Volunteering
>Teach in Palestine
Teaching in Palestine is incredibly rewarding. Project Hope provides a supportive volunteer community, safe and comfortable accommodation, and a full schedule of classes working with the children and youth of Nablus and its four refugee camps.
We are looking for skilled volunteers who are interested in making a difference in the lives of these children. We welcome volunteers from many different backgrounds and skill sets, though we do require some experience teaching or working with groups of children. You will be expected to teach one of our core languages (English or French), but in addition, we encourage you to share whatever skills you may have –- whether in the arts, athletics, or IT. Many of our activities programs are designed and implemented by volunteers, so if you have an idea, we’d love to hear it.
Short on inspiration? You can always visit Our Work in Palestine to get an idea of the courses we typically offer.
Meet A volunteer: Asra
Asra is a primary school teacher who speaks a billion languages and has lived all over the place. We talked with her about volunteer teaching with Project Hope in Spring 2011, what it was like to grow up a refugee herself, and what she sees for the future of Palestine.
>What we look for in a volunteer
Volunteers must be able to commit to at least one, and preferably three, months of teaching. Volunteers must also be at least 18 years of age. We welcome and encourage mature volunteers.
In addition to these requirements, we generally look for volunteers who:
- are self-starters, with initiative and new ideas
- are responsible and able to work independently
- have some experience teaching or working with children, and ideas about how best to share their knowledge with students
- are willing to respect the local culture, even if it means making adjustments or sacrifices
- will be able to adapt to the challenges of a conflict environment
- have a genuine desire to contribute their time and skills
- want to make a difference in the lives of the children and youth of Nablus
We have structured our volunteer program so that groups of volunteers arrive during a designated week to undergo group training in preparation for their volunteer experience. At the end of their stay with Project Hope, volunteers undergo a group debriefing to prep them for the next phase of volunteering: going home and raising awareness.