Volunteer with Children in the West Bank (1-12 Weeks)

The volunteer with children in The West Bank Program (1-12 Weeks) can be a life-changing experience. You will have the opportunity to help Palestinian children improve their English, while staying with a host family, and learn Arabic weekly. You will also gain valuable insight into the culture of Palestine and its people.

By volunteering with children in the West Bank, you can make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most. Whether you choose to stay for one week or three months, your contribution will be invaluable and appreciated by all involved. Not only will you provide much needed assistance to Palestinian children, but you will also gain unique cultural experiences that are sure to stay with you for a lifetime.

Arabic Learning Through Volunteering

We’re offering two individual classes every week, each lasting 1.5 hours, to teach Arabic comprehensively. This adds up to 3 hours of immersive learning where students can dive into the details of Arabic language, culture, and communication. This structured approach helps participants understand Arabic better and improve their skills effectively.

Boosting English Skills Through Friendly Chats

Our main aim is to help students speak and understand English better. We achieve this by having friendly conversations with all students, regardless of age or gender. These talks are meant to enhance their English communication skills. We believe that by improving how they talk, we can open up more opportunities for them in life and help them connect with people from different places, turning language into a tool for reaching their dreams.

Living with a Palestinian Family

In addition to improving language skills, our program offers a special chance for students to live with a Palestinian host family. This immersive experience not only helps students learn the language but also exposes them to the culture and daily life of their hosts. Living with a Palestinian family lets students see traditions, values, and hospitality up close, making the overall learning experience richer. It’s a chance to build meaningful connections and gain a deeper appreciation of Palestinian life, making the language and cultural exchange even more enriching.

Exploring Refugee Camps in Hebron and Bethlehem on Day Trips

We organize day trips to refugee camps in Hebron and Bethlehem. These trips give students the opportunity to visit these communities and understand the lives of refugees in these areas. Spending time in these camps allows students to see firsthand the challenges and resilience of the people living there. It’s an eye-opening opportunity to broaden their understanding and develop empathy, gaining insights into the unique circumstances of these locations.

City Exploration with Day Tours in Hebron

As part of our program, we offer day tours in the city of Hebron, covering key areas with unique stories to tell. These tours provide students with the chance to explore the city’s diverse facets, from the historic Ibrahimi Mosque to the charming Old City and significant Shuhadaa Street. These tours also include visits to local factories, providing students with hands-on understanding of the local economy and craftsmanship.

Culinary Adventures: Cooking Authentic Palestinian Dishes Together

We don’t just explore Hebron’s culture; we also embrace it through hands-on experiences, like a culinary adventure. Each participant gets to actively prepare an authentic Palestinian dish, fostering a connection with the community and creating lasting memories. This culinary experience is about more than just savoring flavors; it’s also about understanding the significance of food in Palestinian culture.

Exploring Beyond Hebron: Two Days Off Weekly for Adventures

Recognizing the importance of exploring the wider region, we provide participants with two days off each week to venture beyond Hebron. These days are perfect for discovering other enchanting places in Palestine and even exploring Israeli areas, broadening participants’ perspectives on the complexities of the region. These days off are designed to give participants the freedom to travel, learn, and create memories beyond Hebron, ensuring a well-rounded and enriching experience.

What volunteering with children in the West Bank includes? 

This program includes different types of activities such as the following:

Educational Activities

A group of international volunteers will collaborate to develop and coordinate engaging initiatives with the goal of educating Palestinian children between the ages of 6 and 15. These activities will encompass various interactive methods, such as English conversation classes, where the emphasis will be on practical application rather than grammar instruction.

The approach aims to foster learning through hands-on experiences, such as presentations, games, and group work. Furthermore, the international volunteers may choose to visit local schools to arrange optional educational activities for Palestinian students attending primary and secondary levels.

Entertainment Activities

These include participating in or organizing entertainment activities for Palestinian children such as musicals, drawing, sports, playing educational games, and arts and crafts. Do not worry, you will not do it alone, some Palestinian volunteers will help you organize those activities as well.

Where will the program be held?

It takes place in the heart of Palestine, in the city of Hebron. Hebron, Al-Khalil in Arabic, is located in the southern part of the West Bank. It is 30 km (19 miles) south of Jerusalem. The population of Hebron is about 300,000 persons who reside in the city, and about another 500,000 who live in the surrounding villages.

How long can I participate in the program?

• Our volunteers can choose to participate in the program for a period of one week up to three months.
• Whatever length of time you choose, we will support you so that you have a great and unique experience at our center and in this wonderful city of Hebron.

What Makes GO Palestine a good Choice?

