Civic Engagement Training: Literacy in Palestine

On Saturday, March 19, 2011, Tomorrow’s Youth Organization hosted the first of five civic engagement workshops for the volunteer participants in our collaboration with the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). Dr. Alia Asali, manager of the Education Department at An-Najah University, led the workshop, which highlighted the status of literacy in Palestine. She noted that while literacy rates in Palestine are high compared to other Arab countries, the last two decades have seen a decline, especially among the younger generations. At An Najah University in Nablus, she witnesses the effects of this decline first hand. She said that many students’ abilities do not reflect their grade level through middle school and high school, resulting in a number of university students that only possess basic reading and writing skills.

The discussion during the workshop focused on how innovative community programming, such as the TYO-MEPI collaboration, can help children, youth and mothers rediscover a love for learning and reading. Fostering this appreciation allows the community to focus on meeting each child’s needs by involving them in an active learning process.

 

 

Intern Journal: Taking it all in

After a thankfully thorough week of orientation and training, we have completed our first two days of classes. As the days go by, I’m increasingly getting a feel for the rhythm of my week, the TYO centre, and a taste of life in Nablus. The working week begins on Sundays, and our days are punctuated by the now familiar call to prayer echoing out across the valley which holds this ancient city.

I taught my first class with fellow intern Leila – fitness for the mums. The women are so friendly and inquisitive, seeming to enjoy Leila’s lively kickboxing introduction and counting down the beat in flawless Arabic, but were soon distracted by the dramatic and deafening hailstorm outside that seemed to come out of nowhere. I hope to have them all doing Sun Salutations by the end of the course…

After lunch, the kids for the afternoon classes began to arrive in dribs and drabs from their respective areas, allowing me the chance to personally meet each child that was entering my basic photography class for Triple Exposure.

After a little warming up I explained (with the invaluable assistance of my local translator, Waleed),   to the students how to use the basic functions of the DSLR cameras, and had them take each others’ portraits, before setting about on the scavenger hunt game in teams. The team to find and photograph the most objects off the list given at the start, wins.
They ran around the TYO centre with their volunteers in tow, taking turns to capture the random objects listed – some harder than others!
The kids really enjoyed the competition, and two latecomers said they wanted more time to take photos, but I suggested they make sure to come to the rest of the classes and try harder to be on time!

Working at TYO is like juggling. With all these balls in the air and only two hands to catch with, you’ve got to be ready to switch things up if things don’t quite go to plan. Intern Coordinator Chelsey had been sure  to forewarn us that flexibility is key here. With bad weather hampering attendance for my first basic photography class – I ended up with as many local volunteers as children, when they should have been outnumbered by at least three to one! But my volunteers were patient, helpful and very happy to get involved.

This first week for me has been about taking it all in. It’s my first time in the Middle East. On the one hand I’m absorbing like a sponge all the new information, people and environment, whilst simultaneously trying to be creative, productive and give classes. It’s a stimulating process but also quite tiring. Needless to say, after bouncing so many ideas around and off each other, we’re all getting early nights to be organised and full of energy for our kids the next day.

- Mathilda

Mathilda is an intern at TYO Nablus.

Triple Exposure blog: Encouraging signs

Check out the latest post from Doris on the Triple Exposure blog:

The game was equally fun for me: any teacher would be proud to witness the enjoyment and dedication to solving puzzles that I saw in these kids. I was particularly delighted, however, to note that one of my students, Mohammed, was engaged and excited like I’ve never seen him before.

I’ve known Mohammed since June 2009, when he was in a science class at the TYO summer camp. His teacher struggled with his inability to get along with the children, and she confided in me how Mohammed was quickly prone to anger, getting very upset with other students or even the class volunteers over classroom disagreements or frustrations. He would occasionally get so upset as to hit another student, which led to a series of conversations between him and his teacher about how to deal with his emotions and with conflict.

In the fall, Mohammed was placed into my photography class, and soon thereafter I had a few similar conversations with him…

TYO hosts UNRWA schoolteachers

On Wednesday, 29 April 2009 TYO hosted several of its stakeholders from the UNRWA school system.  The meetings aim was to discuss the reciprocal nature of our work with the children of Nablus. Present were the many teachers, social workers and principles that over our first year helped us recruit and enroll children for our many programs and activities. While Outreach Specialist Futoon Qadri meets with this important group often in their respective areas and schools, this meeting marked our first collective gathering at the TYO Center. Many important topics were discussed including the children’s progress at the UNRWA schools and in TYO. This meeting marked the first of several proposed monthly meetings intended to foster a strong relationship, based on understanding and cooperation, between TYO and UNRWA professionals.  TYO appreciates and applauds the following UNRWA staff for their yearlong and continuing to commitment to TYO: Ms. Khadija, Ms. Abeer and Ms. Sabriyya from Balata refugee camp, Ms. Huda, Ms. Banya, Ms. Basima and Mr. Omar from Askar refugee camp and Mr. Ali from El Ein Beit El Ma refugee camp. We look forward to continuing to work together to improve TYO’s programs and activities and the lives of children in Nablus.