Support refugees in Bekaa Valley or in our Community Center in Beirut, Lebanon

Details

• 

  Description

  We support vulnerable populations in Lebanon through providing direct aid and facilitating the efforts and initiatives of independent volunteers and organisations.
  
  We provide a platform for international volunteers, grassroots initiatives, and private and institutional donors to coordinate their efforts towards assisting and empowering refugee and other vulnerable populations across Lebanon, whilst also serving as a link to the major local and international actors.
  
  We strive towards strengthening inter-community dialogue and building bridges between the Lebanese and Syrian communities, and assisting the most vulnerable – regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation.
  
  We host volunteers at two locations, one in the Bekaa valley, located close to the Syrian border, with our project running to assist the populations in informal settlements, the other, in the capital of Lebanon, Beirut, situated between several diverse neighbourhoods.
  
  In the Bekaa Valley, the activities we run are our English, French, art, sport, green project, musical theatre, jewellery making, music, yoga and Dabke (traditional dance) classes, as well as our cinema club and early childhood education programme. They also support our local staff during aid distributions and basic Arabic and maths.
  
  At our place, in Beirut, we run English classes for teens and adults, vocational training, therapy sessions, skills & empowerment workshops, discussion sessions, and community dinners and events.
  
  As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity to be involved with the communities we help, by both being part of the activities, and assisting the NGO in achieving its goals.
  
  Please state when reaching out if you are interested in being in Beirut or in the Bekka Valley.

• 

  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Teaching

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
• 

  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

  ×

  ...

  ...

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  What's this?
• 

  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  It strives to provide equal opportunity to all, with this in mind, you will be working closely with both international and local volunteers from a range of backgrounds. An aim of the organisation is to train and empower the local community for the sustainability of the NGO and the help it provides.
  
  You will be working closely with the communities we help, with the exchange of culture, stories, and ideas, between both the international community and the local Lebanese, Syrian, and other cultures.
  
  Those looking to develop their Arabic language skills will have the opportunity to practice in person, and we can recommend some excellent local teachers.
  
  If you are interested in learning how an NGO operates, there is opportunity to develop your knowledge alongside assisting the NGO with areas such as fundraising, MEAL, coordination, social media & marketing, operational development, amongst others.
  
  Please note if you are interested in the operational side a longer stay is suggested to be able to invest the necessary time to learn and assist.

• 

  Help

  We are looking for open-minded, driven and dedicated volunteers who can commit to being part of our team for a minimum of one month, and who are aged 23+. We are primarily focused on supplementary education for teenagers and adults. Other projects include: community dinners and material/food aid distributions.
  
  We provide our own training and are open to welcoming volunteers from all kinds of backgrounds! That said, we typically receive applications from more potential volunteers than we have room to accept. Preference is given to those who can commit to a minimum of three months and meet at least one of the following criteria:
  
  - You have a TEFL, CELTA or other English as a Foreign Language qualification.
  - You have a French as a Second Language qualification.
  - You have a bachelor's degree in Education, a PGCE certificate, or similar.
  - You have experience working with vulnerable children, for example as a social worker or as part of another refugee-focused NGO.
  - You have experience in Social Media and Communications.
  - You speak some Arabic or French.
  - You hold an International Driving Permit or can obtain one prior to arrival.
  
  
  BEKKA VALLEY:
  * At the Community Center in the Bekka Valley, the main job of the volunteers is to provide excellent English classes for our students. Therefore a lot of the same qualifications as mentioned above are sought after here as well. One of the ways we differ here is the additional tasks that volunteers have the opportunity to take responsibility for alongside teaching English.
  
  * Therefore we are also looking for people with experience or interest in the following areas; Social Media, Fundraising, MEAL, Volunteer Coordination, Arts, and Music.
  
  
  * At the Community Centre in Beirut, we are currently looking for dedicated volunteer roles to help continue to grow the project alongside the local volunteers.
  
  - Centre Animator
  To bring life and activities to the centre and to be involved and assist with the current activities. This role requires a lively attitude with initiative and creativity to be the focal point of the centre activities.
  
  - Volunteer/Centre Coordinator
  Working alongside the project coordinator, someone who can manage the volunteer recruitment process and assist with coordinating the project on-site. This role requires an outgoing person with strong organisational skills.
  
  - Strategy and operations
  To be involved with the operational side of the NGO in order to achieve the long-term goals and strategy of the centre. This role requires a strong business knowledge and experience of working in something similar.

• 

  Languages spoken

  Arabic: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  French: Fluent

• 

  Accommodation

  In Bekaa, we have a volunteer house with several dorm rooms, a shower, large communal living area and kitchen. Each volunteer is expected to participate in our weekly cooking and cleaning schedule. As we are a charity, we ask volunteers to contribute $150 (USD) a month to cover their accommodation costs; this money goes directly to covering our rent of the space and funding the work that we do.
  
  In Beirut, you will be living together with up to three other international volunteers in an apartment next door to the community centre. The apartment consists of two bedrooms, a small kitchen area, a bathroom, and a large balcony. You will have access to the centre as a work/hangout space, and nearby there is a social cafe & workspace. To cover the rent cost and contribute directly to keeping the community centre running we ask volunteers to pay 120$ per month for accommodation.
  
  As we live and work closely as a team, it is very important that you are comfortable living in a communal space, and committed to interacting kindly and constructively with other team members.

• 

  What else ...

  With the current ongoing security situation in Lebanon, we have a security advisor reviewing the security and safety protocols. We communicate with them for travel advice as currently some parts of the country are restricted for volunteers.
  
  Weekend travel for sightseeing is permitted to safe zones, but we ask that volunteers do not attend large group events with people outside of our bubble (volunteers and staff). This includes clubs, weddings, crowded bars etc. We work with many vulnerable people and need to ensure we do our best to protect them.
  
  We ask that all of our volunteers are fully vaccinated (two doses) from COVID-19.
  
  We love hanging out together on the weekends: reading, chilling in the sunshine, playing board games, firing up the pizza oven, doing yoga or meditation, going for walks in our beautiful village/neighbourhood etc.

• 

  A little more information

  • 

    Internet access

  • 

    Limited internet access

  • 

    We have pets

  • 

    We are smokers

  • 

    Can host families

• 

  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

• 

  Hours expected

  We work Monday to Friday. You will usually spend 16 to 20 hours "in the field" (actually teaching or assisting with projects) per week. The rest of the time you'll be planning your classes./// community centre: Volunteers usually teach for about 3 hours e

• 

  This host charges a fee

  read more

  Why does workaway.info allow listings of hosts who charge money?

  In developing countries (Where most hosts are involved in charity work or community development) some of our hosts may ask for a small donation to help the host family or charity (often less then 5 dollars per day) Workaway will allow this listing when the donation goes directly to the family or charity and is just to cover the cost of the volunteer‘s stay.  (This will be clearly marked on the host listing).
  We will strictly not allow listings posted by agents, “middle men” or projects who we feel are looking to profit from a volunteers stay.
   

   

   

  $35 USD a week to help with living costs

Feedback (5)