• We do not have any hidden or additional fees.
• We organize trips every week to areas in Hebron & Bethlehem.
• We offer 3 hours of Arabic lessons per week – Two classes with our best Arabic teachers.
• Our center is located in the heart of the city of Hebron, which makes it easy to reach, whether for our Palestinian students or for our international participants.
• We are very flexible about changing the start and end times of your program.
• We meticulously search for families that our female participants feel comfortable with during their stay in Hebron.
• We organize local visits to get acquainted with the most famous landmarks of the city of Hebron.
• We provide all kinds of assistance to our participants and guide them to make their experience more enjoyable.
• We also have an 8th-floor apartment for our male participants with a great view. It has everything they need in addition to being very close to the center (three minutes walking to the center)

What are the advantages of volunteering in the West Bank?

• Participate in activities and interact with Palestinian children, teachers, and other volunteers.
• Engaging in the Palestinian community, culture, and daily life
• Experience true life in Palestine and what it means to be a Palestinian.
• Accommodation, including either staying with a local host family or at our 8th-floor apartment. Private accommodation is also available with extra fees.
• Daily Palestinian breakfast.
• Three hours of Arabic lessons per week – Two classes/1,5 hours a class.
• Local visits to different places e.g. old city, and meeting with Palestinian families in Hebron city.
• Day Trips to refugee camps in Hebron & Bethlehem and some areas of political importance.
• At the completion of the program, you will get a participation certificate and a recommendation letter.

Who can apply to the volunteer with children program?

• The Palestinian Center has hosted people who have come from a myriad of countries, such as the USA, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Colombia, France, Japan, China, Chile, Switzerland, Russia, Germany and many more. 
• The Volunteer with Palestinian Refugees program is open to all who are between 18 – 75 years old. All people from all countries and majors are welcome to join this program.
• Those who are younger than 18 years old can also apply, but with one condition. One of your parents has to fill out and sign a parental consent form.

Volunteer with Children in the West Bank Program’s Fees

What is included in the Participation fee?

Accommodation	Host family or at our 8th-floor apartment Private accommodation is available with extra fees
Arabic Lessons	3 Hours a Week – Two Classes a week/ 1,5 hours of Arabic each class
Meals	Daily Palestinian breakfast
Day Trips	To Refugees camps in Hebron & Bethlehem
Sightseeing	Historical & politically important places in the city of Hebron
Certificate	Certificate of participation & recommendation letter at the end of the program

Learn Arabic While Volunteering In Palestine – Individual Classes

Volunteering in Palestine is a great way to learn the Arabic language and make a difference at the same time. You can choose to learn Modern Standard Arabic or Levantine Arabic, depending on your needs and interests. You will have three weekly hours of Arabic, divided into two classes a week. By volunteering while learning Arabic, you will gain valuable experience while helping out in your community.

When will I be able to apply to the program?

• The Volunteer with Palestinian Children program has no deadline, which means that you can apply to the program year-round.
• You are allowed to choose when you want to start and end the program.
• The minimum period of participation in volunteering with children in the West Bank are one week, and the maximum amount of time you can volunteer is 12 weeks/three months.

What does your weekly schedule look like?

We at GO Palestine are keen to make your weekly schedule diversified, rich, and organized. Thus, it will contain a number of educational, social, and fun activities that will make your experience in Palestine special and unique.

Breakfast starts at 9:30 am

The day at our center starts with a special Palestinian breakfast at 9:30 in the morning and ends at approximately 10:15. Our breakfast contains a number of ingredients, including Palestinian thyme (Zaatar), labneh, tomato and cucumber slices, falafel, hummus, mortadella, olives, yellow cheese, jam, pita bread, boiled or fried eggs, and French fries. The ingredients are changed (among the mentioned ingredients) from time to time to diversify the breakfast.

The Content of the program starts at 10:30

The content of your program begins at 10:30 in the morning and continues until 1:30 or 2:00 in the afternoon. This includes teaching conversational English to Palestinians (school students, university students, and community members). This differs depending on the program you are joining, please read the program’s description.

Lunch Break starts at 2:00 pm

At two o’clock in the afternoon begins the lunch break, which lasts for an entire hour. You can buy lunch from a restaurant next to the center. There are a number of restaurants nearby, which provide meals such as shawarma, falafel, and fried chicken as well as traditional Palestinian meals such as Maqluba, Hebron’s Qidreh, Chicken Mansaf or Lamp Mansaf, and other meals. There are also a number of supermarkets/malls nearby where you can buy what you need and cook yourself in the center.

Arabic Language Classes (MSA and Levantine/Colloquial)

Weekly, you will get two Arabic language classes for an hour and a half each. These classes are taught by one of our skilled/qualified teachers. Arabic language classes are held at different times, either in the morning or, in most cases, in the afternoon. The student can choose whether to study Modern Standard Arabic, Colloquial Arabic (Ammiya), or both.

