International Women’s Peace Service
Application for Volunteers
You should email this application form
All information will remain confidential to IWPS, unless you give permission for it to be used for other purposes.
Personal informationFirst name
Family name
Name you would like to be called (if different form above)
Date of birth
Nationality
Postal address including country
Telephone numbers / Home / Mobile
I - Please, summarise in not more than 500 words why you want to volunteer with IWPS. What do you think the project might achieve? What do you hope to gain personally? Does the fact that it is specifically a woman’s project have any significance for you?
II - In the following sections please keep all answers to a maximum of 50 words unless you have exceptional reason to expand.
Section 1 - Prior experience
1. Reasons for wishing to go/return to Palestine?
2. Previous experience in Palestine (if any)?
(Give dates and an outline of activities/experiences whilst there)
3. Experience of non-violent direct action, human rights monitoring and peace-making in conflict zones?
This can be anywhere in the world. Give names of the organizations/groups you were working with.
4. Experience of Palestine solidarity work in your home country?
5. Experience of activism/non-violent direct action in your home country?
6. Prior related work?
Any work experience of relevance, paid or unpaid, should be entered here to give us information on your background.
7. Do you have any comments about your experiences?
Section 3 – Skills
11. Languages
a) Is English your mother tongue? If not, when/how did you learn English?
How well are you able to communicate in English?
Is your level of fluency (to tick click on the box you chose, than under ‘Insert’ select ‘tick’ symbol)
similar to a native speaker
good enough for everyday use
basic
beginner
b) Do you speak Arabic? If yes, what is your level of fluency?
c) Do you speak any other languages and at what level of fluency?
12. List your qualifications at any level which may be helpful /useful as a volunteer with IWPS.
13. Skill level self-assessment.
Please, tick the box that represents your skill level. On this continuum 5 means highly experienced or skilled, 3 means you have a good working knowledge and 1 means you know very little or nothing. You can add a brief remark to clarify. We have given examples of how the skills might be used in Palestine.
Keeping records - of use in completing human rights monitoring forms, simple accounts, filing
1 2 3 4 5
Communication skills – expanding IWPS' network of partners in Palestine and in home countries, writing for the website and Facebook and communicating with other volunteers.
1 2 3 4 5
Computing – software - word processing, desk-top publishing, data bases, accountancy, dealing with problems
1 2 3 4 5
Computing - hardware - technical ability to keep systems running
1 2 3 4 5
Using internet and email
1 2 3 4 5
Website management - help design and manage our own website
1 2 3 4 5
Research - through interviews and records, to compile village profile
1 2 3 4 5
Group processesand consensus decision-making - working with the House Team and other in Palestine, sometimes in stressful circumstances
1 2 3 4 5
Team leadership – showing initiative, supporting team members, and ensuring work is carried out.
1 2 3 4 5
Photography - stills and filming to record abuses of human rights
1 2 3 4 5
Working with media - to publicize the immediate and long-term situation worldwide
1 2 3 4 5
Medical, first aid - at actions, in the House, in villages
1 2 3 4 5
Knowledge of Middle Eastern and Muslim cultures
1 2 3 4 5
Knowledge of international humanitarian and human rights law
1 2 3 4 5
Section 4 - Practicalities
14. Health and ability
Have you any physical or mental health problems or disabilities which may prevent you from undertaking the activities outlined in the Application Pack? Please, mention any medication that you take and explain why. (This is very important to ensure adequate support and in the case of arrest.)
15. Risks
Are you aware that our work of non-violent resistance runs the risk of possible injury, arrest and deportation? Our Volunteer Agreement draws your attention, amongst other issues, to the possibility of death, though this has never happened to an IWPS volunteer. Please, note that we take every precaution against all these possibilities.
16. Injury
How would you react/cope if you were badly wounded by Israelis or Palestinians during the course of your work in Palestine? Any medical insurance you take out may not cover you for injuries sustained through participation in any conflict, riot or war (e.g. your human rights monitoring, non-violent intervention, and civil resistance work).
17. Support Groups
Do you expect to be able to find individual people or an existing group, based near to your home, to give emotional and practical support to you and who would also be willing to act upon any human rights reports that you forward to them?
18. What is your availability?
When can you go to Palestine, for how long and can you be flexible about timing?
Please note: On occasions we have had to close the house at short notice. If such a situation arose we would support you to find an alternative volunteer placement. A short list of such organisations is available. We believe the safest and best way for IWPS to operate is to ensure an experienced volunteer is in the house at all times. On occasion our experienced volunteers have been denied entry by Israel, which can result in the house not being able to host new volunteers. IWPS will do its best to find others who can go at short notice as emergency cover.
20.Do you commit to attending necessary training?
Costs for volunteers
The cost is 70 NIS per day for the first month. It includes accommodation, food, travel whilst on the ground for IWPS work, and mobile phone credit. If you are able to commit to more than one month, the cost is reduced to 50NIS per day.
The next steps
If your application fits our criteria we shall arrange a mutually convenient time to interview you by phone or, if possible, face to face. IWPS does its best to ensure that assessment of
the application and interviews are completed within one month. Unfortunately this is not always possible and if you have not been contacted within two weeks of submitting your application or after your interview, please email us to enquire on
Following a successful interview, you will receive information on how to proceed and how to be included on the volunteer rota. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the interviewer or the team on the email above.
As far as possible, IWPS will facilitate contact with other IWPS volunteers in your country or area before your trip. This includes both experienced and new volunteers and it may be possible for you to coordinate your travel. However, please bear in mind that you should not discuss your plans on visiting Palestine at the departure airport, on the plane or at the Israeli border.
Please let us know if you do not want us to share your details with other volunteers.
When you have read and understood the VolunteerAgreement below, please return it signed together with your application form to
Volunteer Agreement
Please read, sign and return with your Application Form.
Due to the nature of the work - living and working alongside other cultures and taking action where there is a risk of injury or death – we ask eachvolunteer tosign theAgreement below, which will be enforceable when living and/or working under the auspices of IWPS:
1. I accept that my behaviour at all times must be non-violent, both physically and verbally.
2. I will refrain from acting in a hostile manner toward those whose actions we are protesting against.
3. I will act with sensitivity and respect for the cultural norms in the areas where I will stay and work.
4. I agree to undertake training in non-violent direct action before joining, if possible in my home country.
5. I will participate fully in household duties such as cooking, cleaning and washing to ensure the smooth running of the International Women’s House.
6. I will participate fully in meetings and decision making in the House, abide by consensus based decisions, contribute ideas and help expand our local contacts.
7. I agree to responsibly fulfil, to the best of my ability, the duties assigned to me.
8. I will not consume alcohol in the International Women's House, in Muslim communities, or whilst on duty. The effects of any alcohol intake must be fully dissipated before returning to the village, the International Women's House, or going on duty.
9. I will refrain from any sexual or other relationships beyond friendship with people in the areas where I will stay and work.
10. I will not smoke inside the International Women's House. Smoking is permitted in the court yard.
11. I agree to be removed or suspended if I do not follow group decisions and agreed-upon policies or if my presence is deemed harmful to the work of IWPS in Palestine.
12. I am aware of the costs and I will be able to pay the daily costs to IWPS, travel to and from Palestine as well as paying for my days off and personal spending.
12. I accept unconditionally the Aims and Objectives of IWPS.
13. I hereby release IWPS from any liability in the event of my injury or death while a volunteer.
Name:
Signature:
Date:
Updated 22 Feb 2017 SB