The Canaan Units organizes, conducts Provides customized trainings and assistance for other organizations to address the needs identified in the national policy for socio- cultural education, and to promote the development of the educational programs in Palestine by adopting new pedagogical trends in order to improve and develop local potential and resources.

ü The Training Unit:

1.     long-term professional training programs (18 to 36 months):

·        18 months - Diploma for animators working in the socio-cultural and educational field with children, young people or adults. level one :

This program targeted eight groups benefiting 180 animators from 120 governmental and non-governmental organizations in the last ten years, where they conducted several activities and field- based programs. 

·        3 years - Diploma for professional worker in the management of socio-cultural and educational centers. level two :

This program targeted one group only benefiting 12 animators (program's coordinators and organization's directors). The program consists of five components: social and community environment, pedagogy and human relations, animation techniques, management, administration and research- action component to be carried out in the field.   

·        18 months – Diploma for animators and social work actors working in the socio- psychological support field:

The program started in the year 2004 targeted 25 of psychological and educational animators acquiring professional competencies and develop their actions and work with the children and their communities.

2.     Intermediate professional training programs (6 to 12 months):

·        Nine months- training program for Kindergartens teachers:

The training aims at improve the abilities of the kindergartens teachers in the Gaza Strip to develop and conduct pre-school educational activities. More than 750 female teachers were graduated in 25 groups since the year 2004 till 2007.  

3.     Short-term training programs ( less than six months):

-         Six month-Training program of social work for animators working in Palestinian refugee's youth centers. The trainees, later on, established their own Animation Units in eight camps located in Gaza strip .

-         Summer Camps' training program of directors and animators:

 On an annual basis, the training is carried out over three stages: (1) an initial training period for the animators and the directors, during which trainees receive intensive preparation. (2) A practical training period during the summer camps with Canaan team's monitoring and guidance. (3) A follow- up training period after the summer camps, during which trainees' experience are evaluated and reinforced. The program targeted more than 2000 animators and 300 summer camp's directors during the last ten years along with trainings of specialist summer camps (like environmental summer camps) in 2004 for the "Palestinian National Committee of Summer Camps".  

-          Democracy, Human rights, TOT, CTC and Children rights training courses: are intensive courses built around modules designed to address the specific needs of the target group.

-         Active learning techniques training courses of formal and non formal sectors for teachers (More than 700 teachers were targeted by several courses), supervisors, directors, animators and volunteers.

-         Social- psychological support training program and training of Children's save yards comprise several training sessions to enhance the animators' abilities to arrange educational activities for children in marginalized areas using active learning techniques. During 2004, 2005 and 2006 more than 180 animators from 45 organizations were trained in the Social- psychological support training program benefiting over 10000 children.

-         Child to Child approach training program: emphasizes children right and ways to participate in problem solving and decisions making. ten training courses were accomplished in last 3 years and CTC's training manual was produced at the end of the training period.

4.     Summer Games 2007 project:

In cooperation with UNRWA – United Nation Relief and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees, and the fields partners "182 children centers" all over the Gaza Strip, Canaan Institute Implemented the Summer Games Program, it was as follows:

-         Partners organizations were 182 children centers, clubs, and associations.

-         Children participated were 54200 age between 9 – 14.

-         Animators trained by Canaan Institute for such program were 1450 age between 19 – 45.

-         Coordinators were 182 from the Boards of directors of the centers or the directors themselves.

-         All children joined a full program from 1^st of July till 30^th of August.

-         Activities were art and handcrafts, animation games and plays, Palestinian traditional dance Dabbka and different styles of Dance and  of  songs, drawings, kites made and festivals with 400 celebrations all over the Gaza Strip the hall Summer time.

ü The Formal Education Unit:

The Unit continued to support the Palestinian governmental and non-governmental collective work where a partnership between Canaan, The Palestinian Ministry of Education and other international organizations was established to develop in-service teacher training programs to enhance the quality of education and development of children and young people.

The unit designs and conducts several capacity building programs for workers in the former education sector in order to a quire new techniques to work with children, encourage learning, respect rights. One of the main programs is "the educational performance's development for teachers in Gaza Strip" which aims to train teachers about the "active learning techniques" in alternation with field practice inside their schools. Moreover, the program conducts Training of Trainers for selective group of teachers in active learning techniques every year.

ü The Societal Animation Unit:

The Unit was established to help coordinating social activist's efforts and promoting new educational principles in Palestine based on networking between interested in childhood issues. The unit runs a number of educational programs in tracks with specific focus on children, young people and their animators such as:

v Network for social activists and animators in childhood issues: the network develops communication tools to facilitate experiences exchange, collective thinking and efforts of Palestinian social actors. Hence, 'Canaan Annual Animation Plan' consists of interaction activities to be carried out in four tracks inside and/or outside Canaan Institute, such as:

-         Childhood issues' project:

The project is a continuous campaign on childhood issues such as: violence against children.  

-         Childhood expressions projects:

The project concentrates on children productions using three techniques: literary technique, writing technique and media technique to express themselves.

-         Childhood fun projects:   

The project presents several entertaining activities for children during the year and/ or in the summer vacation such as: Kits Festival, playing yards, summer camps, theater days and puppets' manufacturing workshops.

-         Canaan Young Parliament: the parliament was established in 1998 and its objectives were to develop the capacities of children and young people (aged 9-15-years) to play an active role in their own development and community. Each year 100 children and young people from 20 community organisations are provided with training, mentorship and support to develop their own activities in order to address issues affecting their lives. They identify, plan, implement and evaluate a series of activities targeting various duty bearers. The parliament address 3-4 issues in an annual basis and these have included child protection, education and health. [A notable example has included a campaign and petition (with 20, 000 signatories) addressing the UN Human Rights Commissioner, Mary Robinson and highlighting the need for child protection.].

Additionally, parliament members participate in a Summer University in which they are provided with intensive training in animation techniques and children rights. This summer university allows children to review and evaluate the parliament's previous year and plan for the next parliamentary year.

Moreover, Friends of Canaan's Parliament Committee was established in 2000 to comprise parliament alumni (aged 15-18) to provide their younger counterparts in the parliament with mentorship and support. This group also develops and implements its own activities based on their own needs.

v In addition to the above mentioned activities the unit runs Wednesday’s Debate that focuses on educational, cultural, political, economic and social issue.

ü Early childhood Unit:
The unit was established in the year 2003 to enhance the quality and development of the children educational environment in Gaza Strip and to develop the performance of kindergarten's teachers. The unit's provided programs aim to empower and support the proficient work according to a clear educational philosophy based on the growth and thrive of the child who is the first target for the educational process.

Moreover, the unit runs continues nine months- training program in pre-school education in the all areas of Gaza Strip. 

ü Youth Unit:

The Unit was established to continue and support Canaan's educational contributions to youth empowerment and participation through Canaan's various programs held in Gaza Strip governorates. The unit aims to provide opportunities for young people to take part in several educational activities that enhance and develop their abilities to understand and practice Democracy and Civil Society notions. Hence, the unit implemented the years 2005, 2006 "The Youth and Media Network for Education based on Human Rights" in cooperation with 20 youth unions and centers.

ü The Resource Center:

The center produces, publishes and collects resources, documents and information to help researchers in the socio-cultural and educational field and to supply the training team and the trainees with the essential knowledge for their work. The center coordinates with other resource centers to update Canaan resources and exchange information.

Moreover, the center organizes book discussions and provides the public with the Institute’s archived activities and publications along with any information related to education and social work, such as:

1.     Canaan Annual report:

2.     Children Playing Manual- :

3.     Small Pens: a book of Canaan children writings a bout their dreams of peaceful world. 

4.     Childhood Melody: a book of stories written by children with some educational activities and games based on "active learning techniques" to be used by animators or teachers in the literary corner. 

5.     Wednesday’s Debate Files: The File of Summer Camps, reform in the Palestinian Community, the Role of the Palestinian Municipalities in Development, Palestinian Media, The Palestinian cultural Project, Women and Media "2004 – 2007". 

6.     Child to Child approach training – a book documenting a twelve organizations program experience "2005 – 2006".

7.     Educational papers a periodical letter in cooperation with Educational Network "2004 – 2007".

8.     Summer Games Booklate: children and educational activities, 2007, widely distribution 60000 Issues.

9.      Plastic art expression Techniques manual for animators 2007.

10.      Educational animation Games manual for animators 2007.

In addition to all that, Canaan provides the public with: Books, CD's, manuals, articles and educational papers in different topics