Volunteers’ Daily Life in Palestine: The Excellence Center (EC) volunteers play a vital role in our mission to contribute to the development of the local community by nurturing well trained, professional graduates through a program of high quality, free or inexpensive English language training and other activities.
The Excellence Centre Volunteer Programme offers internationals the opportunity to develop teaching experience, as well as skills in administration, writing, and editing.
An immersive experience of internationals into Palestinian daily life
Also crucial to the program is the immersive experience of internationals into Palestinian daily life and culture through societal interaction, including travel within the local region and throughout the country. Applications for the EC Volunteering Programme in Palestine are accepted throughout the year, and participants can choose to work with the Centre for a period of (1-12) weeks.
Accommodation for international participants
All EC accommodations for internationals are located within walking distance from the Centre or no more than an inexpensive taxi ride. Female volunteers and men (subject to availability) are offered the opportunity to live with local host families. Most other male volunteers are housed in local EC dormitories. Volunteers of ages between eighteen and seventy-five from a variety of academic backgrounds and from around the globe are encouraged to apply to volunteer with the EC.
Candidates are assessed through an online questionnaire, and, subsequently, an interview with Centre director, which typically lasts fifteen or twenty minutes. Academic training is not a volunteer’s most important asset, and although teaching experience or qualification is preferable, it is certainly not required.
How we select volunteers in Palestine?
Volunteers in Palestine are selected on the basis of being considered a good fit for the Centre and the program. In addition to a good command of the English language, volunteers should display a welcoming, friendly manner, a positive mindset, and convey eagerness to learn.
Volunteers selected for the EC Programme assist Palestinian teachers with several classes of conversational English per week for students studying at all levels, from Beginner to Advanced.
The Center provides volunteers with a manual teaching guide
In addition to practical training from staff, the EC provides volunteers with a manual teaching guide and other teaching resources including textbooks. As class assistants, volunteers develop valuable teaching experience through helping staff to design course outlines, as well as participating in classroom discussions or debates and leading groups during activities.
In contrast to the more traditional English teaching provided by local educational establishments, EC teaching is focused on enhancing the students’ proficiency and confidence in conversational English.
Interactive English lessons
Lessons are not textbook-based, and existing lesson plans are amended for individual groups on a lesson-by-lesson basis. Activities, games, and genuine resources such as youtube videos, music, and newspaper articles are employed for an engaging, and enjoyable learning process.
Through cooking and outside food demonstrations/ discussions in class, students might learn the names of ingredients. In addition, the names of various occupations can be studied through class discussions and games.
Community development activities
In addition to teaching conducted inside the Centre, all volunteers frequently participate in teaching and community development activities organised by the EC with local schools and educational establishments. Volunteers assist staff members and interns to lead English conversational classes, sports & games, and employability skills workshops in English for advanced university students.
However, activities may change according to the requirements of our partners, and the particular specializations of staff members. EC volunteers are invited to make suggestions for any lectures, events or workshops that they wish to conduct with locals, according to their skills and knowledge. In the past, volunteers have conducted workshops and lessons in subjects including various romance languages, music, painting, poetry, and photography to name a few.
The majority of community development activities and English teaching classes take place in the afternoons. For this reason, volunteers usually receive their three hours of Arabic instruction per week over two-morning classes of 1.5 hour periods each.
Arabic courses for volunteers
Although the majority of volunteers in Palestine choose to learn dialect with our native-speaking staff in order to develop their abilities to communicate with locals, interns can also elect to study Fusha (MSA, Modern Standard Arabic).
Lesson schedules are relatively flexible and can be adapted to individuals’ needs and in accordance with their day off per week which, (in addition to Fridays when the Centre is closed according to custom) is scheduled on a week-to-week basis.
Social life
Social life is a vital part of a volunteer’s experience at the EC and the Centre makes sure internationals and staff members feel welcome. The community at the Centre begins in the Kitchen. The kitchen is where the working day starts, with a traditional Palestinian breakfast prepared by staff for local employees and international.
A chat over falafel, hummus, Baba ganoush, cake, and flatbread is a great way to start the day and a good opportunity to get to know everyone working with the Centre. In addition to occasional lunches prepared by staff members, Thursday evenings are reserved for preparing and sharing a traditional Palestinian meal, prepared in the Centre kitchen, or barbecue on the roof.
Visits to historical and cultural sites in Hebron
EC life also extends beyond the Centre and the working day week, with trips to local historical and cultural sites during the week, and on Fridays, visits to locations further from Hebron. Hiking in the Bethlehem village of Battir, participating in a visit to Al-Shahada street, or to local handicrafts workshops, are all important opportunities to get to know Palestinian culture and history from it’s knowledgeable residents.
Host families activities
In addition to trips organized by the Centre as a whole, members of staff, as well as host families, often invite volunteers to family gatherings and other occasions such as weddings. These are unique opportunities for interns to develop their understanding of local culture, to enjoy Palestinian hospitality and develop friendships with residents.
On a day to day basis, local Hebron coffee bars, pastry shops, and falafel cafes are good places for internationals to meet new people, while shopping in the lively Old City is a great local excursion with friends.
Gym in Hebron?
Many internationals also frequent to the local gym in Hebron during their time working at the EC, which, though not segregated, is reserved for men in the evenings and women during the day. The gym is located just a few minutes walk from the Centre, and the inexpensive sessions can be booked on an individual basis.
With the wealth and diversity of experience and knowledge they bring, volunteers represent a valuable resource to the EC, both for local Palestinians as well as the Centre staff itself.
Final remarks
In addition to teaching and other administrative responsibilities, volunteers are asked to contribute one article per day to the Centre website. The EC is proud to offer volunteers with the program a unique opportunity to utilize the previous experience and develop new skills, all while contributing to local lives and advancing a fruitful discourse between Palestine and the international community.
