The Media and Journalism volunteer program in the West Bank, Palestine, is ideal for anyone interested in giving Palestinians a voice on the global stage. As a volunteer, you will help raise awareness of circumstances within the West Bank while also learning about ethical journalistic practices. Although this program would suit many potential volunteers, seasoned and aspiring journalists are especially encouraged to apply.
This volunteer program in the West Bank, Palestine, would also interest students of journalism, mass communication, media studies, communications, political science, English, social work, and other related fields. Recent graduates will welcome the opportunity to gain real-world experience from this program, as cross-cultural communication, travel within the Middle East, and Arabic language acquisition are all highly valued by prospective employers.
During the Media and Journalism program, you will be responsible for conducting video interviews with local Palestinians and writing articles encapsulating the Palestinian refugee experience. You will also participate in center-led activities and become familiar with Palestinians’ daily lives and human rights situations.
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Importance of Media in Palestine: documenting daily life
By volunteering in Media and Journalism in the West Bank, you will help elevate Palestinian voices on the global stage, where they have historically been denied representation. This has, in turn, led to the misrepresentation of Palestinians, making it all the more important for journalists to use the correct language when reporting on Palestinian issues.
Study in Palestine aims to connect Palestine to the world through the work of international visitors. Participants can experience the diversity of Palestinian perspectives and identities. In addition to learning about Palestine, Palestinians will better understand the world through their interactions with the participants. This way, exchanges between Palestinians and their visitors can become mutually beneficial and symbiotic.
During the program, as volunteers and interns, you will assist local Palestinian news agencies as they articulate the Palestinian perspective throughout the Arabic-speaking world. Unlike significant news organizations such as Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya, Palestinian news agencies lack the necessary resources to expand their audience. By volunteering with Study in Palestine, you can help these news organizations gain acknowledgment and respect from a larger regional and international audience.
Both experienced and amateur photographers interested in or experienced in photojournalism are also encouraged to apply. Volunteers with this specialization can participate in photography missions in Hebron and the surrounding areas, documenting Palestinian daily life. At times, volunteers will research contemporary issues within Palestine, fact-check articles, and verify sources while utilizing various forms of media to improve the representation of Palestinians in the media.
Volunteering in Media and Journalism in the West Bank
Study in Palestine offers a summer program from June until August for people looking for Media and Journalism volunteer opportunities in Israel, the West Bank, Palestine, or the Middle East. These programs are ideal for students on summer break or anyone looking to volunteer during an extended visit to the region.
These summer Media and Journalism volunteer programs combine an Arabic language focus with complete immersion in and engagement with Palestinian culture, politics, and history. Participants visit Bedouin areas (Susiya), Palestinian refugee camps, local villages, and community centers.
Who Can Participate?
We are committed to equal opportunities. Study in Palestine does not discriminate based on nationality, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other grounds. We have a long tradition of accepting individuals from all over the world, and volunteers have come from many walks of life, backgrounds, and identities. Everyone is invited to engage!
Program Details and Additional Activities in Palestine
Volunteers in the Media and Journalism Program based in Hebron, West Bank, will receive the following benefits. More details are given below. These include:
- Arabic lessons are three hours weekly with native speakers in the Palestinian dialect, and MSA is offered if desired. Our teachers are well-qualified and attentive, each with a solid educational background, ready and willing to assist you.
- Visiting Palestinian universities, local institutions, and organizations specializing in culture and education
- Become acquainted with Palestinian culture and the Arabic language.
- You can learn about the importance of media in Palestine.
- Document the lives of local Palestinians and refugees in the West Bank.
- Record daily activities of volunteers at the Center
- Design and conduct workshops to educate Palestinians on the power of media, ethical reporting standards, and the process of media production. The workshops may also function as seminars and classes. Past examples include an overview of ethical sourcing and intellectual property and an insight into journalistic practices. Volunteers will also teach young Palestinians to be more aware of the internet and social media so that they may use them more deliberately and responsibly.
- Learning about the human rights situation and aiding Palestinian refugees.
- Exposure to everyday life in Hebron, as well as Palestinian culture and society, including the chance to experience traditional Palestinian dishes and desserts
- Accommodation is arranged through a Palestinian host family or our all-male dormitory
- Palestinian cultural nights with entertainment and activities
- Opportunities to visit unique tourist attractions with the benefit of a native point of view, including Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus, Tulkarm, Qalqilyah, Jenin, and the Dead Sea in Jericho
- The option to visit nearby cities as well as cities located in Israel, including Akko, Herzliya, Beersheva, Eilat, Tiberias, Netanya, Safed, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Masada, Amman, Aqaba, Wadi Rum and Nazareth
- And finally, a certificate upon completion.
The First Week
The program’s first week will be spent adapting to life in Hebron and preparing for service in your field of expertise. During this time, you will also attend classes on Palestinian culture and the Arabic language, which will enable you to interact better with Palestinians.
Palestinians are traditionally hospitable and welcoming people and will undoubtedly appreciate any effort that volunteers make to speak Arabic, as this shows a genuine interest and respect for Palestinians and their culture.
The Following Weeks
Once settled in, you will start learning about media and journalism in Palestine and may also begin facilitating workshops alongside local Palestinians. Workshops will focus on safe internet navigation, ethical sourcing of information and materials, and the effect of news media on world affairs and public opinion. Subsequently, workshops may expand beyond these topics into more diverse or specific subjects. Study in Palestine will only be happy to offer guidance on any program of special interest to volunteers.
During your stay in Hebron, you can participate in Center-led excursions to Hebron, West Bank. These site visits are an excellent opportunity to explore Palestine while gaining a deeper understanding of the historical, cultural, social, and political factors affecting Palestinians’ lives.
Arabic Culture and Language Immersion
Every week, every international volunteer and intern will receive three hours of Arabic instruction from a professional, skilled, and attentive teacher. These classes are designed to help you connect with the individuals you are working with on an essential level. Attempting to learn the local language is also considered a sign of respect for their culture and is always appreciated by all parties involved.
You will have plenty of opportunities to practice the Arabic you have been studying in class because you will meet new people daily in Palestine. Our instructors teach both Modern Standard Arabic and Colloquial Arabic.
Live With a Palestinian Host Family
In addition to learning first-hand about one of the most politically divisive regions in the world, volunteers and interns will be supported in your endeavors throughout your stay. You can also be given a host family in addition to your specific program objectives.
Via a stay with a host family during the time in Hebron, you will be given many opportunities to fully immerse yourself in a Palestinian context through many conversations among the local friendly community of Hebron and learn Arabic. You will consequently be given a rare look into Palestinian home life and culture. You will participate in family activities, attend Palestinian cultural events, become familiar with daily life in Hebron, and much more!
Impact on the Palestinian Community
Studying in Palestine’s Media and Journalism Program can help aspiring journalists sharpen their media skills during complete immersion in the many facets of Palestinian culture. Because the program is located in Hebron, as a participant, you will inevitably gain an understanding of daily life in Palestine.
Our Journalism Volunteer and Internship programs in the West Bank, Palestine, are well-researched, targeted, and suitable for anyone who wants to gain insights into daily Palestinian life, media, culture, and human rights. We aim to make a long-term difference for the Palestinian local community by exchanging ideas and “walking in each other’s shoes.”
Ethical Journalism
Volunteering in the Media and Journalism Program in the West Bank is an excellent way to learn the ins and outs of ethical journalism, the process of publishing in the media, and the real-life impact of world news on the communities being featured. As part of the program, you will participate in community festivals, visit historical and political significance areas, and work closely with the Hebron community.
After the volunteer program in the West Bank, Palestine, following your internship in the Media and Journalism Program, you can share the knowledge you have acquired with Palestinians here in Hebron. In this way, you can ensure that the Palestinian local community can discern ethical journalism for themselves as they analyze news media and create their own.
Volunteering and interning in Hebron, West Bank, is a unique opportunity to genuinely impact your life and others, including Palestinian children, refugees, women, youth, and community members in the West Bank, Palestine.
