Project definition

Citizens Building Community Volunteers It is an active project involving academic students from the mixed cities of Ramle, Lod and Jaffa, who aspire to build a better society through various social initiatives that address different age groups in the local Arab community.

The initiatives aim to strengthen the social fabric and raise awareness among Arab youth of the importance of volunteering and giving within the circles of belonging in their surroundings and giving an example to ambitious youth who work, learn and benefit their community.

The project has been running for 4 years in partnership with the Ramle Municipality, the Youth Center, and Mafia Habayis, with approximately 15-20 academics participating in the group each year.

This year's volunteer initiatives include: -

• Tales of the Good Times Collecting and documenting stories and memories from the elderly and passing them on to younger generations as part of cultural heritage.
• Passing awareness and skills development workshops in elementary schools in Ramleh to teach time management skills in a fun way through an active workshop and a competition to inculcate and apply these values.
• Think of others: Goodwill Funds Collecting food items and distributing them to needy families before Ramadan to strengthen the social fabric; 150 boxes were prepared and distributed to needy families.
• Ramadan initiatives, fundraising events, support for orphans, and a visit to the Emergency Children's Shelter Center in Jerusalem (Ein Rafah)
• Al Sabeel Special Education School (World Autism Day) An initiative to spread joy and psychological support to autistic children through an interactive sports day and the distribution of appreciation gifts to the staff.
• Revitalizing Ramleh's archaeological monumentsWe ended the year with the culmination of volunteer work that leaves an impact and transforms architectural heritage into an interactive artistic and educational space. The archaeological potential in Ramle was immortalized by painting 3 murals in 3 different neighborhoods.

Project goals:

• Promoting the spirit of volunteerism and initiative among Arab academic students in mixed cities.
• Empowering participants to lead social enterprises that promote social cohesion.
• Developing a sense of belonging and responsibility towards the local Arab community.
• Building a generation that is proactive, entrepreneurial, and active in their social environment.

Program activities:

• Training workshops on leadership, community initiatives, and project planning.
• Implementing social and educational initiatives for different groups in society (children, youth, elderly).
• Regular meetings with mentoring staff to support implementation and professional development.
• Community activities in neighborhoods: Volunteer days, awareness-raising events, and psychosocial support activities.

The main contents of the project:

Life and career skills

• Communication, organization, and teamwork skills.
• Delivering and following up on initiatives in an organized and thoughtful manner

Personal and Community Empowerment

• Strengthening self-confidence and the ability to influence.
• Encourage self-initiative and responsibility.

Accompaniment and support

• Continuous accompaniment by specialized staff.
• Individual and group meetings to strengthen each participant's developmental path.

End of Year - Closing Event:

• Rest day for all volunteers
• Distributing certificates of appreciation and creating a space for acquaintance and exchange of experiences between volunteers from different cities.

The general vision of the project:

To produce a generation of young Arab men and women in mixed cities who are socially aware, committed to the issues of their community, and equipped with the necessary tools to initiate, influence, and build a shared future based on justice, belonging, and dignity.