Introduction to volunteering in Palestine

Palestine can be a fantastic place to volunteer – it has a rich cultural history which has seen it rapidly grow in popularity as a tourist destination; there is also the possibility to do interesting work there to help the unfortunate people who are live there and struggle through the hardships of the Israeli Occupation.

It can also be a great opportunity to undergo an immersive language experience as you learn Arabic from speaking to locals on a daily basis. Many volunteers find a deeply enriching experience awaits them in Palestine, whether their goals are professional, social aid or new experiences.

Is it safe to volunteer in Palestine?

It is absolutely safe to volunteer in the West Bank, Palestine. Gaza is a different matter as it is undergoing a state of siege at the time of writing and all travel there is advised against by foreign governments.

The West Bank however is much more stable and while there can be minor complications over your visa and freedom of movement, as a foreigner, you do not have to endure anything like the same hardships as the locals who actually live in Palestine.

There are occasionally small outbursts of violence in the West Bank as a result of the ongoing Occupation, but these clashes are almost always very localised to a certain flashpoint, so they are not difficult to avoid if you are sensible with your movements and stay up to date with the latest events.

Finding the right volunteer programme for you

In Palestine, as anywhere in the world there are organisations which are not designed with the experience of the volunteer in mind, so it is important to do your homework and find a programme which balances the need of the organisation (and those it is helping) with the needs of the volunteer.

There is nothing worse than embarking on a three-month internship, investing all that time and money before finding out that the volunteer experience is nothing like what was promised originally.

Read testimonials from former volunteers and feedback to ensure that the programme on offer will be a good fit for you when you actually get out there.

International NGO volunteer organisations

International NGO opportunities are usually a safe bet as they will tend to be with big established organisations which have a reputation of being trusted for their work. This isn’t always the case so you still need to plan the volunteer experience and ensure that any potential organisation is giving you as much support as possible.

There will usually be lots of feedback about these programmes so you can see if they work for you, which makes this a good place to start if you are looking for a programme in Palestine for the first time – organisations like the UN and NGOs that deal with refugee issues are your best place to look in this case.

Domestic volunteer organisations in Palestine

An alternative to this though can be finding an organisation which is primarily based in Palestine. Working with such an organisation can help bring you closer to the people you are helping and can also have the effect of providing a better immersive environment in which to develop your Arabic skills.

The only downside is that these organisations can be harder to find as they are less likely to have an obvious internet presence, so it can be more difficult to find one of these opportunities.

Volunteering with the Excellence Center

To balance these competing priorities, a great option can be to take a volunteering programme with the Excellence Center in Hebron. This language school and training centre has all the resources and professionalism of a big NGO but the feel of a local institution, which brings you closer to the Palestinian people when you are volunteering in the country.

The Center runs a range of programmes, including the Teach English, Study Arabic which allows you to directly influence the lives of young Palestinians with equipping them with the English skills they will require in their later life

As part of the volunteering program, the Excellence Center provides accommodation, food and Arabic tuition for all programmes (which are flexibly run from a week or two right up to three months). All volunteers are assigned a liaison manager to oversee their work (and their professional development) as well as a personal Arabic tutor to have oversight of the development of their language skills.

Many volunteers praise the quality of interactions in the Excellence Center as a diverse, international body of volunteers is brought together with the permanent, local Palestinian staff to create an environment of cultural exchange and dialogue.

We look forward to welcoming you here to the Excellence Center in Hebron, the West Bank, Palestine, to undertake an internship opportunity with us in the very near future, soon!

Questions?

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact at Rafat@excellencenter.org

Whatsapp:+972599479880

For more information, please visit our website: https://excellencenter.org

Excellence Center’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExcellenceCenter

Excellence Center’s Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/RafatECHebron

Watch us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQSLdFZWZcBm6Uj0XMYuKg

Visit and Explore Palestine: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePalestineEdit