An-Najah National University in Nablus-Palestine is pleased to announce an International Camps Program for 2020. Facilitated by Zajel Youth Exchange Program of the Public Relations Department that will host a two weeks long voluntary project. Zajel Program kindly invites people from across the world to explore this opportunity and to engage culturally and socially with people of Palestine.

The Camps will offer the opportunity for the international volunteers to give training workshops on capacity building for the Palestinian students. In addition, each camp includes visits to the different Palestinian associations, cities, refugee camps, villages and the desert. The program also includes some lectures about different fields and issues of the Middle East conflict.

Capacity Building Workshops: The Daily Voluntary Work

Through international solidarity work and skill sharing, it is possible to help empower young Palestinians to create a better reality for themselves. We try to provide as many positive options as we can, recognizing that many international volunteers have good qualifications and skills to share with our local students, (which is not a must) as well as, a willingness to provide assistance. Here is an outline of the workshops comprising this section of the camp, you can select the topic you prefer. (Optional).

Public Speaking – giving a training workshop in the field of public speaking skills will enhance the individual’s linguistic skills. This is considered fundamental training for fluency in a certain language.

Social Media: Giving the students some skills in the fields of using the different social media platforms is useful for the local students who are willing to improve their skills in recruiting the social media for better marketing and promotion.

Film Production and Editing – Training the local students on the needed skills for editing and developing their own mobile/camera films. Such training workshops are mostly needed in the age of social media.

English Conversation – English language and conversational etiquette taught by a native speaker is a novelty in Palestine. Having the chance to speak and converse with internationals and native speakers is very important in learning any language. It is the practical side of learning through which the learner could acquire the right accent, pronunciation and new vocabulary.

Debating Skills – This workshop will aim to enhance debating ability through teaching diplomacy skills, confidence, and style of argument. A key learning method will be role-playing because; sustained role-playing can also improve our insight into other people’s points of view and the validity of our own opinions and ideologies.

Communication Skills – Native speakers in English will be able to provide first-hand knowledge and experience about how to interact with others. This workshop will focus on developing the skills and manners in accordance with norms and practices of global culture in communication.

Capacity/ Competency Building/ Communication Skills – Students have few opportunities for extra-curricular activities with which to develop the ‘soft-skills’ employers look for in addition to academic performance. This leaves them under-prepared for the world of work and at a disadvantage when competing in international job markets. This workshop will focus on topics such as CV writing, interview skills, team work, body language, writing motivation letter and any other skills related to work and communication to help raise students’ abilities, which will make them a more capable, competent and employable graduate.

 “Note”

The daily voluntary work is not a must. The workshops focus on capacity building. However, if your first language is not English, you can support workshops as an assistant and we also could give you other tasks to support the camp or organize a cultural workshop that fits with your language.

Targeted Group:

Each Camp will bring together people who are interested in helping to create a better world. We are looking for those who seek a unique and informative experience of Palestine. We are also targeting those who are willing to volunteer for our capacity building project by volunteering for two or four hours a day. The Program is intended to involve lots of interaction with our local participants.

Reports, Interviews, Documentary & Reflections of Former Volunteers

You can read the reflections of the former volunteers who attended our exchange workcamps by clicking here; https://goo.gl/AXmpV9 while you can see some recorded interview with international volunteers by visiting this link: https://goo.gl/ftgo6C . You can read the reports of the previous international work camps by visiting this link: https://goo.gl/11teT4  .  Seeing this documentary will also give you an idea about what to expect during the voluntary work camps of Zajel: https://youtu.be/En7rKlyMEFk   

 If the announcement for this opportunity has drawn your interest, we encourage you to fill the Application form for the Camp Program and send it to these emails:  [email protected]  and [email protected]

More Details:

Time and Venue:

The workshops and lectures will take place in class rooms and meeting halls at the campus of An-Najah National University, which are equipped with needed utilities and tools.

The Program will be divided into two shifts: The morning shift will be concerned with the visits and trips while the latter one will mainly be dedicated to the training workshop activities. The evenings will be dedicated to entertaining and recreational activities.

Accommodation:

Zajel will be responsible for providing suitable accommodation for the participants at special apartment-dorms outside the campus: The Program will be in charge of the transportation to and from the apartments.

Zajel International Camp and Workshops

The event will be a challenging two weeks' experience. The participants will have the chance to discuss relevant issues of the world, particularly in Palestine. All volunteers will have the chance to work and create positive and real impact in our communities through a variety of activities related to social youth development. Living and working together in Nablus city, the volunteers will gain a better understanding of themselves, Palestinian socio-political questions, the world around them and the continuing Palestinian struggle for freedom.

Zajel Camps:

With over seventeen years’ experience in youth exchange programs and activities; Zajel is now pleased to invite people from across the world to take part in this experience of an International Camp. The international participants along with local volunteers will have the chance to attend workshops and lectures that include topics selected by remarkable teachers at An-Najah National University’s campus.

The topics include a variety of issues concerning the Palestinian cause in terms of its history, present and future, in addition to a wide range of subjects. We aim to provide the participants with a clearer image about diverse aspects of Palestine and the Middle East, as well as, to narrow the gap of misunderstanding and challenge misconceptions.

Visa:

There is no need for visa prior to the arrival of the citizens of the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and EU, there is no need to get a visa before coming to the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Instead, you can obtain your visa upon arrival at Tel Aviv Airport where you will be received by a representative of the University who will then take care of you and escort you to the university in Nablus city.

Access to the University’s computer labs and internet:

Access to internet at the University is easy, free and accessible for smart phones holders. The computer labs are located at the new and old campuses; there you can access your e-mail and surf the internet freely.

Food:

Food is available for you at the restaurants which are located at both the new and old campuses. We will provide you with three meals a day. You will have a variety of local food and dishes.  Special meals can be prepared for dietary reasons.

Health and safety measures:

The Program will take place at academically-purposed class rooms and halls on the University’s campuses: security will be maintained by professional university security systems and personnel, as well as, the assistance of well-trained local volunteers.

The Program is responsible for airport transportations from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, through the barriers surrounding the West Bank and Nablus city, in addition to being responsible for the local transportations according to the official schedule. The Program will also provide all participants with medical insurance, which would cover most incidents during their stay here with the Program.

Fee:

$450 Per person

The fee includes:

Food (Three meals a day)

Local transportation for trips across the West Bank and from Tel Aviv Airport and trips.

Administrative cost.

Health Insurance.

Airfare: Airfare is not provided by Zajel Camp Program. It is expected that flight ticket is arranged by participants of the Program. Prices vary, so it is best to book your flights early.

Vision:

The Program’s primary objective is to provide a common ground for education and enlightenment through a set of topics that cover major aspects of the Palestinian cause and its people. The Program also seeks to provide a space to share knowledge and expertise between international and local students. The Program will provide a suitable venue to foster the exchange of ideas and cultures, as well as, to bridge the gap of misunderstanding and misconception.

Deadline: One week before the implementation of the camp.

If you are interested to apply, kindly fill the  Application Form

 

Yours Sincerely,

Alaa Yousef / Coordinator

Zajel Youth Exchange Program

Public Relations Department

An-Najah National University

Nablus, Palestine

https://www.najah.edu

http://youth.najah.edu

[email protected]

[email protected]

Tel: 0097092345113

Ext: 2201

Mobile: 00970592444817

Fax: 0097092345982

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