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How to be a volunteer through the United Nations

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How to become a volunteerEveryone can contribute their time, skills and knowledge through volunteer action, and their combined efforts can be a significant force for achieving peace and development.

Volunteering makes important economic and social contributions, contributing to a more cohesive society by building trust and reciprocity among citizens. It can be both challenging and rewarding and require you to use your skills in a new context. You can also transfer useful knowledge while gaining a greater understanding of the issues affecting other people.

At the request of UN agencies, national governments and other partners, UNV mobilizes close to 8,000 volunteers to work in development assistance projects and in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations.

Apply here

Read more about volunteerism for peace and development.

Read more about what it means to be a UN Volunteer.

Through the UNV Online Volunteering service, volunteers can take action for sustainable human development by supporting the activities of development organizations over the internet.

Online Volunteering service website

Interview with Angelique Kidjo about UNV and why it matters

Related Links

UN and UNDP documents

“International Voluntary Services”

“Voluntary Service”

“UN Volunteers”

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UNV Publications


Facts:

  • Every year about 7,500 people register as volunteers through the UNV.

  • People from over 160 countries serve as volunteers in over 130 different countries.

  • 80 percent come from developing countries, 20 percent from industrialized nations.

  • 40 percent work in Africa, 26 percent work in Asia and 15 per cent in Central and Eastern Europe; the remainder are to be found in the Arab States, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

  • 30 percent serve in the world's poorest nations. Half work outside capital cities, frequently in remote towns and villages.

Requirements for a UN Volunteer:

  • You need to be aged 25 or more to be an on-field volunteer. Younger people can become online volunteers.

  • You need to hold a university degree.

  • You need two years of work experience.

Source. www.unv.org