Brief History:

The Youth Development Department was established in June 2000 as an initiative supported by the late Mr. Faisal Husseini (PLO Executive Committee Member in Charge of Jerusalem Affairs), in order to support and protect the Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem, and also to note for the important role played by the youth and their institutions in Jerusalem.

Following the Arab Studies Society, the YDD is a non-governmental non-profit organization founded to work with a development perspective, and to work as a professional and technical umbrella for the Youth sector in Jerusalem, with and through the existing youth bodies in Jerusalem.

Furthermore, the YDD organizes and participates in various types of activities, both locally and internationally, such as: capacity-building and training programs for youth organizations' leaders and individuals; performing detailed studies on Youth needs and resources to help in developing the sector; supporting the local youth organizations financially and technically; regional and international youth exchanges and voluntary campaigns; periodical coordination meetings gathering the local youth institutions' leaders. The YDD organizes about four work camps every year in Palestine for foreign people and Palestinians. YDD is also the lead manager of the European Voluntary Service in Jerusalem.

In addition to that, YDD forms and creates partnerships with local and international organizations working in different fields, in order to cooperate, coordinate, and integrate their efforts for more fruitful projects all aiming at the betterment and development of Youth in Palestine and throughout the world.

Mission & Vision:

YDD’s Vision: “The existence of Youth organizations that resort to self-funding and are able to develop Youth according to programs based on the Youth’s actual needs in a comprehensive and continuous manner.”

YDD’s Mission: “To work on providing managerial, financial, and technical support to the working organizations in Jerusalem for developing the Youth Sector based on the organizational needs with the highest level of quality.”

Goals and Objectives:

YDD aims at enhancing and improving the work and the role of the already existing youth institutions in Jerusalem, and give rise to new initiatives.

This goal will be achieved through the following objectives:

• Improving coordination & cooperation among local youth institutions.
• launching common projects between local and international youth organizations through youth exchange programs, voluntary workcamps and trainings.
• training young leaders to establish and to manage new and sustainable youth centers and programs.
• and providing expertise to existing youth centers and associations in planning programs, fundraising and establishing new partnerships.