How to Volunteer Abroad with Refugees in Palestine: Palestine has a very high number of people with formal refugee status. It might be surprising to learn that the refugees in Palestine are actually all Palestinians.
In 1948, the formation of Israel on Palestinian land resulted in what is called the ‘Nakba’, or ‘catastrophe’. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee their historical homes. Some went to neighbouring Jordan or further afield, and some went to different parts of what is now called the West Bank.
According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, nearly one-third of the registered Palestine refugees (more than 1.5 million individuals) live in 58 recognized Palestine refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Palestinian refugee camps started as temporary tented communities, waiting for the war to be over so they could return home. Over 70 years later, they are still waiting to go back to the land they were pushed from.
While Palestinians’ resilience keeps their hope alive, many things can be done to help make day-to-day life in the camps easier. Volunteering, for example, can make a significant impact on refugee communities. International volunteers contribute a lot—from education and English instruction to assisting in community development projects to advocacy for the communities they are working in.
Table of Contents
Where to Volunteer Abroad with Refugees in Palestine in 2025
There are 19 official Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank, housing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians and their descendants. Today, these camps are densely populated areas where generations of refugees live under challenging conditions, often facing poverty, overcrowding, and limited access to resources and opportunities.
Near Hebron, the refugee camps include Al-Fawwar, Arroub, and Al-Hussein. These camps face unique challenges, including overcrowding, limited infrastructure, and frequent military incursions due to their proximity to Israeli settlements and military installations. For instance, Al-Fawwar Camp, located just southwest of Hebron, is known for its dense population and the severe restrictions placed on residents’ movement, which hinder access to jobs, education, and healthcare.
Types of Volunteer Opportunities
There are many different ways that international volunteers can help support Palestinian refugees in camps around Hebron:
Educational Support
Volunteers can help teach English or support the development of other skills for children and adults alike. Some volunteers have done things like help people with their CVs, run specialised training sessions, and give presentations in their areas of expertise. These initiatives can help provide a great education and better employment opportunities for people within the camps.
Community Projects
Some volunteers engage in organising community projects for people in the camps, like health campaigns, clean-up initiatives, or recreational activities for the children. Such projects are valuable in helping build community care and cohesion.
Advocacy
Based on their experience at the camps, many volunteers choose to undertake some form of advocacy in order to help raise awareness about the situation of refugees. This includes sharing their experiences at the camps, and the stories of people they meet, on their own platforms or through media back in their home countries.
We invite anyone with skills and experience to share, or even those with an interest in learning more about refugees, to apply to one of our programs and help volunteer in Palestine.
List of Volunteer Abroad with Refugees in Palestine Programs
Our Volunteer Abroad with Refugees in Palestine Programs provide a unique and immersive experience for students, recent graduates, and individuals taking a gap year. Based in the West Bank of Palestine, these programs offer diverse opportunities in education, human rights, community development, and cultural exchange.
Here you may find the list of Volunteer Abroad with Refugees in Palestine Programs:
1. The Palestinian Refugees Volunteer Program
Throughout the Palestinian Refugees Volunteer Program, gap year students will work directly with Palestinian refugees in the city of Hebron, West Bank. Volunteers will have the opportunity to work with Palestinian women, children, and youths in order to enhance each other’s skills, create mutual understanding, engage in language exchange, and make a difference in each other’s lives. Volunteers will also have the chance to stay with a Palestinian host family, study colloquial Arabic, live the Palestinian daily life, and experience Palestinian culture and politics.
The Palestinian schools in the refugee camps are underdeveloped and lack many of the basic resources to fulfill their students’ educational needs. The main purpose of bringing volunteers to Hebron is so that refugees can gain skills that might otherwise be out of reach for them. This can be done through teaching English and in many other ways. You can genuinely impact the students’ lives with your time and volunteering.
2. Teach English And Study Arabic
The Teach English and Study Arabic in Palestine Program is designed for gap year students, native and non-native English speakers, graduates, professionals, and retirees seeking teaching opportunities in the West Bank, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and the broader Arabic-speaking world.
This program offers the unique chance to live in Hebron, Palestine, meet diverse people, and contribute to the local community by volunteering to teach English to Palestinian children, youth, and community members. During the internship, you will also have the opportunity to study Levantine or Palestinian Arabic, enhancing your cultural immersion experience.
3. Volunteer With Palestinian Orphanages
Volunteer With Palestinian Orphanages: Hebron City, in the Occupied West Bank, is home to several orphanages that provide essential care and support to thousands of Palestinian children who have lost one or both of their parents. The high number of orphans in the region is largely due to ongoing conflict, military occupation, economic hardship, and limited access to healthcare. Some children lose their parents to direct violence, such as military raids, airstrikes, and clashes. Others are caused by the impact of long-term instability, including imprisonment of family members, displacement, or lack of access to health services.
