Al Saraya Center for Community Service

This program targets children between the ages of 6 and 17 and aims to empower them to better interact with their families, peers, school, and society. The activities are implemented at Al Saraya Center, in partner schools and in other partner organizations.

In this program, work is done through group work that aims to provide the children with tools and life skills that enable them to face daily challenges and deal with them in a positive and resilient manner. The children are exposed to different encounters and experiences through reading and children’s literature, various creative artistic and scientific corners, open days, community initiatives, tours, field visits to other organizations/ centers. The experiences children live are aspired to improve their abilities and skills and thus enhance their steadfastness in Jerusalem. 

The aim of the programs’ interventions with the children is to improve their academic achievements, to correct their behaviors, and to help them discover their inclinations and talents through providing them with essential life skills and creative skills, using unconventional motivational learning methods.

The center follows a comprehensive approach and targets the influential agents that are part of the children's lives, namely the teachers and the parents, with the aim of creating an environment conducive to the growth of a healthy and creative child.

This program aims to reduce school dropout rates in Jerusalem by focusing on preventive measures among children between the ages of 7 till 12. In this program the focus is placed on three major causes for school dropouts: low academic achievement, social and behavioral challenges, and the absence of a positive role model in children’s lives.

The program is carried out through the formation of groups, run by volunteers from Palestinian universities, in which students’ abilities in English, Arabic, Hebrew and Mathematics are enhanced. The volunteers are trained and equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide academic and social support for the targeted children, as well as the skills to conduct community initiatives that are of interest within the Jerusalemite community.

As with the Children Literature Program, the Social and Academic Support Program also targets teachers and parents because of their crucial role in influencing children and shaping their personalities and futures.

As Al-Saraya believes that women have a vital role in making social changes. It works with women groups in order to empower them economically, socially and educationally. This is achieved through promoting academic and life skills to strengthen women’s self-confidence by providing supportive frameworks based on increasing women’s academic, professional and social different opportunities through the following programs:

• The Illiteracy Eradication Program: Women aged 16 and older, who for a variety of social or economical reasons missed the chance of formal schooling, join this program and study the prescribed curriculum set by the Ministry of Education for 20 months. By the end of the course, the participants sit for an exam supervised by the Directorate of Education in Jerusalem which qualifies them to obtain the sixth grade certificate.

    The Center provides teachers with high qualifications to teach the curriculum.

• The Parallel Literacy Program: Women aged 16 and older, join the second level of the literacy program and study the prescribed curriculum set by the Ministry of Education for 20 months. By the end of the course the participants sit for an exam supervised by the Directorate of Education in Jerusalem which qualifies them to obtain the ninth grade certificate. The participants have keen interest to continue their education on their own to obtain Tawjihi certificate and if possible to continue to higher education.

The Center provides teachers with high qualifications to teach the curricular.

• The Hair Dressing and Beauty Program: This program targets females aged 16 and above. It aims at empowering Jerusalemite females economically by developing their hairdressing skill. The hairdressing session is held for a period of 9 months, with an average of 55 training hours per month .By the end of the session the trainees sit for a theoretical and a practical exam. They are also assigned to salons or beauty centers for practical training.
• The Self-development Program: This program aims to promote economic and personal independence through developing women’s basic social skills. The program provides trainings on stress and feeling management, assertiveness and computer skills. It is worth mentioning that these skills vary according to the needs of the groups.

The program implemented by the Community Development Department aims to develop and build the capacities and skills of female and male youth aged 16 and above. The goal is to enrich the knowledge of the youth by promoting the value of volunteerism and creating a culture of continuous learning. The program aspires to enhance leadership skills of female and male youth to create dependable social agents for change in Jerusalem that are ready and willing to share the responsibility of developing their communities.