Youth Volunteer Abroad Programs in Palestine 2025/2026: Volunteering overseas is becoming something of a rite of passage for many young people. After school finishes, some people want to broaden their horizons and see more of the world before they settle into a career. While some people opt for a working holiday visa in a country similar to theirs, or for traveling on their own or with their friends, there are some who prefer to spend their time volunteering with a social cause they care about.
Palestine is a great option to spend time volunteering for many different reasons. First, it offers young people a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful community service while immersing themselves in a rich and complex cultural landscape. Next, the West Bank is home to vibrant Palestinian communities, historic sites, and refugee camps. This, alongside the daily life of military occupation, presents both challenges and opportunities for the personal growth of volunteers.
All over the world, when real change happens it’s usually the youth who are behind it. In a region where global solidarity plays a crucial role, youth volunteers contribute to fostering international awareness and supporting locally-led development efforts that empower Palestinian communities.
Table of Contents
Why Join Youth Volunteer Abroad Programs in Palestine?
A Land of History and Resilience
Palestine is a welcoming place with a beautiful landscape and deep historical significance. Home to some of the holiest places in the monotheistic religions, vibrant souks, art and music, and amazing food, the region has been a crossroads of cultures, religions, and empires for much of modern human history.
The land is resilient, with each street bearing witness to centuries of struggle and perseverance. Volunteering in Palestine offers a unique opportunity to not only immerse yourself in this inspiring setting but also contribute to its preservation. By engaging in educational programs, supporting local communities, or documenting different narratives, volunteers play a crucial role in safeguarding Palestinian heritage.
Through these efforts, young volunteers help amplify the voices of Palestinian resistance while ensuring that the stories, traditions, and identity of the place continue to thrive for future generations.
Contributing to a Meaningful Cause
The impact of volunteering in Palestine cannot be overstated. Since 1967, Palestine has been under military occupation, which has severely impacted the day-to-day lives of its people. As a result of this continuing occupation, there are significant needs within the community, and therefore, a strong case for why volunteering makes an impact.
Volunteer efforts bridge gaps in essential services, helping to enhance quality education, access to healthcare, and economic opportunity. This supports the Palestinian spirit of resistance, and helps the society to work towards a brighter future. The presence of international volunteers also helps to impart a sense of global solidarity for the Palestinian people, so they feel that they are not alone in the struggle for self-determination.
Personal and Professional Growth
Volunteering in Palestine is not only impactful to the community, there are also some real benefits to the volunteers themselves.
During your time volunteering in Palestine, engaging in your program content will build essential and transferable skills like leadership and cross-cultural communication through your interactions with the local community, and developing skills in Arabic as a second or additional language. For those interested in working internationally, it will also help to enhance your career prospects through gaining experience in a conflict-affected country.
Types of Volunteer Programs in 2025/2026
Because of the high level of need, there is a wide variety of programs to which people from all backgrounds and with all kinds of skills can contribute.
Education and Youth Empowerment
Due to restrictions on Palestinians, including the limitation of mobility, one of the most pressing needs in Palestine is supporting the provision of education to children and young people. Things like teaching English, tutoring in mathematics, or even just general life skills can be incredibly valuable to the local population.
This is particularly true for those living in Palestinian refugee camps. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, specifically set up to support refugees from the 1948 ‘Nakba’ during the establishment of Israel, has been responsible for the education of many vulnerable people over the decades. Now that their resources have been severely restricted, international volunteer support to help supplement education is more important than ever.
Mentorship & Career Guidance
Supporting young Palestinians in their professional aspirations. With a difficult job market and high unemployment, Palestinian youth need all the support they can get to gain employment or start their own business. Mentorship and guidance in professionalism or entrepreneurship are a great way to help support the next generation of leaders in Palestine.
Creative & Recreational Activities
Art, music and creativity are proven to help people express and deal with trauma, allowing people to tell their stories in their own ways, and to process and heal from their experience of living under occupation. Physical activities like sports or games also help to boost children’s mood, physical health, and sense of belonging.
