English UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK3 mm bleed included

inspiration in action

Hosting a UN Volunteer

An Orientation Guide

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“The difference UNV makes is by demonstrating peace and development results and impact through volunteerism. UNV’s comparative advantage is the ability and knowledge to bring about transformational change through volunteerism, community voluntary action and civic engagement through active partnerships with civil society, volunteer involving organizations, UN agencies and Governments. This is inspiration in action.”

Flavia Pansieri, Executive Coordinator, United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme

This water enclosure in Saru (Hinjilicut block) was completed in 2009 at the request of the villagers themselves. It is used as a fish farm for small business development, not to mention its usefulness as a water storage facility for washing and other activities. Many of the people here

belong to India’s ‘Scheduled Tribes’. The women of Saru joined together in this voluntary self-help group to help each other generate income and press for development projects such as the water

tank. (Philip Sen/UNV, 2009)

Front cover: National UN Volunteer Teófilo Quispe (right) is a Technical Assistant and potato producer in Bolivia.

Teófilo trains members of Corque municipality, such as the indigenous community leader shown here, in ways to improve

production and income. (Nicolas Josserand, 2010)

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1. About us: United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 a. Purpose of the orientation guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 b. UNV: our mandate, our inspiration, our goal and how we achieve it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Fast facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

2. How does volunteerism contribute to peace and development? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

3. Why host a UN Volunteer? Why include volunteerism in your programming? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 a. Because volunteerism helps you meet your peace and development goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 b. Because of the people . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 c. Because of the services UNV offers you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 d. Because of the concrete support we provide you in the field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 4. What types of volunteers are supported by UNV? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 a. International UN Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 i. International UN Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 ii. UN Volunteer Interns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 iii. Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 b. National UN Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 i. National UN Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 ii. National UN Community Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

5. What other types of volunteer modalities are offered by UNV? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 a. UN Online Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 How to recruit a UN Online Volunteer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 b. Corporate/Private Sector Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 c. UN University Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

6. What are the UN Volunteer’s assignment parameters? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Table of contents

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7. What are the roles and responsibilities of UN Volunteers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 a. Pre-assignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 b. During the assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 c. End of assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 8. What is your responsibility in managing a UN Volunteer? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 a. Pre-assignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 b. During the assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 c. End of assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

9. What are the costs of hosting a UN Volunteer? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

10. What legal and operational frameworks are involved? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

11. How do you request a UN Volunteer? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 a. Recruiting international UN Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 b. Recruiting national UN Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 c. Locally identified candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

12. Examples of UN Volunteers helping host entities to meet their goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 a. Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 b. Asia Pacific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 c. Arab States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 d. Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 e. Latin America and the Caribbean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 UN Online Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

About us

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1. About us – United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme

a) Purpose of the orientation guide

The purpose of this orientation guide is to both inform and inspire partner organizations who wish to harness the power of volunteerism to achieve their peace and development objectives by hosting UN Volunteers within the context of their programmes, projects and field operations. This guide serves to provide basic information on the mission and goals of UNV and the areas of our programmatic outreach, including the different types of UN Volunteers. It provides basic information about how host entities can partner with UNV and integrate elements of volunteerism and UN Volunteers into their own programmes. It also describes partner organizations’ responsibilities towards volunteers.

b) United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme: our mandate, our inspiration, our goal and how we achieve it

Our mandateOn 7 December 1970 the United Nations General Assembly (GA) passed resolution 26/59 which set up “...with effect from 1 January 1971 an international group of volunteers, the members of which shall be designated collectively and individually as United Nations Volunteers”.

The mandate of UNV, which has been evolving continuously since its establishment in 1970, today positions the organization as the leader within the United Nations (UN) system in recruiting and mobilizing volunteers in response to partner requests for technical assistance. Furthermore, it has assisted programme countries in building sustainable national capacities, mobilizing volunteers domestically through national volunteer schemes, volunteer centres and networks, as well as promoting social inclusion and the involvement of youth in volunteerism for peace and development.

Estefania Afuirre Chauvinia is a national UN Volunteer Protection Assistant with UNHCR in her home country, Ecuador. At the San Lorenzo refugee registration centre, people often arrive from across the Colombian border with almost nothing and have to start a new life. Registering them and listening to their needs is a crucial task in order to deliver further assistance. (Andrew Smith, 2009)

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In 1976, the UN General Assembly (GA) resolution 31/131 broadened the mandate of UNV to promoting the advancement of the role of youth in development. UN GA resolution 56/38 further expanded the mandate by proclaiming 2001 the International Year of Volunteers (IYV). This resolution also designated UNV as the UN focal point to raise awareness of volunteerism and provide technical cooperation to developing countries in the field of volunteerism. This was to enable developing countries to fully exploit volunteerism’s potential as a resource for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Our inspirationUNV is inspired by the conviction that volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and by the idea that everyone can contribute their time and energy towards peace and development. With partners, UNV advocates for volunteerism, integrates volunteerism into development planning and mobilizes volunteers. The enormous potential of volunteerism is an inspiration to UNV and to volunteers around the world.

Our goal At UNV, our goal is to contribute to peace and human development by helping volunteerism become an integral part of every peace and human development agenda, whether it is for an international, regional, national or local endeavour.

How we achieve our goal i. UNV advocates globally for volunteerism for peace and development;ii. UNV works with partners like you to integrate volunteerism as an intentional component

of your peace and development programming;iii. UNV mobilizes volunteers to contribute to global peace and development.

For more details, go to http://www.unv.org or http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org.

