United Nations Volunteers (UNV) is a United Nations organization that voluntarily contributes to peace and development worldwide. UNV develops opportunities for voluntary participation of all people. UNV encourages volunteering through three main activities, which can be summarized as advocacy, an inclusive approach and the mobilization of resources.
Volunteerism, which is an effective way to deal with development problems, has the ability to change the speed and nature of development. Volunteerism benefits both the community and the volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity and solidarity among citizens and creating opportunities for participation.
UNV contributes to peace and development by incorporating volunteerism into its development programs with its partners, mobilizing an increasing number and diversity of volunteers, including experienced UN volunteers. UN Volunteers aims to maintain the diversity of volunteering and its values such as free will, commitment, responsibility and solidarity by adopting universal and comprehensive volunteering.
Who are the United Nations Volunteers?
At the request of UN agencies, national governments and other partners, UNV mobilizes close to 8,000 volunteers to work on humanitarian and peacekeeping activities through the development assistance project. Qualified and experienced men and women from around 160 nationalities serve as UN volunteers in 130 countries each year. Since 1971, about 30,000 UN volunteers have worked in around 140 countries. Nowadays, approximately 70% of volunteers are citizens of developing countries, while the remaining 30% come from the developed world. The average age of UN volunteers is 37 and they have relevant work experience from 5 to 10 years. One third of the UN volunteers serve in their own countries, while the rest perform international tasks. UNV also operates online volunteer service, which provides direct contact with thousands of volunteers who provide consultancy and various services to online development organizations.
What do United Nations Volunteers do?
UNV has a wide range of capabilities and offers a variety of volunteer-based opportunities, usually in two focus areas: 1) Development and humanitarian activities, 2) Peacekeeping activities. UN volunteers provide technical co-operation in the fields of governments, community-based initiatives, humanitarian and rehabilitation, human rights support, elections and peace building. UN volunteers make up one-third of international civilians working in UN peacekeeping operations. Volunteers, working together with colleagues, encourage people to mobilize by listening, discussing, educating and teaching. Volunteers also share their ideas, skills and experiences.
How to become a United Nations Volunteer?
UNV sets out from the view that voluntary activities are meant to guide people to work hard to solve development problems around the world. Everyone can contribute. Talent and knowledge through voluntary work can provide significant support for peace and development.
Volunteerism builds trust and reciprocity among people, making significant economic and social contributions to a more harmonious society. This can be both satisfying and challenging and may require you to use your skills in a new context. While you better understand the problems that affect other people, you can also transfer useful information.
To be a UN volunteer, you must be at least 22 years old and have the following qualifications.
- To be a university or college graduate.
- Having at least two years of work experience in the field of voluntary work.
- To have a good command of one of those languages: English, French or Spanish.
- In addition, the following features are decisive.
- Commitment to the values and principles of volunteering.
- Ability to work in a multicultural environment.
- Adaptability to difficult living conditions.
- To be able to establish strong social and institutional relations.
- Previously acquired volunteering or work experience in developing countries.
How to apply to UNV?
Please visit Become A Volunteer page in UNV website. You can select to volunteer in your country, abroad or online. Interested candidates must register to become a UN volunteer through our web-based registration system. Eligible candidates are selected from the registration for interviews as long as they have an open position at UNV. Being a volunteer consists of two parts;
Part one: Fill out a short questionnaire and verify your e-mail address.
Part two: If you meet the minimum requirements of UNV, a username and password will be sent to you to provide your skills, training and experience.
These two steps take around 30 to 60 minutes. Please note that UNV cannot process applications received by e-mail or post.
Are UN Volunteers considered United Nations employees?
No, they don't count. UN Volunteers work on specific tasks for a limited time. However, UN Volunteers and UN staff share common goals such as promoting peace and development.
Can UN Volunteers benefit from any financial or other benefits?
Although the most important advantage of being a UNV is the personal satisfaction of the positive impact on peace and development, volunteers are supported during their term by means of voluntary living allowance, annual leave or health insurance. For more information, please visit UNV website.