Reflection One: Youth Leadership Academy written by volunteer Dana Alasker
Our two weeklong Youth Leadership Academy programs were the definitely the fulfillment of all the things I had been looking forward to and anticipating in the weeks leading up to my arrival in Palestine. The first one kicked off on a bright morning in the Phoenix Center of Dheisheh Camp outside Bethlehem in early July, as kids nervously trickled in wearing their bright yellow “Inspire Dreams” shirts. By the time we were ready to get going, we had about 20 boys and girls aged 13-17, and ten counselors including a combination of Inspire Dreams interns and volunteers from the local community. The Inspire Dreams interns were paired with local counselors so that we could exchange ideas and form friendships, and I was lucky enough to be paired with Haneen, who is a few years older than I am and is from Dheisheh. She was indispensable to me throughout the week, acting as a cultural guide, translator, and friend.
Our first day of Youth Leadership Academy largely consisted ofice breakers and get-to-know-each-other games such as “Where the Wind Blows” and a human knot, but once we had gotten past the initial nervousness and were acquainted with one another, things got started and didnʼt stop. The week was a whirlwind of fun and learning, including everything from memory games, leadership tasks, and staged ethical dilemmas, to skit performances, origami, and a traditional Lincoln-Douglass style debate.
Nour and Loreen laugh as we attempted to untangle our Human Knot on day one
For me, personally, the debate was the highlight of our week in Dheisheh. I was a debater in high school, and so I chose to stage a Lincoln-Douglass style debate in which the participants of the camp were asked to create a resolution that dealt with an issue they felt pertained to them specifically as Palestinian refugee youth. Some of the topics they came up with included the importance of the Right of Return for refugees, and whether or not the West Bank and Gazan authorities should work together. Following the brainstorming session, they were then asked to split into two opposing sides and deliver arguments that either affirmed or negated the resolution and why. I really enjoyed this workshop because the camp participants went so far above and beyond my personal expectations for beginner debaters; even beyond that, they truly engaged with the task they were given and presented emotional, personal, and most importantly well-reasoned and logical arguments. It was a privilege to watch them.
Aseel argues intelligently and skillfully against the idea of a third intifada during our Lincoln-Douglass Debate
Another activity that stands out was the staged ethical dilemmas, led by Mark, a fellow intern. He crafted a handful of hypothetical situations in which participants were asked to make decisions regarding difficult situations to which there was no “right answer,” such as how to distribute limited medical supplies during a mass casualty incident or how to decide on public school curricula for students their own age. It was inspiring to see how boys and girls who were in some cases only a few months younger than myself approached these issues with so much maturity and fair-mindedness, and how they animatedly discussed and defended their points of view to their peers who saw things differently.
John and I carry Mustafa up to our makeshift "treatment clinic" during our staged earthquake drill
The week in Bethlehem was an incredibly enriching, gratifying, and fun experience. Being given the opportunity to work with Haneen, Shatha and Mai, three counselors who grew up in the Dheisheh-Bethlehem area, was especially rewarding because they taught the other volunteers and I so much about transcending difficult circumstances to realize your potential as well as how to give back to oneʼs own community. Youth Leadership Academy and the young leaders we worked with taught us just as much, if not more, than we taught them, including the real value of service to others.
