Apply now to become a UN Volunteer
Are you ready to become a UN Volunteer?
Would you like to contribute to the development of your own country or outside and work with others like yourself who have a desire to accelerate development and promote peace?
Types of UN Volunteer
There are four types of UN Volunteer. These are;
- National UN Volunteers
- International UN Volunteers
- Online Volunteers
National Volunteer
- National UN Volunteers are invaluable assets to the work of the United Nations, particularly at the community level where they usher in greater ownership of programmes and projects.
- Serving with a UN entity, you can share your knowledge of local languages and culture and bring an insider’s understanding of social and economic conditions.
- As a national UN Volunteer, you will make a positive impact on your homeland, while working with people from around the world, including international UN Volunteers and United Nations staff.
- Join us now and help your country move faster toward reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.
What exactly does a national UN Volunteer do?
National UN Volunteers may frequently have many roles. The types of activities in which national UN Volunteers engage may include:
- Strengthening the capacities of local communities, so they can participate effectively in development activities and gain access to government services;
- Fostering social inclusion and the empowerment of marginalized communities and persons;
- Encouraging national and local volunteer initiatives; and
- Promoting sustainability and local ownership of development and peacebuilding activities.
The beauty of this is that the volunteers themselves gain valuable experience and enrich their own skills and development. That is why volunteering is often described as a win-win situation.
The first step to volunteer abroad with the UN is to determine whether you meet the minimum requirements (see below). If this is the case, register your profile in our Unified Volunteering Platform. Then, you may apply for assignments that are in high demand or even in highly specialized areas.
- International UN Volunteers promote peace and development in communities around the globe, while upholding the ideals and aspirations of the United Nations.
- UN Volunteers come from over 180 nationalities, representing many cultures and backgrounds, and bring a wide variety of perspectives and approaches.
- Your international UN Volunteer assignment will enable you to make a lasting impact. It can create a ripple effect that extends far beyond the immediate results of your efforts.
- As an international UN Volunteer, you will learn about different cultures and languages, expand your networks and gain unmatched professional and life experiences.
- You will enter the singular domain of global citizenship. Facing challenges together with community members and fellow United Nations workers often creates lasting bonds.
- After volunteering abroad, you can be sure that your curriculum vitae will stand out. Employers appreciate the ability to adapt, to think outside the box and to embrace diversity. The enriching professional and life experiences you have gained through volunteering will not go unnoticed.
- Volunteering abroad is an unparalleled opportunity to do something meaningful and to support peace and development initiatives in countries that need them most. By giving back, you will gain an incredible sense of fulfilment, and will reap the dividends for the rest of your life.
- International UN Volunteers support local volunteer initiatives, strengthen community capacities, foster ownership and sustainability of development activities and contribute toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- You will engage actively with United Nations development and peacekeeping partners and within communities, responding to development priorities and needs in countries facing poverty and socio-economic challenges, humanitarian crises, conflict and post-conflict situations or experiencing fragile peace. Through your expertise, you will enable the effective delivery of programmes and mandates of our partner United Nations entities.
Have you considered dedicating your skills and expertise virtually to advance global peace, development and humanitarian efforts. Through the Online Volunteering service of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, you can connect with UN entities, governments, public institutions and civil society organizations. Find out how to become an Online Volunteer and help tackle today’s sustainable development challenges – from any device, anywhere in the world.
- Through Online Volunteering, you can contribute your skills and expertise towards achieving sustainable human development efforts of organizations around the world.
- You can get first-hand practical experience with organizations working in the development sector.
- You can also extend your network among different organizations and make invaluable connections.
Requirement
- To sign up on the Unified Volunteering Platform and apply for Online Volunteer assignments, you must be at least 18 years of age.
- There is no particular background required to become an Online Volunteer. Each Online Volunteer assignment is different and has its own requirements, set by the host organization.
- As an Online Volunteer, you can only support organizations remotely in assignments up to 20 hours per week for a maximum of 12 weeks for each assignment.
- Anyone interested in contributing their time and skills to the global sustainable human development efforts can become an Online Volunteer, regardless of your background or location.