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Volunteer Groups Those who would like to work in development, human rights, and educational programs may wish to volunteer with one of the following organizations. This list is provided by The Jerusalem Fund as a public service. The Jerusalem Fund does not endorse the programs included on the list nor is it responsible for any errors noted below. Please note that some of the organizations are religious and may require that the participants profess a commitment to a specific faith. Also, it is important to note that the “work camp” programs require a willingness to undertake physical labor and to live in rugged conditions. Agricultural Cooperative Development International and Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance ACDI/VOCA is a U.S.-based private, non-profit development organization that advances the pace of progress in emerging democracies and developing countries and offers a comprehensive range of technical assistance services and strategies. Volunteer opportunities are available in Gaza and the West Bank. 50 F Street N.W., Suite 1075 An-Najah National University Zajel Youth Exchange Program The objective of the An-Najah National University Zajel Youth Exchange Program is to build peace and promote understanding between individuals and cultures through voluntary work placement at the public relations department of An-Najah University. The program gives young people the opportunity to experience life under Israeli occupation, work with human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, build communication skills, and participate in an invaluable cultural experience. Individuals with English communication and computer skills and the ability to work individually and in teams are encouraged to apply. Volunteer sessions can be any length. Volunteers are expected to provide their own transportation and food, but will be provided with living accommodations. Zajel Youth Exchange Program Canadian-Palestinian Educational Exchange CEPAL is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 by individuals who share a deep commitment to the respect of human dignity and human rights of all people. CEPAL’s objective is to assist the Palestinian refugees in the pursuit of their basic human rights by increasing their access to education and by raising public awareness in Canada about their struggle. Over three million Palestinians are without nationality and without the right to citizenship in any country. They are, as they have been for over half a century, the largest refugee population in the world. CEPAL’s Summer Program is a unique opportunity to experience life in a Palestinian refugee camp and to learn about the Palestinian refugee situation. Volunteers work and live in the camps for a period of nine weeks. Working in cooperation with CEPAL’s Palestinian NGO partners, volunteers teach English, French, or Basic Computer Skills classes and workshops. Upon return to Canada, CEPAL volunteers raise awareness about the plight of the Palestinian refugees. Suite 20, 63 Sparks Street A program of the Mennonite, Brethren, and Quaker churches and meetings, Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) has maintained a violence-reduction project in Hebron, West Bank since June 1995. The team there supports nonviolent direct action, documents human rights abuses, and communicates the on-the-ground reality of the Israeli occupation through press releases on the Internet. CPT—which also has other projects worldwide—offers an organized, nonviolent alternative to war and other forms of lethal inter-group conflict. CPT provides organizational support to persons committed to faith-based nonviolent response in situations where lethal conflict is an immediate reality or is supported by public policy. Qualified applicants participate in a three-week training in January. Volunteers commit to three years for full-time or part-time participation. P.O. Box 6508 The main target of organizing volunteer activity in Palestine is to show the Palestinian point of view toward the historical conflict in the region and to remove the misunderstandings and stereotypes about Palestinians during the twentieth century. This is an educational program intending to clarify the Palestinian position in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The host organization, Friends Without Borders, is a non-profit, nongovernmental organization located in Ramallah, Palestine. It works to change the Western misconceptions about Arabs and Palestinians. It also organizes international voluntary work camps, which are normally held during the summer. FWB offers training courses and support groups for aiding in relief work for Palestinian refugees in the region. Their work-study program teaches the history of the conflict through films and visits to the regional hot zones, such as Jerusalem and Hebron. Participants will also attend lectures and workshops conducted by experts in Palestinian universities. In addition, participants will have the chance to discuss the lecture subjects with their peers and Palestinians living in the region. Radio St., Ramallah Frontier Internship in Mission Frontier Internship in Mission is an ecumenical Christian organization that provides its volunteers with an opportunity to work with nongovernmental organizations all over the world. Its programs are devised in such a way as to connect “sending groups” (i.e. community-based organizations located in North America) with “receiving groups” (grassroots nongovernmental and community development organizations) in other areas of the world. FIM interns, who must be between 25-30 years of age and willing to commit to a three-year term, spend two years working on the project with the receiving groups to which they have been assigned. After completing two years, the interns work another year within their respective sending group, providing information and feedback concerning the project in which they have participated. The organization is presently working on projects in the Middle East in coordination with the North American Committee on the Question of Palestine, the Canadian Council of Churches, the Middle East Council of Churches, the American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee, and the World Student Christian Foundation. 150 route de Ferney Hope Flowers School is a Palestinian school in El Khader, in the south Bethlehem area of the West Bank (Palestine), dedicated to education for coexistence, peace, non-violence and democracy. It represents a flowering of hope for peaceful relations between Palestinians and Israelis. Hope Flowers School is a unique venture that has been teaching democracy, peace and coexistence in the nearly impossible conditions obtaining in the Palestinian territories. The Hope Flowers School International Palestinian Youth League The International Palestinian Youth League has been organizing international Voluntary Work Camps in different parts in Palestine since 1997. The primary aims for organizing these camps is to involve Palestinian youth in voluntary actions, as well as to broaden their horizons with positive interaction with the youth of different cultures and backgrounds. Since its establishment, IPYL has strongly believed that interaction among young people of different nations is a great method for overcoming prejudices and stereotypes. Distance and/or a lack of interaction are significant factors in perpetuating ignorance, which oftentimes lead to ethnocentrism. IPYL tries through its voluntary projects to bring people together to work together on a community project, to live together, to eat together, and share their dreams and