Practical Information
| Program Location | Hebron, West Bank, Palestine |
| Program Fees | 750€ per month 250€ per week |
| Age Limit | 18-70 years old |
| Duration | 1-13 weeks |
| Program Components | Ethical journalism Media and Journalism workshops News media in Palestine Assisting local Palestinian news organizations |
| Number of Arabic Lessons per Week | 3 hours in total |
| Duration of Arabic Lessons | 45 Minutes |
| Number of Participants | Varies |
| Qualifications required | None |
| Start/End Dates | Flexible to fit participant’s schedule |
| Application Deadline | No deadline |
| University Credit | Available |
| Program Language | English |
Program Costs And Information
Study in Palestine is priced competitively compared to other programs, at 750€ a month and 250€ a week. Program costs cover language courses, accommodation, a complimentary breakfast each day the participant is at the center, operating costs, and group excursions. No additional or hidden fees are applied to these programs, as the price quoted above is the complete and final cost that participants will pay.
At Study in Palestine, we understand that things change. Our programs are incredibly flexible if you need to alter travel plans or change your heart. You decide your arrival as programs begin at the center year-round (with flexible start and end dates).
Furthermore, you can change your start date entirely free of charge if requested at least two weeks beforehand.
Daily schedule for Volunteers
Volunteering with us at Study In Palestine will require commitment and flexibility. You will be expected to work approximately 30 hours a week, from around 9 am until 5 pm. One of your days off will be Friday and another day of your choice. We are closed on Fridays.
International volunteers start the day every morning with breakfast with our staff and the directors. It typically consists of bread, olive oil and za’atar, hummus, labneh, falafel, cucumber, tomato, and bell pepper – all essentials in a traditional Palestinian morning meal.
How to Get to Palestine?
The most convenient method to reach us at Study In Palestine is to fly to:
- Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv Airport in Israel. It takes roughly two and a half hours to get there by shared cab from the airport to Hebron.
Alternatively:
- I flew to Eilat airport in the south of Israel, then took a shuttle or bus to Jerusalem and finally to Hebron. The travel time, however, was between six and seven hours.
- Flying to Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, and then crossing the border into Palestine. This, however, takes more time and is more expensive.
Traveling to and from Hebron, West Bank
All Study in Palestine volunteers travel to and from Hebron in single or shared taxis that pass through checkpoints.
You will find all the necessary information about how to get to Hebron and Study in Palestine with relevant contact information in these four articles:
- How to fly to Palestine
- How to get to Hebron, Palestine
- Planning your trip to Palestine
- How to get from the Ben Gurion Airport, Israel, to Hebron
How Do I Get a Visa to Visit Palestine?
The majority of our volunteers in Palestine receive a three-month tourist visa when arriving at Israeli airports or crossing from Jordan to the West Bank.
Americans, Canadians, and most Europeans do not require a visa to enter Palestine, but they should refer to the visa exemption agreement for further information. However, you will have to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization ETA-IL. Upon arrival at the Israeli Airports in Tel Aviv or Eilat, you will be granted a tourist visa valid for 90 days. This is sufficient for participating in Palestine’s study programs and traveling around the country and Israel.
Traveling to Palestine On Your Own?
No worries, you’ve come to the right place!
You will meet many participants from overseas who are also involved in our volunteer abroad programs, university students, and a community of people with various interests. Palestinians in Hebron, in particular, love to meet new people from different cultures and exchange ideas and experiences.
For everyone here, it is like belonging to one family, and there are always activities to do together in Hebron’s fantastic social scene.
Criteria for Participants in the Human Rights Program:
- Aged 18 years and over
- Able to communicate in English
- Patient and enthusiastic
- Willing to work with a team of colleagues from all over the world
- Eagerness to learn
What You Don’t Need?
- Ability to speak Arabic
- Travel or work experience
- To be a native English speaker
- A degree in journalism
Summary: Join Our Family in Palestine
The Volunteer in Media and Journalism Program in the West Bank, Palestine, offers a unique opportunity to elevate Palestinian voices in the media. Ethical journalism is crucial here, as the international press has historically and continuously misrepresented Palestine and Palestinians.
Palestinian voices can be drowned out during rising tensions while being completely disregarded at other times. This program will satisfy anyone passionate about human rights, equal representation for all on the world stage, and improving the quality of ethical journalism.
How to Apply?
If you want to participate in our Media and Journalism Program, please email us at Info@ecpalestine.org. We should be able to respond to your initial inquiry within 1-3 business days.
In the subject line of your email, write “Volunteer in Media and Journalism.” When you respond, we will attach an application form. You can complete and return it to us to begin the process.
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