Volunteering in schools in the Middle East: Many people want to volunteer in schools, whether it’s because they want to go into teaching or they like working with children or they just want to make a difference in the world. People come to this sort of work from a variety of different motivations, because volunteering in schools is such a worthwhile, fulfilling and useful activity to undertake.

The Middle East can be a particularly interesting place to do this – again motivations vary: this region can be the area where your volunteering might make the most impact, you might want to learn Arabic or you might simply just be particularly interested in the culture and history of the Middle East.

Volunteering in schools in the Middle East

What skills or qualifications are important if you want to volunteer in schools?

This depends entirely on the level of experience you’re looking for: if you want to lead classes or find paid work teaching, you will need a teaching qualification like a CELTA (Certificate of English language teaching for adults) or a TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) course, or alternatively at least 6 months experience teaching English as a second language (particularly outside of an English speaking country).

However, having said that, it is entirely possible to find voluntary work in schools in the Middle East without qualifications or experience. There are several organisations which provide these sort of services, especially in refugee camps and countries which lack access to quality education provision.

Will you be leading classes or assisting teachers in schools?

If you have previous experience, then you may well be leading the classes, especially in public schools. This is great because it allows you the chance to really get to know your students and focus the activities on what they need to learn the most. If you don’t have any experience, then you will probably asked to assist classes, which is really exciting too. The native teacher will likely use you as a pronunciation aid and also ask you to lead the speaking parts of the class. In both roles you will get the opportunity to develop your teaching skills under the eyes of trained teachers.

Volunteering in schools in Hebron, West Bank

A great place to volunteer in schools is in Hebron, West Bank (or Al Khalil) as the locals call it, in the West Bank Palestine, through the Excellence Center. There is a mixture of public and private schools in a city with so much potential where locals are always keen to better themselves through language learning. The Excellence Center has very close links to the community in which it operates as well as a partnership with the Ministry of Education in Ramallah to provide outreach programmes for local schools.

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  • Volunteering in schools in the Middle East

Volunteer programmes to work in the schools

The Excellence Center is primarily a private language and training centre, but it offers volunteer programmes to work in the schools both inside the city and the surrounding countryside which require the most assistance. The Excellence Center provides a liaison manager for all volunteers to ensure their stay is well scheduled and they are channelled to where they are needed most. In addition to the outreach lessons in Al Khalil and the villages around it, the Excellence Center also provides workshop for children wishing to apply to university or boost their CVs.

Each potential volunteer is assessed by their experiences and skills (whether they have done any teaching before or not) and once accepted assigned their duties and responsibilities by their liaison manager. Programme lengths depend on the prior commitments of the volunteer – if they can only come for one week that is fine, but equally if they have the summer off before going to university, they can volunteer for up to three months.

Volunteer programmes a well-rounded experience

Whether you are leading classes or supporting native teachers, you will be developing real world skills that will be useful whether you wish to pursue a career in teacher or in another direction. Equally the Excellence Center tries to make these volunteer programmes a well-rounded experience by including aspects of cultural exchange, Arabic language instruction and free time to visit the rest of the West Bank into all programmes.

If you are interested in one of these exciting programmes to volunteer in schools in the West Bank through the Excellence Center, you should contact Rafat Shantir on the contact details below who can give you more information on all available programmes and the application process.  All programmes by the Excellence Center are highly rated on Go Palestine – be sure to do your background research to ensure you have a safe and prosperous experience volunteering the Middle East, be it in Palestine or elsewhere.

Eligibility for the Volunteer Program

People who are between 20 – 75 years old are eligible to participate in the Volunteer in Local Schools in Palestine Program. 

All nationalities and majors are welcome!  You do not have to have a  degree to participate in this program.

When Volunteer in Local Schools in Middle East takes place

The Excellence Center is looking for international volunteers year-round. Volunteers decide when they would like to start and Excellence Center organizes so.

We are very flexible when it comes to starting and ending dates.  Participants freely choose their volunteer period between 1 and 12 weeks.

Program’s reviews

The Excellence Center in Palestine volunteer and Internship programs including Volunteer in Local School Program in the Middle East has more than

Travelling to and from Hebron, West Bank

We know, as a participant in our volunteer Program in Palestine, you would like to know how to get to Hebron, West Bank, how you can make your way to the Excellence Center, which taxi you should take, and how you can cross the checkpoints in the West Bank.

You will find all the necessary information about how to get to Hebron, Palestine and the Excellence Center with some contact information in these four articles:

How to get a visa to Palestine?

Most of the Excellence Center’s international participants get a tourist visa for three months when they fly to Israeli airports or cross from Jordan to the West Bank.

In general, no prior visa is needed for Americans, Canadians, and most Europeans in order to enter Palestine.  Please refer to the visa exemption agreement.  Upon your arrival at the Israeli Airports in Tel Aviv or Eilat, you will be granted a tourist visa that is valid for 90 days which enables you to travel around Palestine and Israel.

How to get the application form?

Please send us an email of interest to Rafat@excellencenter.org, with “Volunteering in schools in the Middle East” as the subject line. 

We will then send you the application form.  Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to welcoming to you to the Excellence Center at some point in the future!

Find us online

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/ExplorePalestine

 

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