Short term volunteering and internships in Palestine: It is natural to see the difficulties in the Palestinian situation and feel the human urge to help those affected by the conflict and the ongoing Occupation of Palestine by Israel. A volunteering role or an internship can be a great way to help the people of Palestine (Palestinian refugees, women, youth and children) on the ground, whilst developing your skills and building the experiences you need in the professional world of work in later life.
Why Palestine?
As alluded to, Palestine is a country that has had a particularly troubled history over the last seventy years, so there are many refugees and poor people there in need of help. The country has a fascinating history with a rich culture (including very tasty food!) and as the location of many of the Holy Land cities like Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Jericho, it is a really interesting place to visit and spend time in.
Additionally if you are interested in learning Arabic, Palestine is a great place to do it – the locals are friendly and helpful in assisting you to learn and you can learn in a fully immersive Arabic speaking environment. Additionally, Palestinians speak the Levantine dialect which is the most recognised throughout the Arab world, so it is probably the most useful one for foreigners to learn.
Contribute to the Palestinian Local Community
Volunteers in Palestine can also play an important role in contributing to the Palestinian local community’s well-being as well as in building pathways to understanding. As we encourage volunteers to interact with locals and with Palestinian members of the refugee camps, many opportunities are offered on volunteer projects to support education and community development.
Is it Safe to Volunteer in Palestine?
There are often negative media reports about the situation in Palestine, but the reality is that the majority of the conflict is concentrated in Gaza, which is undergoing a state of siege currently. The West Bank, Palestine is far more stable as a destination and while there are occasionally outbreaks of violence, they are usually highly localised and foreign tourists are not often exposed to the difficulties (unless they actively go looking for them of course) – as long as you are sensible with your movements and you don’t seek out trouble, it is perfectly safe to volunteer in Palestine.
Why a Short Term Volunteering Role or Internship?
Unfortunately an Israeli tourist visa (issued on arrival at Ben Gurion airport) only covers three months, so the maximum length of stay if you are doing voluntary work or an unpaid internship is three months (13 weeks).
However, if you want to find longer term work in Palestine then you will have to go through an arduous Israeli visa process before you even enter the country, so this is only recommended if you have already visited Palestine before and know the country and really know that you want to work there long term.
How can I Prepare for an Internship in Palestine?
Palestine as mentioned has its own unique history and culture, so be sure to research the place and its customs before visiting. If you speak Arabic, practise it up and plan your route to whichever area of the West Bank you will be visiting. Pack your bags accordingly, bearing in mind that the winters can actually get quite cold and wet and summers are blistering hot and you will soon be ready to go!
Short term volunteering Opportunities
Engage in Palestine (a city located in the South of the West Bank) is a language and training school which runs a Palestine internship as well as other short term volunteering programmes for those interested in helping Palestinian people, experiencing the local culture and developing their professional skills. Programmes are run flexibly from a week or two all the way up to three months depending on the needs of the volunteer. Volunteers are assigned a liaison manager to channel their work to where it is needed the most and oversee their professional development.
All kind of skills are welcome: nursing, engineering, sports coaching – we even had a circus performer volunteer to provide morale boosting performances in Palestinian refugee camps! Even if you feel like you have no special skills to offer, English teaching is a popular way to help the locals develop language skills they will need later in life. In addition to accommodation and some meals, all short term volunteer programmes in the West Bank include tailored Arabic tuition from a dedicated, personal Arabic tutor to help volunteers aid Palestinians in their own native language.
Short term volunteer in Palestine programs
Here at the Engage in Palestine in Hebron, West Bank we run a wide range of volunteer projects covering a large variety of subjects. Whether you have interests or expertise in arts, sport, law, justice, education, environmental and humanitarian issues or in promoting professional development, we believe you can find a volunteer program to flourish in and contribute to extensively.
Our short-term volunteer programs in the West Bank, Palestine include:
Area of Volunteering
Engage in Palestine offers volunteer and internship programs which mainly focus on the topics of English instruction, human rights, women rights, media and journalism, medicine & healthcare, Palestinian refugees, music and Arts, Palestinian culture and politics, Palestinian laws and legal system, Palestinian children and youth. Our short term programs were designed to make an impact on the Palestinian community and aim to make a long-term difference in international and Palestinian participants’ lives.
Summer volunteer programs in Palestine
For people looking for volunteer programs over the summer in the West Bank, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria or Israel, the Engage in Palestine offers great volunteer opportunities that span from June to August. These volunteer programs are ideal for students, English native speakers, and anyone with a summer break or any individuals looking to volunteer on an extended visit.
These summer volunteer programs in Palestine combine Arabic language focus with a full learning, immersion and engagement in Palestinian culture, politics and history. It includes visits to Bedouin areas (Susiya), Palestinian refugee camps, local villages and community centers.
Explore Places in the West Bank
In addition to these things, there are also frequent trips, both within the city, to see the historical monuments and the local industry, and to other prominent places in the West Bank.
Frequent trips to Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea and Nablus in the North of the West Bank, along with frequent hikes ensure that volunteers have a fantastic experience beyond the volunteering itself.
Benefits of volunteering in Palestine
Volunteers in the West Bank Palestine receive many benefits during their time in the city of Hebron. By being totally immersed in the Palestinian culture, you will be able to participate in many educational, cultural, social and community development activities.
Benefits of volunteering in the West Bank, Palestine:
- Living in Hebron and visiting sites in the local and wider area
- Better Understand Palestinian politics and experience the occupation in the West Bank.
- Learning spoken Arabic from native speakers and embracing the opportunity to communicate with locals
- Get to know the human rights situation and supporting Palestinian refugees.
- Travelling to historical locations and nearby cities including Jerusalem, Jericho, Ramallah, Nablus and Bethlehem in your free time
- Visit nearby cities such as Akko, Herzliya, Beersheva, Eilat, Tiberias, Netanya, Safed, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Masada, Amman, Aqaba, Wadi Rum, and Nazareth.
- Spending time and living with a Palestinian host family, if desired
- Visiting Palestinian universities, local institutions and organizations specializing in culture and education
- Eating local Palestinian foods and delicacies
- Attending cultural nights featuring entertainment and activities in Hebron’s social hubs
Great Impact
Our short term Volunteer and Internship programs in the West Bank, Palestine are well researched, targeted, and suitable for anyone who wants to gain insights into daily Palestinian legal affairs and human rights. 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”. 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.
Our volunteer projects in the West Bank were developed for graduate and undergraduate students of Middle Eastern studies, Arabic studies, political sciences, professionals, employees of human rights organizations, scholars conducting case studies on Palestine and Israel, human aid workers, social workers, teachers, English native speakers, non-native speakers and anyone interested in engaging in the Palestinian culture and daily life.
Volunteer and Intern Testimonials
Former volunteer and intern testimonials highlight the importance of having a big body of internationals working alongside the permanent Palestinian staff, which creates an atmosphere of cultural exchange and a fantastic environment for the mutually beneficial sharing of ideas. Many volunteers find that they have a great social experience as well as a professional experience here and that they make friends for life both from the other volunteers and from the local Palestinians as well.
- +730 reviews (94%) on gooverseas.com
- +160 reviews (96%) on goabroad.com
- Video testimonials
For more information about the Palestine internship and the other short term volunteering roles the Engage in Palestine offers, contact us on the contact details listed below.
How to get further information
For more information, please visit our website: https://ecpalestine.org
Excellene Center: https://excellencenter.org/volunteer-in-palestine-2/
Volunteer in Palestine: https://volunteerinpalestine.org/
Whatsapp:+972 599 479 880
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excellence.center
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExcellenceCenter
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
