The Palestinian Refugees Volunteer 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 in this program will primarily work with Palestinian children, youth, and women to enhance their skill sets and provide education in one of the refugee camps around the city of Hebron.
Schools within Palestinian refugee camps are widely known to be underdeveloped, lacking many of the basic resources to fulfill their students’ educational needs. Volunteers will, therefore, be presented with the opportunity to work directly inside schools to help fill this disparity while also having the opportunity to collaborate with human rights organizations, community centers, and international NGOs to advocate for the rights of refugees. Participants will also create educational workshops with a specific audience, such as Palestinian children, youth, or women, to teach new skills while fostering meaningful cultural exchange.
This volunteer program is ideal for those with an interest in political science, human rights, or the politics of the Middle East who would like to pursue a career in teaching or humanitarian aid. The program spans anywhere from 1 to 13 weeks, depending upon your preference, and during that time, you will reside in Hebron with a Palestinian host family or a male dorm with other volunteers.
Volunteer With Palestinian Refugees 2025/2026
Engage in Palestine is excited to announce our Volunteer With Palestinian Refugees Program for 2025/2026! This unique program allows individuals to work directly with Palestinian refugees, supporting children and youth through education and recreational activities, collaborating with community centers and NGOs, and creating impactful workshops. Ideal for those passionate about human rights, education, or humanitarian aid, this flexible program runs year-round and lasts from 1 to 13 weeks.
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What Does Joining Us Mean?
By joining Engage in the West Bank, Palestine, you support a local Palestinian organization and the Palestinian community in general. We offer low-priced courses for Palestinian students to empower lower-income families and give them access to affordable education and extra English language classes. The center also offers many free workshops, seminars, and courses to support Palestinian refugees in the city of Hebron.
Finally, volunteers in Palestine can play an important role in contributing to the Palestinian community’s well-being. Your work with us helps to develop and build pathways to understanding. Many opportunities are offered on volunteer projects in Palestine that support education and focus on community development.
About Displaced Peoples In Palestine
Many are surprised to learn that there are, in fact, Palestinian refugees within Palestine itself. The Palestinian diaspora is the largest group of displaced peoples globally, with approximately 7.1 million dispersed globally. This phenomenon finds its roots in two key years within the mid-20th century.
The first is 1948, during the Nakba, when Palestinians fled from their homes to escape Israeli militias, and the second is 1967, during the Six-Day War, which ended in Israel occupying the Syrian Golan Heights, the West Bank, Gaza, and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula, while also illegal annexing Jerusalem. While Jordan and Egypt had administered the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, respectively, between the time of the Nakba and the Six-Day War, these territories both fell under Israeli control thereafter.
Over 700,000 Palestinians who fled during the Nakba from what was to become the new state of Israel to territories under Jordanian or Egyptian control thereafter became refugees, and their children to this day are still assigned refugee status. Palestinians also fled to other parts of the region, including Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan; however, the latter was the only country in the world that offered citizenship to the newly displaced refugees. Many Palestinians eventually also migrated to other parts of the world such as Europe and the Americas.
Support Palestinian Refugee Camps
Palestinian refugees fall under the purview of the United Nations, with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency–more commonly referred to as the UNRWA–supporting 19 refugee camps within the West Bank alone. Conditions in these camps such as Al Fawwar or Al Arroub are notoriously cramped and uncomfortable, lacking necessities, services, and infrastructure including hospitals and enough schools to accommodate the camp populations adequately.
These Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank originally began as expansive tent-cities filled with people displaced after the 1948 Nakbah, however as time went on and it became clear a return would not happen anytime soon, stone structures gradually replaced tents, causing cramped, concrete quarters. Palestinian Refugee camps, therefore, have an exceptionally high population density, where people often experience housing shortages and overcrowding.
When to Volunteer?
Volunteers with Palestinian refugees can stay from 1 to 12 weeks in Hebron, West Bank, and they can choose their preferred starting and ending dates. The center hosts volunteers year-round for anyone interested in working with Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, taking an interest in political science, human rights, or the political situation of the Middle East, pursuing a career in teaching, or simply looking for ways to give back.
While we operate our Palestinian Refugees Program year-round (Summer, Winter, Fall, and Spring), we also have summer volunteer programs specifically designed for students looking for opportunities to go abroad while also gaining university credit.
Through a partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Education, Engage in the West Bank, Palestine can offer academic credit to our currently enrolled university students. This makes for the perfect opportunity to travel to Palestine/Israel during your summer, gain hands-on experience in a related field, and work towards your degree simultaneously.
Which Kind of Volunteering?
As a volunteer of the Palestinian Refugees Program, your prime responsibility will be offering educational and cultural services within the Palestinian refugee community. Most of Engage in the West Bank, Palestine’s efforts are directed toward education since this is a critical need. The importance of working within these camps alongside refugees cannot be overstated.
