The Description of Sports/Youth Developments Program

Sports & YOUTH Development Volunteer Program in Palestine is a unique opportunity for those athletes or sports coaches who wish to help Palestinians in the field of various sports such as football, swimming, basketball, volleyball, and other sports in which volunteers want to transfer their experience and train Palestinian children and youth.

Sports & YOUTH Development Volunteer Program in Palestine aimed at promoting the involvement of children and youth in sports as a source of positive energy, as well as to build their self-confidence. We at the Palestinian Center believe that sports help guide young people and children and keep them away from any negative influences within their communities and enhance the idea of ​​collective action to advance the local community.

Sports & YOUTH Development Volunteer Program in Palestine is open to all who want to help Palestinian youth and children through sports, as well as develop their English conversational skills, as this program provides not only the opportunity for sports training/activities but also the opportunity for educational development through individual English language classes (one to one) that focus on English conversation.

An introduction to sports in Palestine

Palestine participated for the first time in the 1996 Summer Olympics. Ramallah has the best sports halls. Palestinian athletes suffer from the difficulty of movement between cities and outside Palestine for different sports participation due to the separation wall and many Israeli checkpoints, yet they can access sports centers in East Jerusalem starting in 2009. Some girls’ schools have included football in their curricula.

Before the Nakba in 1948, the occupation of Palestine, and the establishment of the State of Israel, there were dozens of active sports clubs in Palestine, which forced most of the clubs to close. The Israeli government has demolished the infrastructure of some of the most modern and advanced Palestinian sports associations. Football has been described as the national sport in Palestine.

What Sports & Youth Development Volunteer Program in Palestine includes? 

This program includes different types of activities such as the following:

• Volunteers will help organize or help organize sports activities at local schools in Hebron for Palestinian primary and secondary school students.
• Volunteers will participate in Educational activities that are aimed at educating Palestinian children and youth including English sessions that focus on conversation. You will not teach any grammar!, We would like our students to learn by doing e.g, games, group work…etc.
• Do not worry, you will not do it alone, our Palestinian volunteers will help you organize those activities as well.

The Benefits of the Sports Volunteer Program

By participating in this program, you get the following:

• Participate in/organize sports activities and interact with Palestinian children, youth, and community members.
• Engaging in the Palestinian community, culture, and daily life
• Experience true life in Palestine and what it means to be a Palestinian.

The Sports & Youth Development Volunteer Program Program Fees

What does the participation fee include?

Accommodation	Host family or at our 8th-floor apartment Private accommodation is available with extra fees
Arabic Lessons	4,5 Hours a Week – Three Classes/ 1,5 hours of Arabic lessons each
Meals	Daily Palestinian breakfast
Day Trips	To Refugees camps in Hebron & Bethlehem
Sightseeing	Historical & politically important places in the city of Hebron
Certificate	Certificate of participation & recommendation letter at the end of the program

Who can apply? Should I speak Arabic?

Anyone who is between the ages of 18 and 70 is eligible to apply and join the program. No, volunteers are not obligated to know Arabic in order to participate in the program. We place our participants at the appropriate language level.

Can I add more Arabic hours to my hours in the program?

Yes; however, each extra hour costs $20.00 more. Please mention this in your application.   

Place of Volunteer Program	Hebron, Palestine – West Bank
Age	18-70 Years Old
Minimum Period of Volunteering in Palestine	One Week
Maximum Period of Volunteering in Palestine	12 Weeks
Volunteering Hours	6-7 hours a day – 5 days a week
Starting/Ending Dates	Flexible – Anytime
Application Deadline	No Deadline
Program Language	English
Days off	Two days including Fridays & Thursdays or Saturdays
Arabic Lessons	4,5 Hours a Week – Standard Arabic Or Ammiya
Educational Degree	Not Required
University Credit	Available

Can I extend my program duration while I am there?

Yes, volunteers are allowed to extend their participation period. In this case, volunteers must inform the Center Coordinator at least one week before the end of the current program. 

When can I apply to the Program?

Volunteers decide when they would like to participate. We are very flexible when it comes to starting and ending dates so that the applicant decides to start and end dates for him/herself.

Can I combine this program with another internship/volunteer program?

Yes, this program can be combined with one or more of the other internship programs the center offers. This means that you choose for example (one week or more regarding this program & one week or more regarding another one). Don’t worry, you only fill out one application.

Living Cost	Approx. 50$ a Week
Weekend	On Friday
Wifi Access	At the Center, Host Family & Our Apartment
Currency	Israeli Shekel (NIS)
Transportation	Taxies & Mini-Vans
Weather	Summer (25-30°C), Winter (0-9°C)
Airports	Ben Gurion Airport in Israel if you travel via Israel Alia International Airport if you travel via Jordan

Do I need a visa to enter Palestine? 

Yes. The Israeli government requires a visa for you to enter Israel. Visas are routinely granted upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport (Tel Aviv) if you are a citizen of an exempted country.

They are available also at the Allenby-King Hussein Bridge Israel-Jordan border crossing. Tourist visas are valid for 90 days. Most Americans and Europeans are issued three-month visas upon arrival and clearing customs.

Traveling Solo to Palestine

Traveling to Palestine, whether with someone or alone, is an interesting and once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Safety is always a concern no matter where one travels, but with common sense and planning, your travel can be enjoyable, fun, and worry-free, as well as save you money.

People in Palestine are very friendly, enthusiastic, and eager to help and to talk with people from different cultures and countries. The opportunities to interact with internationals will make a Palestinian’s day, and, in turn, this will make your trip more enjoyable and interesting. If you are traveling alone, your solitariness will make you more approachable than if you are traveling as a group member.

Do not let your fears and apprehensions paralyze you and rob you of the adventure of a lifetime. Come to Palestine as a solitary traveler and experience its fascinations and beauties. It has been said that “the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page”.  Allow yourself to read the whole book – a book you will never forget!

Important Articles to READ – Please Click to Read

How to fly to Palestine?	Is Palestine Safe?
Visa to Palestine	Travelling SOLO to Palestine
Hebron City	What to wear in Palestine?
First Impressions of the Palestinian People	What to Pack for a Summer in Palestine?

What is the application process?

• First, send us an email asking for the application form.
• We send you the application, and you fill out the application and send it back to us.
• Our team reviews your application. We may invite you for an interview by means of a Skype/WhatsApp call.
• If you are selected after the interview, we will send you a confirmation form which you fill out and return to us.
• We prepare and send you the Invitation Letter and the Contract.  We will also send you the invoice for payment, which will include all the information regarding payment options.  
• You will sign the contract and make payment in order to reserve your place in the program.
• We will send you an Orientation Booklet and travel instructions. These two items will provide you with all the information on how to get to Hebron and contact the Center. One of our coordinators will provide his/her contact number within an email sent to you.  

IMPORTANT Links/Files

Our Video Gallery	Get to Know us! (Pdf file)
Our Photo Gallery	Our Volunteer Programs
Reviews on Go Abroad	Our Internship Programs
Reviews on Go Overseas	Study Shami Arabic

Documents you’ll receive from us!

How to apply or get any additional information?

Please send an email to Mr. Tamimi at info@gopalestine.org. Please type Sports & Youth Development Volunteer Program in Palestine in the subject line. We will then contact you back!

Rech us OUT!

WhatsApp: +972598172071

The Palestinian Center (Go Palestine) on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gopalestinehebron/

The Palestinian Center (Go Palestine) on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/go_palestine/

The Palestinian Center (Go Palestine) Youtube Channel: https://bit.ly/2RJx2Ya

We’d be very happy to have you in Palestine!