List of Youth Volunteer Abroad Programs in Palestine 2025/2026
Below, you can check out a short overview of the Youth Volunteer Abroad Programs in Palestine that Engage in Palestine offers.
1. Volunteer In The West Bank, Palestine
Volunteer In The West Bank, Palestine: We offer short-term and long-term volunteer and internship programs at Engage in Palestine. As a volunteer in Hebron, you will engage with diverse groups—including children, youth, women, refugees, university students, and families—by assisting them in practicing conversational English and organizing various workshops while immersing yourself in the vibrant local community.
2. Volunteer With Palestinian Children
Volunteer With Palestinian Children: This program is an excellent opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students, professionals, retirees, social workers, and teachers interested in working with children in a volunteer capacity. It is also ideal for anyone, whether native or non-native English speaker, interested in interning with Palestinian children.
3. Volunteer With Palestinian Refugees In The West Bank
Volunteer With Palestinian Refugees In The West Bank: The Palestinian Refugees Program is a great opportunity for a wide range of people, from students to retirees, who are passionate about human rights and wish to work directly with Palestinian refugees in the West Bank. Volunteers will primarily work with Palestinian children, youth, and women to enhance their skills and provide education in one of the nearby Palestinian refugee camps.
4. Volunteer to Teach English In The West Bank
Teaching English in the West Bank offers an eye-opening experience for those who choose to visit Palestine and engage with Palestinian youth, children, women, refugees, and community members in the city of Hebron. Volunteers teach English to Palestinian students at the Engage in Palestine Center or local community development centers, Palestinian local schools, government organizations, NGOs, and refugee camps.
5. Women And Children’s Rights In Palestine
The Palestinian Women And Children Rights in Palestine program is an excellent choice for those wishing to study or work in human rights, women’s rights, children’s education, refugees, or any humanitarian or social work. University students specializing in Women’s Studies or Early Childhood Education should also look into this program as it will provide them with first-hand experience in their chosen field.
6. Music And Arts In The West Bank
Volunteer in Music and the Arts in the West Bank: Music is perhaps the world’s most diverse form of self-expression and is one of the best cultural exchange and learning modes. As volunteers in the Music and the Arts Program in West Bank, Palestine, participants will engage with the culture of Palestine while also sharing their own expression of culture through music and art.
7. Medicine and Healthcare In The West Bank
The Medicine and Healthcare volunteer program in the West Bank will suit a wide range of potential volunteers, whether they are already working in the medical profession, studying medicine or pre-med, or considering a healthcare career. General practitioners, specialists, public health doctors, nutritionists, nurses, and paramedics will all find the experience gained in this volunteer program invaluable.
8. Volunteer in Media and Journalism in Palestine
The Media and Journalism volunteer program in the West Bank is an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in giving a voice to Palestinians on the global stage. Volunteers in this program will help raise awareness of the West Bank’s circumstances while learning about ethical journalistic practices.
9. Volunteer in Local Palestinian Villages
Volunteer in Local Palestinian Villages: This program offers an excellent opportunity for individuals of all ages, from students to retirees, to work directly with Palestinian communities in villages and rural areas of the West Bank, including Dura and the Hebron Hills, such as Masafer Yatta, Susya, Umm Al-Khayr, the Al-Fawwar refugee camp, and Bani Na’im.
10. Volunteer With Orphanages in Palestine
Engage in Palestine is now accepting applications for its 2025/2026 Volunteer with Palestinian Orphanages program. These meaningful volunteer opportunities are perfect for individuals eager to make a positive impact in the West Bank or Gaza. Whether passionate about education, community development, or supporting vulnerable youth, this program offers a chance to contribute to the well-being and growth of Palestinian orphanage children.
How to Apply for 2025/2026 Programs?
Application Process
The first step to applying to a program is deciding which program to apply for!