Because these Palestinian refugee camps are outside the main city centers, the people residing within them have limited opportunities to connect with international visitors and practice their English. The Center, therefore, tries its best to respond to this need by organizing educational and community activities to bring Palestinians and international participants together.
Other Ways To Volunteer with Us
However, if education is not your forte, there are several other ways to volunteer and assist refugees of Palestine. Volunteers can organize workshops and activities to build skillsets, such as improving CV and resume content and presentation, creative exercises exploring different art forms, or even sporting events and cultural festivals. Volunteers are especially encouraged to create unique opportunities by utilizing their skillsets and expertise.
For example, healthcare professionals could provide medical aid or assist local NGOs with a medical focus in their efforts to assist refugees within the camps. Volunteers with a special skill or expertise in performing arts are encouraged to organize concerts and other live performances for cultural enrichment. Engage in the West Bank has previously worked with volunteers to host live music venues and even circus events, so ideas are not limited.
What Else Do We Offer?
In addition to their work with the Center, volunteers will also spend 3 hours a week in complimentary Arabic courses. These classes are designed so participants may better assist the people with whom they are working, hoping they may connect on a fundamental level. Additionally, making the effort to learn the local language is a mark of good diplomacy and respect for the culture, one that is noted and appreciated by all those you meet.
Participants will also take part in Center-led excursions to various historical and politically significant sites within Palestine. These excursions generally include visiting the Old City of Hebron and the neighboring cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, as well as refugee camps, to gain a better understanding of Palestine’s contemporary political situation.
Program Components:
- Volunteer with Palestinian children in refugee camps
- Create workshops for Palestinians in local refugee camps
- Conduct musical or theatrical performances
- Assist local human rights and charity organizations
- Aid local NGOs in providing medical assistance to refugees
- Enroll in Arabic language courses
- Participate in Center-led excursions to Palestinian cultural sites
Schedule For Volunteers
Volunteering for Engage in the West Bank requires commitment and flexibility. On average, volunteers should work approximately 30 hours a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Participants will have two days off per week, one on Friday when the Center is closed and another day of their choosing.
Breakfast is provided every morning at the Center and typically consists of bread, olive oil and za’atar, hummus, labneh, baba ghanoush, falafel, and cucumber, tomato, and bell pepper – all the essentials you will find in a traditional Palestinian morning meal. Center staff, volunteers, and interns all sit together during breakfast as custom dictates, which also allows everyone a chance to touch base while creating stronger communal bonds.
The Center also facilitates regular excursions into Hebron and neighboring cities throughout the week, connecting volunteers with local activists and organizations. Evenings are usually free, giving volunteers the chance to explore the city and its many restaurants, shops, and historical sites by themselves.
In addition to contributing to their specific programs, volunteers also attend Arabic courses twice per week for an hour and a half per session, which requires some study and preparation. All this together means schedules tend to fill up quickly, and volunteers find their time in Palestine passes very quickly!
Is This Program For Me?
The Palestinian Refugees Volunteer Program is perfect for those passionate about elevating human rights, improving the lives of Palestinian refugees, and becoming more informed about the political situation in the West Bank, specifically concerning refugee status in a Palestinian context. Additionally, those interested in diplomacy, international law, and the politics of the Middle East will find this program beneficial, all while gaining real-world experience.
This program is especially beneficial for university students, as Engage in the West Bank can provide academic credit to program participants through our partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Education. Additionally, recent graduates will find this to be a great opportunity for contextual application of their specialty while building their skills.
Engage in the West Bank, Palestine does not discriminate on any basis; this includes nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other discernable way. We have a long history of welcoming people from around the globe, from all walks of life, and all backgrounds and identities. All are welcome!
Previous participants of our programs have hailed from the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States!
Specific Skills Needed?
There are only three criteria for participants. The first is conversational fluency in either of the program languages (e.g., English or Arabic). The second is that participants should be between the ages of 18 and 70, though exceptions are possible in special circumstances. Finally, we ask participants to have a positive attitude and an eagerness to learn.
Participant Requirements:
- Colloquial fluency in English and/or Arabic
- 18-70 years of age (unless granted special permission by the Center’s director)
- A positive attitude and eagerness to learn
Arabic Lessons for All Our Volunteers:
All our international volunteers in Palestine receive 3 hours of Arabic classes a week, or 12 hours a month, with one of our experienced Palestinian teachers at the Center.
On top of this, all volunteers will also have plenty of chances to meet many people in Palestine to learn and practice their Arabic skills. Volunteers can freely choose what kind of Arabic they would like to learn during their time in Palestine at Engage in the West Bank, Palestine.