There are approximately 7,000 orphans in and around Hebron city, ranging from infants to young adults. These orphanages provide essential services such as housing, education, medical care, and psychological support to children without stable family situations. They often rely on funding from local charities, international donors, and religious organizations to support their operations. Some orphanages also function as social enterprises, operating businesses like kitchens and grocery stores to generate income and further support their work.
4. Volunteer in Local Palestinian Villages
Volunteer in Local Palestinian Villages: This program offers an excellent opportunity for gap year students of all ages to work directly with Palestinian communities in villages and rural areas of the West Bank, including Dura and the Hebron Hills, such as Masafer Yatta, Susya, Umm Al-Khayr, the Al-Fawwar refugee camp, and Bani Na’im. Volunteers will collaborate with Palestinian children, youth, women, and refugees to enhance their skills and participate in educational and recreational activities.
Volunteers will also learn Arabic to communicate with the locals and visit sites of Palestinian cultural and historical significance in and around Hebron city. This program is a great opportunity to deepen their understanding of daily life in Palestinian communities, security challenges, and resilience under occupation.
5. Community Development Volunteer Program in Palestine
The Community Development Program through Internship in Palestine offers a unique opportunity to engage with the Palestinian community by working with local organizations. This program is ideal for gap year students who wish to support Palestinian children, women, youth, and refugees in camps, as well as other community members in and around Hebron, West Bank.
Internship in Palestine is now accepting applications for its Community Development Volunteer Program in Palestine for 2025/2026. This program focuses on supporting Palestinian youth, children, refugees, and women. It offers an excellent opportunity for individuals looking to volunteer in Gaza or the West Bank, allowing them to make a meaningful impact in local Palestinian communities while immersing themselves in Levantine culture.
6. Internship with Palestinian Children
Internship with Palestinian Children: This program offers an excellent opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students, professionals, retirees, social workers, and teachers interested in volunteering with Palestinian children. It is also ideal for both native and non-native English speakers who wish to gain experience working with children in Palestine. Those interested in childhood education will especially benefit from this hands-on experience. Interns will fully immerse themselves in Palestinian culture, daily life, politics, the human rights situation, and the educational system, providing a unique and enriching perspective on the region.
Interns in Palestine can join our program for the period of time that best suits them, anything from 1 to 13 weeks in duration. They can come any time of the year, as we are flexible regarding starting and ending dates. People of all backgrounds and nationalities are welcome to apply, the only condition being that you must be at least 18 years old to join.
How to Apply for a Volunteer Program
Because there are many volunteer organisations, selecting the right one is an important decision. It’s important to make sure you choose the program that best reflects your skills, expertise, and interests, as well as the needs of the community. So, how do you pick a good organisation?
Our advice is to look for programs that are created by, or at least primarily run by, people local to where you will be staying. Many international people can have great intentions by setting up programs they think a community might need. Instead, look for programs where a need has been identified by the community itself.
Another piece of advice is to not only check the organisation’s website, but also whether they have an online presence elsewhere to verify the experiences of other volunteers. Salam Palestine is registered with Go Overseas, a well-known organisation that helps people from around the world to find meaningful and fulfilling volunteer positions. We currently have a 4.85 (out of 5) rating from 852 reviews and have received over 20 community awards from 2019 onwards, including for 2024.
Once you’ve decided on the organisation you want to volunteer with and the program you’re interested in doing, the next step is to apply. The application process should be easy to do, and the organisation should be responsive to your request. At Salam Palestine, we simply ask that people send an email to Info@ecpalestine.org, enquiring about their program of choice, when they would like to arrive, and how long they would like to stay.
Visa and Travel Requirements for 2025
Currently, in order to travel to Palestine, you need to secure a visa from Israel. Tourist visas are issued on arrival at the border and can last for up to 90 days. As of January 1st, 2025, you need to fill out an Electronic Travel Authorization prior to departure.
There are two key crossings into the West Bank: a land crossing through Jordan at the King Hussein Bridge, or arriving at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport just outside of Tel Aviv. Travel through Jordan is currently highly recommended, as many people have recently faced difficulty entering Israel through Ben Gurion Airport. The way takes a bit longer and is a bit more complicated, but there is generally a better chance that you will be granted entry. Read our article on traveling from Jordan to Palestine for more information.
The first thing to know is that preparing to cross the border will almost always sound worse than it actually is. Since 2011, over 1000 volunteers have come to spend time with Salam Palestine with no problems. However, entering Palestine can be more difficult sometimes than at other times, depending on the changing security situation.
