron and more during your time

• Spoken Arabic language lessons (12 hours a month or 3 hours a week)

• Well-qualified, attentive Arabic teachers, each with an excellent educational background, ready and happy to help you

• Opportunity to improve or practice your Arabic by communicating with native speakers in the local community

• Visits to NGOs in Hebron, West Bank

• Meetings with Palestinian university, school students and teachers;

• Travel to historical locations and nearby cities including Jerusalem, Jericho, Ramallah, Nablus and Bethlehem (on your own or with fellow volunteers)

• The ability to visit nearby cities as well as in those in Jordan including Akko, Herzliya, Beersheva, Eilat, Tiberias, Netanya, Safed, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Nazareth, Masada, Amman, Aqaba, and Wadi Rum

• Accommodation either with a Palestinian family or in our male dorm

• Attendance at Palestinian cultural nights, such as weddings, or those featuring entertainment
• A participant’s certificate upon completion.

Associated Fees

Since the Excellence Center does not receive any funds from any governmental or non-governmental organizations, the Center charges a fee of €750 a month or €250 a week.

The program fees include:

• Pre-departure support

• Accommodation (host family or a male dorm)

• Community Breakfast each morning (Sat – Thur)

• Full coordination while volunteering in Palestine

• 3 hours per week of Arabic classes for every week as a volunteer

• Guided tours to various culturally and historically significant sites in the city of Hebron, West Bank and the surrounding area

• Certificate of Recommendation upon completion of the program

Eligibility For The “Community Development Program” in Palestine

People who are between the ages of 18 and 75 are eligible to participate in this program. All nationalities and majors are welcome! You do not have to have an academic degree to participate in this program.

When The “Community Development Program” Takes Place

This program takes place year-round. Volunteers are free to decide when they would like to begin and end their program. We are very flexible when it comes to starting dates and duration. You may stay from one week, up to 13 weeks in our program in Hebron.

Traveling To Palestine On Your Own?

No worries, you’ve come to the right place!

You will easily meet many Palestinian university and school students, as well as community members, all of who hold a variety of interests. Palestinian people, particularly in Hebron, love to meet new people from different cultures and exchange ideas and experiences with them.

The Excellence Center hosts many international visitors who are studying, volunteering, visiting, or interning at the Center and many of them make lifelong friends with each other. Our international participants often arrange to travel together on the weekends. In fact, a number of our international students, interns and volunteers have traveled to Palestine on their first ever trip abroad. While it can seem initially a bit intimidating, once you get here you will settle in and feel comfortable very quickly. Everyone at the Excellence Center, Palestinian students, international visitors, and staff alike, are one family and they share activities together.

Reviews, Awards and Recognition 

The Excellence Center in Hebron has now over 10 years of experience, and prides itself on the positive feedback received from over 800 international interns and volunteers to the Center since our founding in 2011.

We continue to strive towards “excellence”: In 2022 we were rated one of the top three programs worldwide in offering volunteer opportunities and one of the top three language schools worldwide by Go Overseas. We received a total of five Go Overseas Community Choice Awards in 2022. The Excellence Center was  also recognized as one of the top Teach Abroad Providers for the category of “benefits” and one of the Top Internship Abroad Providers for the categories of “growth” and “support”. 

In 2021, we were also rated one of the top three programs worldwide in offering volunteer opportunities. We received the community choice awards by Go Overseas in the category “Best Language School”, voted best on “fun” and “instruction.” 

In 2019, we received our first “Go Overseas Community Choice Awards” to acknowledge the Excellence Center’s impact on the community of travelers around the world. The Excellence Center continues to be a highly rated travel organization across its selection of programs. 

Check out our many great reviews here:

• 560+ Reviews (96%) on Gooverseas.com
• 120+ Reviews (94%) on Goabroad.com
• Participants’ video testimonials

Safety Of Our Volunteers And Interns

The region of Palestine has not been stable for the last few decades, there is always unrest and war, sometimes it becomes more volatile and at other times it’s calmer. Nonetheless, each year millions of tourists visit Palestine and the West Bank including Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jenin, Tulkarem, Nablus and many other cities without any safety issues. Palestinians in general are welcoming and hospitable people. They recognize that the politics of a country and its people may differ.  

Since it was formed in 2011, the Excellence Center has welcomed over 1000 international visitors. These visitors lived and worked in Hebron for a few weeks or months. Overall they did not face any threat nor were they unsafe in Hebron or the West Bank.

Moreover, the Excellence Centre is situated in an area of Hebron which is under the Palestinian authority and in the heart of the city. Our Palestinian host families and the male dorms are located near the Excellence Center too. 

