IVD in the Pacific: capturing the unseen contribution of volunteers to development
In celebration of International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2021, community groups and volunteer organizations across the pacific organized events at the national level. Outstanding volunteers and organizations were also recognized through the UNV 50 Awards. The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme celebrated IVD in partnership with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), volunteer-involving organizations and government representatives.
In line with the theme of IVD 2021, Volunteer Now for Our Common Future, partners across the Pacific came together to honour volunteers striving to address development challenges in their communities.
Online Volunteer shares expertise with Sierra Leone
Amidst COVID-19 restrictions and following her recent retirement in Australia after many years of living and working in Africa, Laurel Boland, Team Leader and Writer for World Changing Centre (WCC) in Sierra Leone – wanted to do more for the continent she loves. Influenced by her daughter’s involvement in online work with an Australian volunteer organization, Laurel, too, sought online volunteering. The opportunity on the online volunteering platform managed by UNV matched Laurel's experiences in the editing of academic works, and teaching English at schools in Africa to young people who could then use their language skills more effectively in their countries.
As a retiree, I didn’t expect to apply for another assignment, but the UN process of application and interview was easy to manage in my situation then, confined at home during COVID-19 lockdown. I had the time to commit to a volunteer programme, which engaged the skills I had used throughout my working life. In addition, the job brought me in touch with the continent where I had made my home for so long. -- Laurel Boland, online volunteer.