Volunteer Programs

At Ulpan Aviv we want to help the wider community therefore we are launching "Give and take", a new project to help our students to volunteer and at the same time practice what they have learnt in class.

We offer links with volunteering groups across the spectrum from one day opportunities to weekly commitments. As our list continues to grow, please feel free to suggest more places you would like us to investigate.

Nature and Conservation

Ulpan Aviv is working together with the Society for the Preservation of Nature in Israel (SPNI) to create tailored two week opportunities in addition to general volunteering experiences. A major success of SPNI is to create community gardens in deprived areas and working with the community and young Israeli volunteers you will help in this vital community project. If you would prefer something less physically demanding, there is the opportunity to work in the SPINI greenhouse where plants are cultivated for these gardens or, if staying indoors is more your thing then we can offer library and shop work, (all with willing Hebrew speakers!)

This is our first major volunteering project to get underway and we've already had some great feedback.

"This is a great opportunity for volunteers to rub shoulders with real Israelis and get to discover neighbourhoods which tourists never see." Amanda- SPNI Volunteer Coordinator

"Volunteering in the garden was in a warm and caring environment and the other volunteers tried to only speak Hebrew to me. You should remember to bring water and a hat though!"- Aharon, Ulpan Aviv, 10-day student.

Other outdoor opportunities to volunteer include the Bird Observatory along with a variety of one-off projects that we are asked to help with.

San Simon Home for the Physically Disabled.

Ulpan Aviv has joined forces with this wonderful organization to help out at their weekly Tuesday afternoon club. Each week they have a few severely disabled participants who take part in art activities and generally enjoy the social. This is a GREAT opportunity to improve your Hebrew and we have built a connection with them so we can assess suitable volunteers and have someone ready to meet and greet you when you arrive. We highly recommend this place.

"I really enjoy going every week to sit, chat and do some art with the residents of this historic home. Some have lived here for over 40 years and to see new faces is really a highlight of their week"- Anna, Ulpan Aviv, Long-term student

Alyn hospital for children

Alyn hospital is for physically disabled children. Some come here for rehabilitation from road accidents, illnesses e.t.c and others come for longer term care. We can offer a number of projects especially for Ulpan Aviv students. In the morning we'd like to send some students to help paint rooms and work with the Israeli staff to spruce up the hospital. In the afternoons we can offer a 2hr session to help with some sports activities for the patients between 4:30 and 5 or 6:30 and 8pm. To get to Alyn you can take the 23 or 13 bus from town. It is in Kiriyat Yovel. Work directly with children is only available to women or for men with a police check (from Israel or their home country).

Visiting Israeli Elderly Citizens

Many elderly people spend a lot of time alone in care-homes and we would like to encourage our students to take advantage of this unique opportunity to practice their Hebrew, whilst cheering up an elderly person. We have been in contact with a number of local care-homes and have a number of people who would love a visitor to keep them company and to chat with them for as little as half-an hour.