There is a chance that you will be pulled aside for questioning when you try to cross the border. The questions will usually be about your intentions in Israel (tourism, visiting friends and family, etc) and why you have decided to travel now. We recommend you say you are traveling for tourism and that you prepare some answers, like where you intend to stay, what you intend to do, and see over the span of your trip. It is highly recommended that you do not mention Palestine, the West Bank, or any West Bank cities, or volunteering and learning Arabic.
Living and Working Conditions as a Volunteer
Accommodation
Salam Palestine has a variety of accommodation options to suit different needs. Most commonly, volunteers will reside at one of our shared flats located close to the center. There is one for men and one for women. The apartments are modern, spacious, and equipped with everything you need for daily living. Rooms might be shared depending on the number of volunteers, but it is possible to request a private room if you prefer. Another option (for female volunteers) is placement with a Palestinian host family. This immersion is a great way to experience the local culture and language.
For our volunteering in a Palestinian refugee camp program, volunteers will be based in Hebron and commute to the camp to work with the community two or three days per week.
Daily Life
At Salam Palestine, our volunteers’ days usually start at 10 am with a communal breakfast in our kitchen. We have everything you’ll usually find on the table for breakfast in a Palestinian home – bread, hummus, avocado, tomato, eggs, za’atar, and olive oil served with tea or coffee. This breakfast is an important start to the day, allowing staff and volunteers to mingle, speak about their days, and get to know each other better.
After breakfast, usually comes the Arabic classes with our wonderful teachers. The length and frequency of your Arabic classes will depend on whether you are in an intensive course or studying Arabic as part of another program.
In the afternoon, program-specific activities occur. At the end of the day, volunteers usually like to go out for dinner at one of the many restaurants on bustling Ein Sara Street, sit at a cafe and study together, or return home and cook for themselves.
Weekends and Getting Around
Weekends in Palestine are Fridays and Saturdays, while the start of the working week is on Sunday. On Fridays, most shops and cafes close, and many people like to stay home and spend time with their families. Saturdays tend to be more lively, with people out and about shopping and eating at restaurants with friends.
While there are trains and light rail options in Israel, Palestine’s public transport consists of shared taxis called Services (pronounced Servees). These are usually quite affordable and easy to catch. Many volunteers like to travel on the weekends, taking local transport to cities like Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Tel Aviv, and Nablus. Just make sure you agree on a price with the driver before you start the journey!
Ethical Volunteering and Cultural Sensitivity
Volunteering done without ethics in mind can be detrimental to the community. That is why it’s important to keep in mind how to volunteer responsibly when you’re in a community and a setting that is very different from your home.
One of the biggest considerations for volunteering responsibly is to respect the culture and traditions of the community you are staying in. While there is a mix of different religions in Palestine, it is a primarily Islamic society. If you have lived in a Muslim-majority country before, Hebron will feel really familiar. If you haven’t, some things can be a bit different from what you’re used to.
The first thing is the local culture when it comes to gender. Men and women do not usually shake hands or otherwise show physical affection in public. Some things, like gyms, are separated, often having different opening hours for men and women. There are also some gyms that are just for women and some that are just for men.
Another consideration is clothing. Hebron is quite a conservative city. For men, this usually means no shorts. For women, it is best to wear long, loose clothing to the wrists and ankles and ensure the chest is covered. Women in Hebron tend to be very stylish, so conservative definitely doesn’t have to mean boring!
Finally, it’s important to remember that even though you’re coming to help the community, the community isn’t helpless. Palestinians are strong, resilient, and hopeful about their future. They have found ways to thrive even under occupation. By volunteering at Salam Palestine, you’ll be working alongside Palestinians and learning as much from them as they learn from you!
How to Volunteer Abroad with Refugees in Palestine? – Summary
Palestinian refugee camps exist on the knife-edge of the Israeli occupation, their movement and opportunities restricted, always waiting for the next bout of violence to erupt. At the same time, these people never allow the grim reality of their situation to dampen their spirit or dull their kindness.
Any support that can be offered to improve day-to-day life in the West Bank’s refugee camps is incredibly welcome. That’s why Salam Palestine offers international volunteers the opportunity to come and spend time with these communities, contributing skills and expertise while also showing solidarity with their cause.
If you’re interested in coming to spend time in the West Bank and to volunteer in refugee camps around Hebron, please reach out to Info@ecpalestine.org.
Find Us Online
Do you have questions about our work? Contact us:
Email: info@ecpalestine.org
WhatsApp: +972 599 479 880
EC Website: https://excellencenter.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excellence.center
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExcellenceCenter
Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQSLdFZWZcBm6Uj0XMYuKg
Tags: Community development internships in the West Bank and Gaza, Cultural immersion and internships in Palestine 2025/2026, Gain international experience through internships in Palestine, How to intern abroad in Palestine, Internship opportunities in Palestine 2025