There are many different volunteer abroad programs that you could choose from, each with its own benefits and drawbacks.
When choosing a program, we recommend that you:
Choose a locally run organisation
There are lots of well-meaning organisations out there, and while they may provide a good experience for volunteers, the same might not be true for the local community they operate within. One way to make sure your time volunteering makes a positive impact is by checking whether your organization of choice is created by, or at least run by, local people. This means there is a greater chance that the program outcomes are needed, safe, and beneficial for the community.
Check elsewhere for testimonials
These days, anyone can post anything online and call it true. Check whether the organisation has an online presence elsewhere where you can verify the experiences of other volunteers. Engage in Palestine is registered with Go Overseas, a well-known organisation that helps people from around the world to find meaningful and fulfilling volunteer positions. We currently have a 4.85 (out of 5) rating from 852 reviews and have received over 20 community awards from 2019 onwards, including for 2024.
When you’ve decided on the organisation you want to volunteer with, and the program you’re interested in doing, the next step is to apply. At Engage in Palestine, we simply ask that people send an email to Info@ecpalestine.org, enquiring about their program of choice, when they would like to arrive, and how long they would like to stay.
The next step is to receive a short and easy application form, which you will fill out and return. Once selected for the program, the final step is payment of your program fees. This is usually done by bank transfer or Western Union payment. Once the payment is made, you can start making your travel arrangements!
Visa and travel requirements
Currently, in order to travel to Palestine, you need to secure a visa from Israel. Tourist visas are issued on arrival at the border and can last for up to 90 days. As of January 1st, 2025, you need to fill out an Electronic Travel Authorisation prior to departure.
There are two key crossings into the West Bank; a land crossing through Jordan at the King Hussein Bridge, or arriving at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport just outside of Tel Aviv. Travel through Jordan is currently highly recommended as many people have recently faced difficulty entering Israel through Ben Gurion Airport. The way takes a bit longer and is a bit more complicated, but there is generally a better chance that you will be granted entry. Read our article on traveling from Jordan to Palestine for more information.
Funding and Financial Support
The next question you might be asking yourself is, how do I fund my volunteer experience? First, check the program fees from your chosen organization to make sure it falls within your budget. At Engage in Palestine, our program fees include secure accommodation, breakfast five days a week, three hours of Arabic lessons per week, and cultural trips around Hebron city.
Bank account looking a little on the empty side? Fundraising is one way to help cover the costs of your chosen program. Crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe offer a platform for your friends and family to get involved in supporting your volunteer experience. Sharing your motivations for coming to Palestine, along with a link for people to donate, is an easy way to get support.
Other fundraising ideas could include setting up a bake sale, doing a running challenge, and asking people to sponsor you, or organising a clothes-swap event at your local community center.
What to Expect as a Volunteer in Palestine
Daily Responsibilities and Work Schedule
A typical day will start with breakfast at 10 am at the Center. We have everything that is usually found on a local breakfast table, including bread and hummus, labne, zaatar, shakshuka, and avocado – all served with tea and coffee. Next, you will have an Arabic class. Every volunteer program includes some Arabic instruction to help you get around and engage with the community. After class, you will spend the afternoon on your program activities.
Accommodation and Living Conditions
Accommodation
Engage in Palestine has a variety of accommodation options to suit different needs. Most commonly, volunteers will reside at one of our shared flats located close to the center. There is one for men and one for women. The apartments are modern, spacious, and equipped with everything you need for daily living. Rooms might be shared depending on the number of volunteers, but it is possible to request a private room if you prefer. Another option (for female volunteers only) is placement with a Palestinian host family. This immersion is a great way to experience the local culture and language.
Cost of living
The next big thing to think about is the cost of living. Things to consider are tuition fees, accommodation, travel costs, and daily expenses. At some schools, like Engage in Palestine, tuition fees are inclusive of accommodation and breakfast. Choosing a program like this can significantly reduce your costs. The currency in Palestine is the New Israeli Shekel. You can use a currency converter tool to see the rate and check websites like Numbeo to get a sense of the current cost of living for everyday expenses.