concerns in order to break stereotypes and diminish prejudices. General Director: Moharram Al-Barghouti International Service Partners ISP was chartered in November 1998 by a group of Christians who wanted to be involved in humanitarian projects on a global scale. ISP’s goal is to assist people who want to give of their time, knowledge, skills, and passion to help others better themselves. There are many benefactors in the world who wish to serve others. There are also many places worldwide that can be benefited by the simple and humble efforts of those who are willing to give of themselves. ISP’s members are motivated by the fact that the only things that ever change the world are small groups of dedicated people, committed to doing what it takes to achieve their goal. ISP seeks to implement short and long term humanitarian projects worldwide. ISP aims to be involved in projects that increase the ability of the recipients to help themselves. The Palestinian Computer Learning Center Project started in September of 1999 in the Palestinian West Bank city of Nablus. Situated approximately one and a half hours north of Jerusalem, Nablus is strategically located for the promotion of educational opportunities in the northern West Bank region. Many Palestinian students do not have the educational opportunities that afford personal satisfaction and a sense of well being in life. The Palestinian Computer Learning Center hopes to give many Palestinians increased job marketability and a chance to learn computer and English skills that will help them compete in the global technological markets of today. Volunteer opportunities are available to assist in the teaching of: English as a second language, basic computer skills and Internet usage, web page design, and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer Training. c/o Chad Castle International Voluntary Service IVS is an organization devoted to stimulating the interest of youths in challenging issues facing the world today. Numerous international branches of IVS run work camps for college-aged volunteers all over the world. Last summer IVS had several camps in Palestine working in conjunction with local NGOs and student groups, simultaneously assisting the Palestinian population and educating students about their situation. A list of work camps for 1999 and online applications are available on the SCI-IVS website. A $125 fee is necessary to begin the application process and if accepted an additional $80 is required. 814 NE 40th Street Middle East Children’s Alliance The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) has embarked upon an ambitious clearinghouse and placement service program for those interested in volunteer work in the West Bank. A network of partner organizations, located in Palestine, allow prospective volunteers to choose among a variety of fields of work, including human rights, legal service, empowerment of youth and women, and community development programs. Volunteers’ periods of commitment range between one and six months depending on individual needs and time availability. The volunteers’ skills and interests are matched by the MECA program with the specific needs of partner organizations in Palestine. 905 Parker Street Palestine Red Crescent Society The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) is a national humanitarian organization that provides a wide range of health, social, and other humanitarian services for the Palestinian people throughout the Middle East. Volunteers are an integral part of the health and social mandate of PRCS. The relationship and professional connections established with volunteers are hoped to be long-term in nature and do not end with the completion of a particular project. PRCS is committed to providing the maximum comfort, support, and information to volunteers to ensure high efficiency and effectiveness of the project. PRCS also strives to improve the volunteer management system. Minimal required duration:
Special arrangement can be made to accommodate specialists and students for shorter or longer durations. P.O. Box 1928 The definitive goal of the PYU is to support the development of informal community based educational, cultural, recreational, sport, and environmental activities and programs in order to provide Palestinian children with better chances to develop their personalities, skills, and capabilities. Ultimately, youth will actively participate in the building of a civil and democratic society. The PYU has taken part in the development of a network with nine nongovernmental organizations for youth and women to set up a project specializing in summer camps in Palestine for young people to spend their free time in a productive way. The PYU organizes an international voluntary youth camp every year. The project started in 1995 with participants coming from many countries who are introduced to Palestinian culture and society and who actively take part in renovating old buildings to be used as youth centers. P.O. Box 1323 United Methodist Volunteers in Mission UMVIM is a fellowship of believers—lay and clergy, men and women, adults and youth—who have stepped out in faith to serve the needs of communities around the world. The common characteristic of volunteers is a desire to serve and a willingness to share the gospel as part of a work team, medical team, or as individual volunteers. Volunteers in Mission helps to coordinate requests for assistance from Palestinian organizations with church groups and individuals. Individual missions usually require specific skills and lengthy time commitments in comparison with group missions, which give preference to less time consuming projects. 315 West Ponce de Leon Avenue #750 Universities’ Trust for Educational Exchange with Palestine (UNIPAL) UNIPAL seeks to facilitate a two-way process of education by providing English language instruction in Palestinian refugee camps throughout the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon. UNIPAL sends its volunteers to the Middle East to work with Palestinians on short-term assignments in the summer and to partake in other activities as needed. Volunteers must be native speakers of English and residents of the UK. The work consists of teaching English to young people between the ages of 12 and 15 with an emphasis on arts, crafts, music, dramatic arts, and games. Sometimes arrangements are made to teach older youth and women. Background reading and knowledge of the situation in the Middle East is expected. A reading list will be provided. There will be three training and introduction days before work begins. Volunteers must be able to pay for their own airfare and health/traveler’s insurance. Food and accommodation will be provided. BCM UNIPAL VFP is a Vermont-based non-profit organization that has been coordinating International Work Camps since 1982. VFP is a member of the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) at United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and works in cooperation with Service Civil International (SCI), the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organizations, and the International Youth Action for Peace (YAP). The office staff, board, and thousands of volunteers in the field help facilitate this program. In 2000, VFP exchanged over 1,200 volunteers. VFP provides consultation and placement services for work camp hosts and volunteers to link volunteers with programs. These programs foster international education, voluntary service, and friendship. In the last 19 years VFP has exchanged over 20,000 volunteers through international work camps. 1034 Tiffany Road |
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