The 2030 Agenda explicitly names volunteer groups as actors in their own right among the means of implementation. Volunteer groups can be brokers of engagement, connecting institutional initiatives with volunteer action at community level and strengthen local governance. Volunteers can facilitate and support people’s engagement in planning, implementing and monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), thereby fostering local ownership and leveraging innovative development solutions from the ground up.

UN Volunteers are often at the forefront of humanitarian response, because the skills and expertise they bring to help alleviate the plight of people in desperate situations. Also, their volunteer commitment, local knowledge and neutral status facilitate building bridges between  stakeholders in affected communities by promoting mutual trust, enhancing ownership and building capacity.

Young people are disproportionately affected by poverty and social exclusion, and their ability to participate in development processes is limited. In response, the UN Youth Volunteers Programme aims to contribute to the development of young people, empowering them to come up with solutions to the most pressing challenges of our day and equipping them with the skills and knowledge, as volunteers, to put their ideas into action.

These experts cover a wide variety of highly specialized technical fields, which include accounting, agriculture, banking, civil engineering, computer science, economics, environmental protection, food processing, geology and mining, geothermal and reservoir engineering, industrial hygiene and safety, marine biology, manufacturing and marketing, medical and public health services, patents licensing, poultry breeding, telecommunications, urban planning, water resources development, etc.

This option may be useful for rapid deployment in many areas, such as shoring up emergency responses, census activities, and in general for projects that require a quick scaling up or rapid adaptation to changing circumstances. This short-term initiative often suits diaspora nationals, the corporate sector and retirees.

Organizations requesting the services of an international UN Volunteer prepare a Description of Assignment which specifies the tasks to be performed by the UN Volunteer as well as the skills and competencies required for the assignment. Based on the Description of Assignment, UNV searches its candidate pool for profiles matching the requirements listed therein. Therefore, the first step you need to take in order to be considered as an international UN Volunteer is to register your profile in our candidate pool.

UNV partners with UN entities to provide concrete support in mobilizing and managing UN Volunteers. UNV offers a global talent pool with over 200,000 profiles; a legal framework for engaging UN Volunteers comprising conditions of service, guidance notes and the UNV code of conduct; in addition to programmatic and operations support.

UN Volunteers are willing and able to work in all development and peace situations, including some of the most difficult contexts and remote locations. They work in local communities to leverage synergies between local knowledge and expert solutions. Additionally, they constitute a flexible, cost-effective resource in ensuring scale, impact and sustainability in peace and development interventions, including in crisis and post-crisis situations.

The Special Voluntary Fund (SVF) is the second most important source of funding for UNV. Projects and programmes around the globe benefit from the generosity of donors who entrust their voluntary contributions to UNV and leave the allocation of these substantial funds at the discretion of our organization. We are keenly aware of the responsibility conferred on us by the willingness of UN Member States and other donors to support our work.