Volunteer Online with Palestinian Youth and Kids Programs: The situation in Palestine is one that has gripped global headlines for decades, especially in the last couple of years. As the impact of the occupation grows in the West Bank and crucial support agencies such as the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) face significant resource cuts, volunteering to support Palestine is more important than ever. 

Children and youth make up about 30% of the population of Palestine. Born into a conflict they have no control over, they face the impact of occupation in daily life: restriction on movement, lack of some services, and especially in the case of youth in the refugee camps, regular raids by armed soldiers. 

Support from international volunteers is valuable in many ways – it helps to bridge the gap in services such as education, allows Palestinian children and youth to practice English with native speakers, and also provides a kind of emotional support by letting them know that the world has not forgotten them. 

If you’re not able to come to Palestine in person, there are plenty of opportunities available to make a difference right from your living room. Virtual volunteering is one way that anyone can help the local children and youth. 

Why Volunteer Online with Palestinian Youth and Kids Programs?

There are many reasons why online volunteering can benefit children and youth in Palestine. Here are just a few:

Overcoming Barriers – Support children in Palestine despite geographical distance

For many young Palestinians, access to educational resources and mentorship is limited due to movement restrictions, economic challenges, and political instability. Online volunteering helps bridge this gap by connecting them with international mentors, educators, and professionals who can offer guidance, knowledge, and encouragement. Even if you can’t be physically present in Palestine, your virtual support ensures that children and youth have access to learning opportunities and a global network of support.

Providing Education & Mentorship: Help with English, career guidance, life skills, and more

Language skills, career planning, and academic support are crucial for Palestinian youth navigating an uncertain future. By volunteering online, you can help teach or practice English with children and young people, provide career guidance and support, share skills and ideas through workshops, and more. Whatever professional skills or experience volunteers can contribute will be useful. 

Creating Meaningful Connections: Build relationships with young Palestinians through cultural exchange.

Meaningful relationships with international people is an incredibly enriching experience for young Palestinians. Travel is difficult for people here because of the restriction of movement internally and the difficulty of obtaining most overseas visas without an invitation. As such, exposure to foreigners through in-person or online volunteering helps to create a rich cultural exchange for many Palestinians and to broaden their worldview. Volunteers also tend to make deep and long-lasting connections with the community as they spend time with them. 

Flexible & Impactful – Volunteer from anywhere with a schedule that suits you

Volunteering online is a really great way to make an impact no matter where you are and no matter your schedule. At Volunteer in Palestine, we are happy to discuss what works for you alongside the needs of the community and help find a solution that works for everyone. 

Types of Online Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering online can look like many different things, depending on the interest and skill set of the individual. There are a couple of options that are quite popular (with the volunteers and the kids alike!) and that can easily be done online. 

Teaching English or Other Subjects

Help kids improve language and academic skills. Teaching English, practicing English, or tutoring children and youth in other school subjects is a really practical way to help. Supporting the academic achievement of students helps open doorways to opportunity and really sets them up for a brighter future. 

Mentorship & Career Guidance

Support 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 is a great way to help support the next generation of leaders in Palestine. 

Creative & Interactive Sessions

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. Any creative workshops to support children and youth to express themselves are very welcome. 

Volunteers are also very welcome to propose different workshops, seminars, discussions or activities depending on their own knowledge and expertise, and the needs of the community. 

How Do These Programs Benefit Palestinian Youth & Kids?

Volunteering online for Palestine has some great benefits for the individual; you get to know the time you give is making a real difference and you can improve your own teaching, facilitation, and presenting skills – alongside a rich cultural exchange! 

The majority of the impact is for the benefit of the children and youth that volunteers work with. For you, it might mean being available online for a few hours a week. For them, it means improving their academic and language skills, which broadens their horizons, exposure to different perspectives and ideas that help them grow as people, and encouragement from mentors that helps to boost their self-esteem.

The benefits that can be measured are in the skills that kids can learn, their improvement in speaking another language, and the things they can learn about other people and cultures. The immeasurable impacts are a sense of outside support for their futures and a feeling of solidarity from the international community. 

How to Get Involved?

Application Process

It’s really simple and easy to apply to volunteer with Volunteer in Palestine. Simply check our programs for the one you are most interested in, and email Rafat Shantir at Info@ecpalestine.org with your timezone, availability, and any relevant professional experience. You will be forwarded a short application form to fill out and return before you are accepted into the program. 

Time Commitments

For this opportunity, volunteers would be required for a minimum of four hours per week, for at least one month. This is to ensure consistency for the children and youth, and to make sure the volunteer has enough time with them to make a significant difference. Scheduling is flexible based on the availability of the volunteer. 

Training and Support

The staff at Volunteer in Palestine will provide an orientation and introduction to the people you will volunteer with, helping to set the expectations between you. They will also be available in case you have any questions during your time volunteering. 

Technical Requirements

•  A functional laptop, smartphone, iPad, or similar device.  
• The device must have a fully functioning camera, microphone, and speakers or headphones.  
• Good internet connection. 
• Ideally, you will need to be in a quiet place where you will not be interrupted or disturbed.
• Some previous experience or knowledge in the area of instruction. 

Stories of Success

Qatada was 16 years old when he started English classes with Volunteer in Palestine. He was really interested in learning the ‘world’s language’ because it would help him connect with different people and open up more opportunities for his future. However, other than a few words he’d picked up at school, he was essentially starting from scratch. 

Qatada learned quickly and completed his intermediate level English with a Centre volunteer from the United States. He found that learning from a native speaker really helped take his spoken English to the next level. Now 20 years old, Qatada is close to fluent in English. Although he no longer needs to take classes he’s still seen around the Center most days, where he volunteers in addition to his University studies. 

For Qatada, learning English has been an incredibly valuable experience. It gave him the opportunity to meet lots of new people, learn about new religions and new cultures, and open his mind to the world outside his home city of Hebron. Interacting with people from diverse backgrounds also taught him to be more respectful of differences.  

Summary

Volunteering online with Palestinian youth and kids is a powerful way to make a meaningful impact, no matter where you are in the world. Whether you’re teaching English, mentoring, or leading creative workshops, your time and effort can provide invaluable educational support, emotional encouragement, and a sense of solidarity to young people growing up under challenging circumstances.

By participating in virtual programs, you help bridge gaps in education, offer career guidance, and create lasting connections with Palestinian youth, broadening their horizons and empowering them for the future. More than just a volunteer experience, this is an opportunity to engage in cultural exchange, deepen your understanding of Palestine, and contribute to positive change.

If you’re ready to make a difference, we invite you to join our online volunteering programs. Your support, no matter how small, can have a lasting impact on the lives of Palestinian children and youth. Get involved today and be part of something truly meaningful.

Find Us Online

WhatsApp:+972 599 479 880

Email: info@ecpalestine.org

Website: https://volunteerinpalestine.org/

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