The United Churches Refugee Service Association was established in 1952 to provide relief assistance to help Palestinians who were displaced from their lands in 1948. By the beginning of the seventies, the committee began to provide services to people without discrimination in many areas, including health, education, vocational training, emergency assistance, rehabilitation and community development. The association was keen to build cooperative and coordination relations with local, regional and international bodies, the national authority, churches inside and outside the country, and civil society institutions.

Vocational & Educational Training Program
General objective: Contributing to the improvement of the economic and living conditions of the poor, graduates, and workers in the vocational and technical sector, especially the youth, by providing high-quality vocational education and training services according to labor market requirements.

Specific objectives:
1- Providing high-quality vocational and technical education and training for the targeted groups in various fields that meet community needs and the competencies required in the labor market.
2- Raising the efficiency and improving the performance of professionals and technicians working in the labor market.
3- Coordinating with specialized institutions to provide opportunities for income-generating projects and employment initiatives for graduates.

The main headquarters of the Union of Churches Association - Gaza - Palestine - 22/330 Saeed Al-Aas Street - Al-Rimal
Phone: 2860146- 2862573

• Vocational & Educational Training Program

General objective: Contributing to the improvement of the economic and living conditions of the poor, graduates, and workers in the vocational and technical sector, especially the youth, by providing high-quality vocational education and training services according to labor market requirements.

Specific objectives:

1- Providing high-quality vocational and technical education and training for targeted groups in various fields that meet community needs and the competencies required in the labor market.

2- Raising the efficiency and improving the performance of professionals and technicians working in the labor market.

3- Coordinating with specialized institutions to provide opportunities for income-generating projects and employment initiatives for graduates.

• Vocational training centers affiliated with the institution:

First: Vocational Training Center – Gaza/Shuja'iyya:

With the beginning of 1957, the association turned to providing training and education in various fields for our sons and daughters so they can become self-reliant. It established the Vocational Training Center in Gaza, which aims to train young people aged 14-16 who have dropped out of school.

• Target group: school dropouts aged 14-16 who do not wish to continue their education.
• Priority is given to those who belong to poor families and reside in marginalized areas.
• The duration of study and training is two years for the professions of carpentry, blacksmithing, and refrigeration and air conditioning, and one year for the profession of aluminum.
• The center accommodates between 135 to 145 students annually, with the usual practice of accepting a larger number to account for potential dropouts who leave to work and support their families.
• During this period, the student trains in all aspects of the profession, whether it be carpentry, blacksmithing, aluminum work, or refrigeration and air conditioning, under the guidance of expert trainers who are well-versed in the needs of the professional job market, in addition to learning theoretical subjects.
  
  The majority of young individuals who join the carpentry, blacksmithing, and aluminum professions enroll in the center after having dropped out of school or while still attending but failing continuously. Most of them do not know how to read, write, or perform basic arithmetic operations. They are assisted and rehabilitated to be able to read, write, and perform arithmetic operations within a program prepared in collaboration with the Adult Education Center of the Red Crescent Society for the Gaza Strip. This program also includes cultural topics related to health, social life, gender issues, the rights of others, the culture of accepting others, and cultural topics related to the Palestinian cause.
   
• There are signed cooperation agreements with the Palestinian Federation of Industries through which students are integrated into the professional market and trained in workshops affiliated with these federations.
• There are also signed cooperation agreements with the General Union of Palestinian Trade Unions, where they work on monitoring and educating students on the following topics: (Labor and Workers' Laws - Trade Union Organization - Occupational Health - Collective Bargaining - Labor Committees). The extent of the students' benefit is evident through their improved behaviors and positive actions both inside and outside the center and through meetings with parents.

This center has developed to this day and now works on graduating diploma holders in the following professions:

• General carpentry and furniture making.

Students interested in this profession enroll to train in all types of carpentry, furniture making, and painting according to the needs of the job market. The curricula are continuously developed in collaboration with the private sector and relevant international institutions.

• Blacksmithing, welding, and metal forming.

After confirming the applicants' interest and their medical suitability, students train under the supervision of specialized staff on all types of welding, metalwork, metal protections, doors, and frames.

• Aluminum works.

During this training, the trainers practice the various types of aluminum work, such as windows, doors, aluminum facades, modern kitchens, stairs, and balcony railings.

• Refrigeration and air conditioning.

In it, the trainees are trained in the profession of refrigeration and air conditioning, equipping them with the skills related to this profession, which include the operation of refrigeration and air conditioning systems, types of air conditioners, and methods of installing and maintaining them.

During the training years, trainees are also provided with theoretical training on subjects that include industrial studies, engineering drawing and measurements, mathematics, and Arabic language. The curricula are continuously developed according to the needs of the job market.

In addition, and in coordination with associations and civil society institutions such as the General Union of Palestinian Workers and the Palestinian Industrial Unions, cultural, scientific, and legal lectures covering various topics are offered to all trainees at the Gaza Center, where students learn important subjects through these lectures.

In light of the difficult circumstances our students are experiencing, including severe sieges, border closures, repeated wars, power outages, and high rates of poverty and unemployment, the center, in collaboration with the students and their families, is implementing psychosocial support programs aimed at alleviating the suffering of students and their families, building character, and developing their professional and social skills.

In line with the vision and mission of the association, and despite the difficult conditions that the region continues to be affected by due to the repeated wars, the closure of crossings, the suffocating blockade, and power outages, the vocational training center continues to work tirelessly to achieve its desired goal of contributing to the improvement of the economic and living conditions of the poor, graduates, and workers in the vocational and technical sectors. It also aims to enhance the capabilities of the local community (individuals and institutions) to ensure its resilience and sustainability.

Psychosocial support programs for the center's students

There is a plan from the beginning of January to the end of December each year to implement psychosocial support programs for the center's students, where a social specialist is available to solve students' problems, assist them, and provide them with psychological counseling.

Central Library Program

• Where students, under the supervision of the librarian, carry out several activities inside the library, such as using books and magazines, working in groups to discuss topics, screening educational films on the library's display screen, and discussing objectives with the students.

Employee skill enhancement courses

Where there is an annual action plan through which their capabilities are improved in several subjects such as:

• Continuous training courses on the topic of prevention and safety.
• Training courses on the use of AutoCAD software on the computer / curriculum development.
• Several courses on topics related to developing vocational training curricula according to labor market needs / according to the system of educational situations / the methodology of complex tasks.
• Teaching methods and classroom management.
• Several courses to develop the curriculum in collaboration with the labor market and the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GIZ).