Israeli Volunteer Association

The Israeli Volunteer Association (IVA) is an Israeli nonprofit organization that is working for over 40 years, operating various programs in the field of volunteerism. With more than 7,000 volunteers per year, coming from the different cultural and religious communities of the Israeli society – Jewish and Arab, secular and religious – working in all parts of the country, the IVA has over 180,000 alumni and is the largest and oldest organization in Israel in its field. Promoting solidarity, equality and social justice, the IVA enables young people to engage in a meaningful volunteering work, endowing them with social and professional skills as well as empowering them to bring their talents and good will to life to serve others, build their own leadership and contribute to a better and more caring society. In 2013, The Israeli Volunteer Association (IVA) forged its first partnerships with European countries to enable young European volunteers to enlist in a long-term volunteer program in Israel. The IVA’s international program was tailored to enable European young adults to live overseas, give of themselves and gain their own first-hand, unfiltered insight into the Israeli society. It is through encountering different communities around Israel and engaging in an intercultural dialogue with various people, groups and organizations that the IVA reveals parts of the complex reality of the Israeli mosaic to young European volunteers. The IVA wishes to enrich the perception of its European participants regarding the Israeli society and to help them process their personal experiences in a significant way especially as volunteerism allows the youth to impact; learn; experience and gather intercultural tools and skills outside of their communities. In today’s reality of cultural diversity, global exchanges of volunteers enhance the intercultural learning, deepen the understanding of mutual values, impact societies and promote social initiatives. Based on its experience, the IVA has trained a professional team of facilitators and coordinators that individually escort and support the European volunteers all over Israel with all administrational, social and pedagogic needs. Thanks to the longstanding cooperation with hundreds of placements around the country, in all sections of the Israeli society, the IVA opens its European volunteers a door to the civil society in Israel. At present, the IVA enlists about 180 young adult volunteers each year coming from Germany, France, Italy and Austria. The program is conducted in collaboration with government authorities and NGOs in those countries and in Israel.