Volunteer program

Introduction

Volunteerism Work:

The volunteering work, with its social and human curriculum, represents a civilized curriculum that societies and civilizations live up with for a long time. It represents also a symbol of solidarity and cooperation between people in the same society despite of their differences in order to serve and develop their societies; this shows their importance to their societies and preparation to work hard to develop the society together. It also shows the citizens’ belonging to the society and completion with other official and unofficial associations.

The volunteering work is important and has a positive effect in citizens’ life and their different social associations in all economical, social and developmental levels whereas the volunteering work represents a practical example of social and in-group work to face problems and barriers that hinder society and prevent its development.

Importance of Volunteerism Accordant to ADWAR Perspective

The volunteering is found in every culture and civilization; and it is a humanitarian basic for all people as it is an inheritance to all cultures. The volunteering is important in building and developing nations and contributing in pushing the development process in all different countries. So that, the volunteering work is based on desire and self – motivation and it does not aim to achieve any material or private profit, but it aims to acquaint and enhance belonging to society and take responsibility that contributes to meet the needed social needs or serve an issue or resolve problems that society suffers from. It is also an indication of society vitality and the citizens’ dedication and sacrifice; as it is also a kind of free choosing to work that is based on conviction and preparation for volunteering under feeling of responsibility and belonging historically.

The idea of volunteering is taken from ideas of cooperation and solidarity between individuals and different groups by their permanent effort in order to get various resources and materials.

Concept of Volunteering in the Palestinian Society

Historically, volunteering is found with the presence of the Palestinian society whereas the society was based on cooperation, solidarity and support within different groups and parties like; olive harvest, citrus picking, houses building and others.

Coinciding with changing of political and economical circumstances in Palestine; especially with establishing of State of Israel on the largest part of Palestine, and with displacement more than two thirds of the Palestinian society as a large percentage of Palestine was being under occupation; the Palestinian society passed a new stage that is different qualitatively. What makes this stage different is the continuous struggle of the Palestinian society to get freedom and independency as it, in turn, reflects on the volunteering itself.

A large percentage of the farmlands is confiscated; it is considered as one of the important of parts in the Palestinian life. In turn, society struggle against occupation is raised and various kinds of resistance are found in addition to the armed resistance; as a result, a lot of societies and association that hold cooperation, social and charity work that aim to regulate efforts in order to meet a special groups’ needs in the society like; refugees, wounded, prisoners and martyrs’ families.

This concept took a different meaning in last sixties and in the beginning of seventies especially with a first presence of PLO and its different parties. It is worth mentioning that it is a popular volunteering character that includes most of Palestinians to replace the state or PLO or laws.

From the beginning of nineties, a lot of changes appeared on the volunteering in Palestine, especially after PLO was being established and the election of the Palestinian Legislative Council; this period was a period of development of volunteering.

In all cases and all the development stages in the society, the volunteering is still a basis of regulating and unification different efforts in order develop the society starting by developing the different society groups’ needs.

Importance of Volunteering in Achieving Roles Association (ADWAR) Vision:

The previous representation confirms that the volunteering is a basic tool for social change and regulation in order to make whole development that considers women as a basic character in it and who still need support for their roles and movement.

1. There is a prominent need for gathering and regulating all efforts toward work to live up with women in the Palestinian society and activate their skills and abilities based on gender in the society which basically needs the second half’s abilities. Based on that, Roles for Social Change Association aims basically to empower women and integrate them in the volunteering and works in the society throughout a wide network of volunteers who show their will to volunteer initially with ADWAR association. In addition, the association aims to regulate everybody efforts to form a wide network of supporters and advocates who participate and support programs , projects and other different activities that is implemented by the association and other forums.

2. The association contributes in the awareness procedure of the volunteers’ network and training to increase their abilities in different sides and to enhance their belongings to women issues in the society.

3. Roles for Social Change Association (ADWAR) contribute in enhancing the idea of volunteering and community work which is considered as one of the important resources in all societies throughout volunteering programs.

Work Strategies

1. Reception choosing volunteers accordant to specific criteria.

2. A meeting will be held and specified for the association’s work, objectives and programs; in addition to define relation between volunteers and their associations.

3. A volunteering agreement will be signed by the volunteer, in one hand, and by ADWAR association on the other hand. Then, they will be trained for social and legal issues accordant to gender perception. After that, they will be integrated in the association’s activities; this procedure includes preparation for activities

4. A continuous and fixed relation with the volunteers.

Volunteering Levels in Roles for Social Change Association (ADWAR):

Volunteering takes different form in the association depending on the volunteer’s skills, abilities, their preparation and the association’s circumstances and activities.

1. Constant and basic volunteermeans that the volunteer has to commit the daily time of work or three days a week with the association staff and doing the administrative and field works of the association for a year; this period is renewed and extended for, at least, three months relating to the volunteer.

2. Supporter volunteermeans that the volunteer has to commit the monthly interim work monthly with the association staff and doing the administrative and field works of the association for a year; this period is renewed and extended for, at least, three months accordant to the volunteer

3. Participant volunteer means that the volunteer has to commit participating in all the association’s activities whether they are implemented inside or outside the association for a year; this period is renewed and extended for, at least, 6 months accordant to the volunteer.

Association Strategies in Working with Volunteers

Volunteers: are people who have defined skills or experiences and use them to do social duties that are not paid for.

The relation between the association and the volunteer is a mutual relation because the volunteering work and defining the association’s objectives is very important and benefit for the volunteer in terms to helping them acquaint experiences and spend their free times in a serious work; in addition to the importance of conformity between the volunteer and the association’s objectives as it’s very important to follow the volunteers’ skills and levels. In addition, preparation training programs for volunteers, following their skills and levels, pushing them to the best and training them about gender and social justice are very important.

Targeting Group of Volunteering Program

All the Palestinian citizens whom their ages are more than 18 years and who show their preparation and positive initiative to join volunteers’ network in Roles association (ADWAR) and those who have ability and desire toward gender in the society and developing their skills to meet ADWAR objectives.

Volunteering Areas 

1. Coordinating with other associations.

2. Preparation for the association’s activities.

3. Implemnting the association’s activities.

4. Participating in the advocacy campaigns about any issue that is related to the association’s program like; sit-in, march and conference.

5. Participating in the field work.

6. Participating in administrative and office works.

Objectives

1. To activate the students’ participation and acquaint for skills and experiences.

2. To fix social and ethical values of the social reality of the volunteers.

3. To achieve the solidarity principle within volunteers.

4. To raise the volunteers’ awareness about gender issues.

5. To integrate youths in the development process in order to be more active in the society.

6. To open jobs vacancies for volunteers locally and nationally.

Choosing Volunteers Criteria

1. The volunteer has to believe in ADWAR objectives.

2. The volunteer has to be 18- 30 years old aged.

3. The volunteer has to be ready for development and creating new ideas.

4. If the volunteers leave the association for more than two months, they will be excluded from the volunteering work.

5. The volunteer has to commit the association’s policies and volunteering program in general.

Volunteers Rights

After completing the defined period of volunteerism, volunteers have the rights of:

1. Getting an experience certificate by the associations.

2. Getting a recommendation paper for any other associations or companies that they would like to work with.

Leave a Reply