Arabic Dialects to Study
All volunteers at our base in Hebron will receive a choice of Arabic dialects to learn during their time in the West Bank. As part of your volunteer placement, we offer a choice of:
- Shami or Levantine Arabic (Amiyya dialect)
- Colloquial Palestinian Arabic
- Modern Standard Arabic (MSA)
- Mixed Program: (Modern Standard Arabic & Shami Arabic)
Of course, if you’re unsure, we are happy to help you make an informed decision on your dialect choice. As always, we pride ourselves on flexibility, so if you try one and it’s not quite for you, we can sort you out with a change!
Program Accommodation
When residing in Hebron, male program participants can either stay with a Palestinian host family (depending on availability) or in a very nice apartment just a 5-minute walk from our center. Both options offer unique advantages.
Staying in the apartment provides extra time to bond with other participants and volunteers, fostering a sense of community. Located near Hebron’s metropolitan center, the apartment offers convenient access to explore the vibrant city with fellow roommates, opening the door to many new and exciting experiences!
The second option available to participants will be to reside with a Palestinian host family. This option will provide participants with an intimate view of Palestinian daily life, customs, and culture, familiarize them with family structures, and allow them to taste some of the delicious Palestinian cuisine. It’s also likely that participants residing with a host family will be invited to family gatherings and cultural events, guaranteeing a culturally immersive experience!
Traveling To Hebron
Reaching the Center in Hebron, Palestine, will be a long journey, but it need not be arduous. Although there are some obstacles when traveling to Hebron, Engage in the West Bank, Palestine, has all the resources you need to reach us efficiently, safely, and practically.
You may find all the necessary information about how to get to Hebron, Palestine, in these three articles, along with the rest of this article:
If you have any further inquiries about travel to Palestine, please do not hesitate to contact our team. Our contact information is at the bottom of this page.
In Which Language Is The Program Run?
All of our volunteer and internship programs are geared toward English speakers. However, for the sake of immersion, the higher the Arabic course level, the less English will be utilized in the classroom. Additionally, students must utilize their Arabic skills to the best of their ability when navigating through Palestine, ensuring a fully immersive experience.
Overview of the Palestinian Refugees Volunteer Program
| Program Location | Hebron, West Bank, Palestine |
| Program Fees | Check Prices Here |
| Registration Fee | 30€ |
| Age | 18-70 years old |
| Duration | 1-13 weeks |
| Teaching Hours | 3 hours per week |
| One Teaching Hour | 45 minutes |
| Number of Participants | 1-5 |
| Program Focus | Volunteer with Palestinian refugees Human rights in Palestine Child refugees Refugee camps in the West Bank Volunteer with Palestinian Children |
| Related Subjects | Middle East Studies Arabic Language and Literature Political Science Case Studies on Israel-Palestine Humanitarian aid |
| Start/End Dates | Flexible to fit participant’s schedule |
| Application Deadline | No Deadline |
| University Credit | Available |
| Educational Degree | Not required |
| Program Language | English/Arabic |
Program Costs And Information
Engage in the West Bank, Palestine is priced competitively with other programs. Program costs cover language courses, housing, complimentary breakfast each day the participant is at the center, operating costs, and group excursions. No additional or hidden fees apply to these programs. The cost above is the complete and final cost participants will pay.
Program Fees Cover:
- Housing
- Language courses
- Operating costs
- Complimentary breakfast
- Group excursions into Hebron
Program Reviews
Engage in Palestine has been honored with several prestigious Community Awards and recognized as the Best Language School and Top Volunteer and Internship Program Provider for 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. For more details, please visit our profiles on GoOverseas.com and GoAbroad.com.
- +850 reviews (96%) on gooverseas.com
- +175 reviews (96%) on goabroad.com
- Internship in Palestine participants’ video testimonials
The Palestinian Refugees Volunteer Program is perfect for anyone looking to become involved in improving the health, education, and rights of refugees in the West Bank, Palestine.
Summary
The Palestinian Refugees Volunteer Program is perfect for those passionate about advancing human rights and assisting the cause of refugees in the West Bank while actively working alongside local Palestinians. As a component of this program, participants will visit Palestinian refugee camps, work with human rights and international organizations, and provide education to refugee children.
Additionally, participants will experience Arabic language and cultural immersion while living in Hebron, learning the language, and living with a local Palestinian host family. For those looking to aid the cause of Palestinian refugees and explore a career in humanitarian aid, the Palestinian Refugees Program is a great place to start.
How To Apply
If you want to participate in the Palestinian Refugees Program, please, write to us at Info@ecpalestine.org. We should respond to your initial inquiry within 1-2 business days.
In your email’s subject line, write “Volunteering With Palestinian Refugees.” We will send you an application form which you will fill out and return to us to begin the on-boarding process.
How To Get Further Information
For more information, please visit our website: https://engageinpalestine.org/
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