On the 24th of May 2017, the Trust implemented a seminar day for young women from the young women empowerment program about “Community empowerment and voluntary work”
50 young women, ages 18-25 years from the target sites of (Shu’fat refugee camp, Lod, Ramla and the villages Northwest of Jerusalem) participated in the seminar day. These young women were self, family and community empowered in order to prepare them for field of work, to integrate them in the communities, to raise their awareness about life skills and to help them choose the suitable job that fits with their potentials and to take an active role in their community by conducting voluntary works. Others received training to work in some of Trust’s programs like learn by play program which aims to improve the pupil’s academic achievements and working on their behavioral side through easy methods.
Mrs. Shafica Jahshan, the program coordinator started the day by welcoming the participants and she provided a brief summary about the program which used to be a service delivery and professional training program and transformed into self, family and community empowerment.
Mr. Ala’aHalayka from “Pyalara” organization presented a paper about” Voluntary work in the Palestinian community” where he explained the importance of voluntary work and the reasons for its decline in the last years, and the need to re-stimulate and re-develop the voluntary spirit among the Palestinians.
Mr. Farid Abu Gosh, director of Trust talked about the importance of voluntary work in implementing the organization programs and how the young women empowerment program is based on the voluntary spirit. He also stated that volunteering is one of the ways to change and develop the local community.
At the end of the day, the participants were divided into groups based on their residential areas to write and present new initiatives that help in developing the local community. Also, three success stories were discussed from each area and how the program empowered them and stimulated their voluntary spirit.