Day Trips to Refugee Camps in Bethlehem & Hebron

Once every week, a day trip is organized to the refugee camps in Hebron and Bethlehem, as well as to areas of political importance whenever the opportunity arises. These trips will give you the opportunity to learn about the conditions of the Palestinian refugees, talk to them and learn their stories. These trips depart at 10:45 am from the center and end approx. at 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon.

Local Visits to Learn about the Landmarks of the city of Hebron

Once every two weeks, local visits are organized to the historical and economic landmarks of the city of Hebron. This includes a visit to the Ibrahimi Mosque, the Old City, and Al-Shuhada Street as well as visiting a number of factories in the city, such as keffiyeh, glass, and ceramic factories.

Prepare & Cook a Traditional Palestinian Dish

Once every two or three weeks, all our volunteers, interns, and Arabic language’ students join together to prepare and cook a traditional Palestinian dish. This includes preparing appetizers, frying vegetables, cooking rice, chopping chicken or meat, and stuffing some vegetables depending on the dish to be cooked that day.

Free Time starts at 16:00 or at 16:30

After your time in the center is over, you have free time when you can hang out with other international participants and/or locals you met during your stay in Hebron by going to a café or coffee shop or going to a park and enjoying your time in the evening. There are many cafés and parks not far from the center, as the center is located on one of the most lively streets in the city.

Do I need to know how to speak Arabic?

• Volunteers are not obligated to know Arabic.
• The center will provide you with 3 hours of Arabic lessons each week with one of our teachers.
• The participant can choose either to study Modern Standard Arabic (Fusha) or Spoken Arabic Language (known as Ammyia) once they start their program. 

Place of Volunteer Program	Hebron (H1 – Under Palestinian Control), Palestine
Volunteer Program Fees	Starting From 250$ – American Dollar
Age	18-75 Years Old
Minimum Period of Volunteer with Children in the West Bank	One Week
Maximum Period of Volunteer with Children in the West Bank	Three Months – 12 Weeks
Volunteering Hours	4-5 hours a day – 5 days a week
Starting/Ending Dates	Flexible – Anytime
Application Deadline	No Deadline
Program Language	English
Days off	Two days including Fridays & Thursdays or Saturdays
Arabic Lessons	3 Hours a Week – Standard Arabic Or Ammiya
Educational Degree	Not Required
University Credit	Available

Can I add extra Arabic hours to my program hours?

• Volunteers can add additional Arabic language instruction hours.
• Each extra hour costs $20.00. Please mention this in your application. 

Things to know before visiting Palestine!

Living Costs in Palestine	Approx. 50-70$ a Week
Weekend in Palestine	On Friday
Food in Palestine	The West Bank engages primarily in heavier meals involving the use of bread, rice, and meat, and coastal plain inhabitants frequent fish, other seafood, and lentils.
Wifi Access in Palestine	At houses, cafes, restaurants – Almost everywhere
3G Service in Palestine	Available since Jan 2018
The official language in Palestine	Arabic – Palestinian Dialect (One of the Levantine dialects)
Currency in Palestine	Mainly Israeli Shekel (NIS). Jordanian Dinar & American Dollars are also used in buying Real estate and land.
Transportations in Palestine	Yellow Taxies & Orange Mini-Vans
Weather in Palestine	Summer (25-30°C), Winter (0-9°C)
Nearest Major Airports to Palestine	Ben Gurion Airport in Israel if you travel via Israel Alia International Airport if you travel via Jordan

Combine Two programs!

Yes, this program can be combined with one or more of the other internship or volunteer programs that the Center offers. For example, you may choose one week or more to complete this program, and combine this with another week or more of another program.

Extend your participation while you are in Palestine

Yes, volunteers are allowed to extend their participation period. In this case, volunteers must inform the center coordinator at least one week before the end of the current program.

What exactly is the application procedure?

• First, send us an email asking for the application form.
• We send you the application, and you fill out the application and send it back to us.
• Our team reviews your application. We may invite you for an interview by means of a Skype/WhatsApp call.
• If you are selected after the interview, we will send you a confirmation form which you fill out and return to us.
• We prepare and send you the Invitation Letter and the Contract.  We will also send you the invoice for payment, which will include all the information regarding payment options.  
• You will sign the contract and make payment in order to reserve your place in the program.
• We will send you an Orientation Booklet and travel instructions. These two items will provide you with all the information on how to get to Hebron and contact the Center. One of our coordinators will provide his/her contact number within an email sent to you.  

Documents you’ll receive from us!

How to apply or get any additional information?

Please email Mr.Tamimi, at info@govolunteerinpalestine.org. Please type “Volunteer with Children in The West Bank”  in the subject line. In the body of the email, tell us of your interest, ask any questions you may have, and request an application. Very shortly, we will reply to you.

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First Impressions of the Palestinian People	What to Pack for a Summer in Palestine?

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We’d be very happy to have you in Palestine!