Cultural Adaptation and Social Life
Your first week in Palestine is usually spent on orientation, where you will get to know your new surroundings and see some of the cultural and religious highlights in Hebron. This will include a tour of the old city, a visit to Ibrahimi Mosque, more information about the division of Hebron into Palestinian controlled H1 and Israeli controlled H2, and visits to local craft producers like ceramics, hand-blown glass, and the last authentic Keffiyeh factory in the West Bank.
People in Hebron are very friendly, and it is likely that you will be invited to people’s houses for coffee, a meal, or to meet their family. This is a great way to learn more about daily life and local food. One thing to keep in mind is that Hebron is quite a conservative city, so it is recommended for women and men to wear long, loose-fitting clothing, come summer or winter.
While in Palestine, you will also have the opportunity to travel on weekends if you wish! Local mini-buses called Services (pronounced Servees) take passengers from Hebron to different hubs in the West Bank, including Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Ramallah. This public transport option is cheap and pretty easy to navigate, helping you to see many of the cultural and historical wonders of Palestine.
Ethical Considerations and Responsible Volunteering
Before you start out on your volunteer journey, there are some important things you should be thinking about. More important than travel logistics is responsible volunteering. So what does that mean? And how can you ensure your volunteer experience is doing no harm?
The Importance of Responsible Volunteering
Engaging in responsible volunteering means consistently considering whether you are taking up space that should be filled by a Palestinian, or if the work is doing enough to support or build local capacity. It’s better to try to gauge this when you are looking for the right program and the right organisation to work with, than to realize it’s not the case afterwards.
Responsible activism also means understanding the risks that local activists face. Unlike foreign volunteers, who often have the privilege of leaving if tensions escalate, Palestinians live with the long-term consequences of resistance. Volunteers must be careful not to put local activists in danger by attracting unnecessary attention, engaging in actions without community approval, or sharing sensitive information that could endanger lives.
Avoiding “Voluntourism” in Human Rights Work
One of the biggest ethical concerns in human rights volunteering is the risk of “voluntourism”, a phenomenon where short-term, unskilled volunteers engage in work that may be more about their own experience than the needs of the community. In the context of Palestine, this can take the form of well-meaning individuals participating in activities without a full understanding of the political situation or historical context.
To make sure they avoid voluntourism, volunteers should:
- Learn about the Palestinian history and current politics before arriving.
- Select roles that support existing local initiatives rather than creating new, unsustainable projects.
- Understand that volunteering in this context is not about “helping” Palestinians, but standing in solidarity with and learning from them.
Reviews and Awards
Engage in Palestine has been honored with several prestigious Community Awards, and it has been recognized as the Best Language School and Top Volunteer and Internship Program Provider for the years 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. For more details, please visit our profiles on GoOverseas.com and GoAbroad.com.
- +880 Reviews and ratings (96.8%) on gooverseas.com
- +180 Reviews and ratings on goabroad.com
- Participants’ video testimonials
How to Get Started?
Now you’re ready to start planning your volunteer experience in Palestine! If you’ve still got any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Info@ecpalestine.org, or browse our website for more information about life In Palestine.
Engage in Palestine is a great option to consider for your volunteering. Locally led and run, we offer a great range of programs to suit many areas of interest and expertise.
To apply, or to learn more about any of our programs, reach out to our Founder Rafat Shantir and the email address above. We look forward to welcoming you!
Contact Us
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at:
WhatsApp:+972 599 479 880
Website: https://ecpalestine.org/
EC Website: https://excellencenter.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excellence.center
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExcellenceCenter
Tags: international youth volunteering Palestine, Palestine youth service programs 2025, volunteer opportunities in Palestine for youth, volunteer trips to Palestine for students, youth cultural exchange programs Palestine
