Youth and voluntary work

The Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association (PFPPA) is very concerned about youth (both genders) since it consider them the main element capable of making real change toward development. Youth have sufficient mental and physical power more than any other age groups. It is true that voluntary work has had a remarkable role in building civilizations and communities; consequently, PFPPA is interested in enhancing the voluntary work spirit among youth who have been through a long struggle toward freedom. The association has opened its doors wide for all the Palestinian youth regardless of gender, color, religion or political affiliation. Thus, we hope that you become one of our volunteers since our country requires us to do this humanitarian and ethical duty. If you wish to volunteer in one of voluntary youth committees, all you have to do is to send us your personal information by email: info@pfppa.org

Who is the volunteer?

The volunteer is an individual who possesses certain skills and abilities to provide service to a group of individuals or associations or the whole community. The volunteer ought to believe in the work he undertakes and ought to believe that individuals can make change regarding an issue in community.

What is voluntary work?

In general, voluntary work is the services that individuals make outside the regular job without expecting any financial benefit. Such services should benefit the society. There are different kinds of voluntary work such as meeting the community’s needs or supporting issues that could improve the quality of life in community.

Voluntary work in divine religions:

Divine religions openly urge for voluntary work. Holy Koran and the prophet’s sayings urge people to help others and volunteer. A verse of the Holy Koran could be translated as “To volunteer with good deeds is good for you”. Also, a saying remarks that “God has chosen certain people to help others. He made them love good and made them beloved to others. They shall avoid torture in the judgment day”. Christianity too urge people to undertake voluntary work where the Bible remarks “ Give those who beg you” and “ if you want to be perfect, sell your property and give the poor, so you can have a treasure in heaven”. .

The importance of voluntary work for Non-governmental Organizations:

The non-governmental and non-profit associations consider volunteers the basis for meeting the needs of civil society and consider them the major element for achieving developmental purposes. The administrative committees of such associations work on voluntary basis and that means there is a large number of volunteers. Practically, the presence of volunteers reduces the cost of human resources and that results in more projects to be carried out. Similarly, voluntary work is perceived to be very important because it adds a lot of new experiences since volunteers usually have different thoughts and abilities. Thus, volunteers can increase the efficiency of associations. Also, the presence of volunteers who belong to various backgrounds and age groups can help associations realize the community demands.

The work undertaken by volunteers in PFPPA

The PFPPA operates in the field of family heath while focusing upon sexual and reproductive health. For the work carried out by the volunteers in the centers of the association, they can be summed as follows:

- Promote awareness in various areas around sexual and reproductive health and the social problems such as early marriage and violence against women throughout brochures, workshops, lectures, conferences and magazines.
- Participate in the activities supporting youth and women rights in sexual and reproductive health.
- Specify youth and unprivileged groups’ needs in community.
- Plan youth programs.
- Represent the association in conferences and national and international workshops concerned with youth issues.

Preparation of volunteers in the association:

When volunteers are approved in the association, the coordinators in the youth centers prepare them to be able to give to community:

- Educate volunteers about sexual and reproductive health through written material and workshops.
- The volunteers go through various kinds of training such as, preparing leaders, communication skills and making youth networks.
- The coordinators enlist volunteers in the activities corresponding to their skills and attitudes

What do the volunteers obtain?

- Participate in activities in Palestine and abroad to help them develop their skills and personalities.
- Acquire practical experience so that they can work in various non-profit organizations.
- Obtain certificate of experience that could help them have jobs.
- Expand the network of relationships with individuals and associations.
- Participate in summer camps carried out by the association.
- It is enough that you can make others smile.

Conditions of terms of membership in the PFPPA:

1. Volunteers should be aged 15-25.
2. Believe in the importance of voluntary work and in the goals and principles of PFPPA.
3. Commit to voluntary work which sometimes requires field work.
4. The ability to give in accordance with your skills and to be committed help the association.
5. To be prepared and ready to develop personality.
6. To have good morals.

Before you decide to be a volunteer, you should ask yourself:

- Do I believe in voluntary work?
- Can I work within a team?
- Do I believe in equality between men and women?
- Do I believe in promoting awareness in community?
- Am I prepared to struggle for supporting youth and women rights in reproductive and sexual health?
- How much time can I make for voluntary work?
- What are my special abilities that I would like to share with others?