Applications are open for the 2021 Volunteering Opportunities At United Nations: Fully Funded. UN Volunteer mobilizes volunteers to serve in UN agencies, both in development programs and peacekeeping operations. Its objective is to push the participants to participate in their own development.

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. We work with partners to integrate qualified, highly motivated and well supported UN Volunteers into development programming and promote the value and global recognition of volunteerism. UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and reports to the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board.

Why volunteer with the United Nations?

As an international UN Volunteer, you will learn about different cultures, expand your networks, study or perfect foreign languages and gain matchless professional and life experiences. Working in another country gives you the opportunity to step outside your comfort zone, to learn new approaches to tasks and problems and to operate in different environments.

You will enter the singular domain of global citizenship. Facing challenges together with community members and fellow United Nations workers often creates life-long bonds.

After working in a foreign country, you can be sure your curriculum vitae will stand out. Employers appreciate the ability to adapt, to think outside the box and to embrace diversity. The enriched professional and life experiences 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. And by giving back you will gain an incredible sense of fulfilment, which will pay 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 work 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 and those of fragile peace. Through your expertise, you will enable the effective delivery of programmes and mandates of partner United Nations entities.

Benefits of 2021 Volunteering Opportunities

The selected applicants shall gain:

• Volunteer living allowance that shall cover basic expenses;
• Travel expenses;
• Settling-in-grant, which is calculated on the duration of the assignment and paid at the beginning of the assignment;
• Life, health and permanent disability insurances;
• Annual leave;
• Resettlement allowance, which is calculated based on the duration of the assignment and paid upon satisfactory completion of the assignment.

Eligibility

The minimum requirements to serve as an international UN Volunteer are:

• 25 years old and older (no upper age limit)
• university degree or higher technical diploma
• at least two years of relevant work experience in a professional background
• good working knowledge of at least one of UNV’s three working languages: English, French or Spanish
• commitment to the values and principles of volunteerism
• ability to work in a multicultural environment
• willingness to work with people and local organizations to draw upon the synergies between expert solutions and local knowledge
• ability to adjust in difficult living conditions and sometimes remote locations
• strong interpersonal and organizational skills
• prior volunteering and/or working experience in a developing country is an asset

When assignments arise, we search in the Global Talent Pool for profiles that match the requirements of the job. Matching candidates are contacted and given the specific details of the assignment, after which they can confirm their interest and availability. A short-list of available candidates is drawn up and a selection process follows.

Only when there are difficult, highly specialized or high-volume assignments, for example after a natural disaster or in the aftermath of a conflict, do we advertise them on this website, as well as via professional associations and social media. But even in these cases, candidates still must be registered in the Global Talent Pool. If you want to be considered for a special assignment, you need to follow the application instructions indicated in the last paragraph of the description of the assignment.