How To Get A Visa For Palestine

Generally, the Excellence Center’s participants receive a tourist visa for three months (90 days) when they fly into Israeli airports or cross the border from Jordan to the West Bank. This tourist visa is sufficient to participate in any of our programs. 

In general, no prior visa is needed for Americans, Canadians, Britons, Australians and most Europeans in order to enter Palestine (and Israel), as these interns usually qualify for the visa exemption agreement. When you arrive at the Israeli Airports in Tel Aviv or Eilat or the land border, you will be granted a tourist visa that is valid for 90 days which allows you to travel in Palestine and Israel.

Traveling To And From Hebron, West Bank

We know that many participants of the Community Development Program in Palestine, especially those traveling in the Israel/ Palestine region for the first time, naturally have queries on issues such as:

• How to get to Hebron, West Bank,
• How to make your way to the Excellence Center once arriving
• Transportation in the area; which taxi you should take
• How to cross the checkpoints in the West Bank.

Hopefully all the necessary information about how to get to Hebron, Palestine and the Excellence Center and some useful contact information is provided in these four articles:

• How to fly to Palestine
• How to get to Hebron, Palestine
• Planning your trip to Palestine
• How to get from the Ben Gurion Airport (Israel) to Hebron

For any further questions, you are always welcome to get in touch with us.

Tel Aviv Airport Pickups

The Excellence Center staff can organize a taxi to pick you up at Ben Gurion Airport and take you straight to Hebron and the center. This is the easiest and fastest way (about an hour, 60 km/37 miles) to get to us.

Additional fees apply and the trip costs about 160 Euro. Please contact us if you are interested in this option and we can arrange it for you.

How To Fly To Palestine?

There are no airports in the West Bank, but the easiest way to get to the Excellence Center in Hebron, Palestine is to fly to:

• Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv Airport (Israel). It takes about two and a half hours from the airport to the Excellence Center in Hebron via shared Taxi.

Or Alternatively

• You can fly to Eilat airport and then travel by booking a shuttle or taking a bus to Jerusalem and then to Hebron. The whole trip can last between 6-7 hours.

• You can also fly to Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan and then cross to Palestine, but it takes more time and is more expensive.

Final Remarks

In conclusion, we are in real need for committed and competent volunteers who can empower our Palestinian youth, children, refugees, school students and community members in community development by means of the above-mentioned activities. By sharing your knowledge and passion in the field of community development, you can make a real contribution to the local Palestinian community, particularly the youth. In addition, our volunteers in Palestine will also benefit a great deal from our community volunteering program in terms of personal development as well as gaining valuable work experience. 

This program is very flexible and there are many activities that you can carry out, depending on your interests and expertise. For example, you may wish to create and conduct workshops on resume writing, job interview skills, formal email writing in English, how to create a small business, important communication skills, leadership, the benefits of studying abroad and how to arrange it, and more. The ways that you can participate in this program and contribute are nearly endless. 

You are welcome to join this program as long as you are able to communicate in English, it doesn’t matter whether you are a native or non-native English speaker and you do not need any ability to speak Arabic. During your time volunteering with us you will be immersed in Palestinian culture and daily life. You will have two days off per week to use however you would like. Our volunteers and interns generally arrange to travel to different cities together during this time. Additionally, you will receive 3 hours of Arabic lessons for each week that you participate. In addition to getting to engage with Palestinians in Hebron, you will get to meet and make friends with other international volunteer, interns and Arabic students.

Whether you are a university or college student, a graduate, taking a sabbatical or gap year or someone who is looking to make a difference in the lives of Palestinians, particularly youth in Hebron, this is a wonderful opportunity for you. If you are a current university or college student, you can even obtain credit towards your studies while volunteering with us in Palestine. Whether you are a current student or not, you can participate in this program year-round for as long as you like between 1-13 weeks.

Apply today and begin your volunteer journey! 

How To Apply To The Community Development Program

1. Email the Center’s co-founder Rafat Shantir at Rafat@excellencenter.org requesting an application, listing “Community Development Program” as your desired program in the subject section. 

1. We will send you the application. Please fill it out and send it back to us.

In the meantime, you can contact us via email: Rafat@excellencenter.org , Whatsapp or phone: +972 599-479880. If you have any questions or would you like to know more information about us or our programs please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

After we receive your application

1. We review the application with our team (this usually takes a week)
2. You may be invited for a short talk on a Skype call, Zoom or Whatsapp to give you more information and answer all of your questions.

Selection process

1. We will send you an acceptance letter and a program contract.
2. Sign the contract and send it back to us.
3. Pay the fees online in advance.
4. You are ready to come to Hebron, Palestine and join our Excellence Center family.

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