Photo left: Jean-Claude Bakaira, UNV Camp Manager (left), and Rosario Dela Cruz, UNV Administrative Officer (centre), engage with a volunteer supporting the elections in Kindu, Democratic Republic of Congo. (UNV, 2006) Photo right: UNV Electoral Officers and Advisors supporting the 2012 electoral process in Timor Leste continue the example set by the UN Volunteers who assisted in the country’s 1999 elections. (UNV, 1999)

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• The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 1970 with the mandate to support the work of all UN organizations, including UN specialized agencies and UN peacekeeping and political missions.

• UNV partnered with 23 UN entities and 16 UN missions in 2010, and supported the UN reform process by mainstreaming volunteerism into 57 United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAFs) and supporting UN Resident Coordinators, including in the eight “Delivering as One” pilot countries.

• The UN entities which engaged the most UN Volunteers in 2010 were the United Nations Department of Peace Keeping Operations (DPKO) (3,164 or 41 per cent), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2,233 or 29 per cent), and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (1,010 or 13 per cent).

• UN Volunteers comprise around 30 per cent of the UN’s international civilian peacekeeping personnel, contributing an array of expertise ranging from peacebuilding and reconciliation to medical care, humanitarian relief, infrastructure repair and housing for victims of civil strife and natural disasters.

• UN Volunteers constitute 17 per cent of the UNHCR field presence in 74 countries.

• Since 1971, UNV has mobilized tens of thousands of skilled professionals to serve the cause of peace and development.

• Since UNV’s first involvement with peacekeeping and political missions, with its support to the Cambodia peace process in 1992, more than 20,000 UN Volunteers have served in over 60 UN missions of this kind. Other milestone missions include the peace processes in South Africa, Mozambique, Kosovo, Timor Leste and South Sudan.

• Every year, UNV directly mobilizes UN Volunteers to fill more than 7,500 national and international assignments.

• UN Volunteers represent over 150 nationalities and volunteer their services in more than 130 countries.

• More than 75 per cent of UN Volunteers come from developing countries and volunteer in the South, thus promoting South-South cooperation, and more than 30 per cent volunteer within their own countries.

• UNV, headed by an Executive Coordinator, has about 150 staff members based in Bonn and small field presences in close to 100 countries.

• UNV is administered by UNDP.

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10Volunteerism

’s contribution

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2. How does volunteerism contribute to peace and development?

The difference UNV makes is by demonstrating peace and development results and impact through volunteerism. UNV’s comparative advantage is the ability and knowledge to bring about transformational change through volunteerism, community voluntary action and civic engagement through active partnerships with civil society, volunteer involving organizations, UN agencies and Governments. This is inspiration in action.

UNV advocates for the integration of volunteerism into peace and development frameworks at the global, regional and national levels, and mobilizes UN Volunteers.

UNV intentionally focuses its efforts in specific priority and geographical areas where volunteerism, through deliberate and considered involvement, can affect transformational impact and change in the lives of communities – change that can be demonstrated through tangible and measureable results that ultimately contribute to global peace and development.

UNV is guided by knowledge and lessons learnt in supporting ameliorative initiatives through volunteerism, community voluntary action and civic engagement. This includes best practices in community-centred, inclusive and participatory approaches to achieve peace and development outcomes. This in turn includes strengthening local capacities and facilitating access to services, opportunities and service delivery; and community mobilization through voluntary action. Additionally, UNV will continue to use its flexibility and ability to rapidly provide quality volunteers (through a number of different channels or modalities) to support a variety of different needs in the areas of peace and development.

Through its programme framework, UNV focuses on harnessing volunteerism as a strategic asset and a powerful contributor to peace and development in the following five priority programme areas:

In Ethiopia, local community youth volunteers prepare the land to improve production as part of income generating activities. (Antonio Fiorente, 2010)

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Delivery of basic services• Strengtheninglocalgovernance• PrimaryhealthcareandHIV/AIDS• Non-formaleducation

Environment and climate change• Community-basednaturalresourcemanagementandsustainablebiodiversityconservation• Community-basedadaptationtoclimatechange• Foodsecuritythroughsustainablelivelihoods

Crisis prevention and recovery• Disasterpreventionandriskreduction,aswellasconflictprevention• Post-disasterandpost-conflictrecovery,includingsustainablelivelihoodsanddemocraticgovernance

(e.g. post-conflict electoral processes)• Localconflictresolution,reconciliation,peace-buildingandhumanrights

Humanitarian assistance• Emergencyresponseandearlyrecovery,includingbasicservicesandfoodsecurity• Protection,includingofrefugees,internallydisplacedpersons(IDPs),returnees,children• Promotionofhumanrights• Supporttocoordinationeffortsandinformation,reportingandresearch

Operational and capacity building support to UN Missions• SubstantiveandtechnicalsupporttoachieveUNpeacekeepingandpeace-buildingmandates• Capacitydevelopmentandskillstransfertonationalstakeholders• Localinstitutionalcapacitybuilding,includingindemocraticgovernance,transitionaljustice,ruleoflaw,

and civil affairs• OutreachtothecommunityleveltosupportUNpeacekeepingandpoliticalmissions’credibilityand

sustainability of peace efforts.

Social inclusion UNV support in its priority areas is underpinned by the three cross-cutting themes of youth, gender, and marginalized persons also defined as “social inclusion pillars”. At community and institutional levels, social inclusion involves relevant target groups in all volunteerism and related institutional initiatives.

National UN Volunteer Rizwan Latif (right) is an Outreach and Capacity Development Officer in Islamabad, Pakistan. Here, he discusses with 23-year-old Ammar Ahmed how men and boys can be

encouraged to reduce gender-based violence and promote gender equality. (Waqas Anees, 2010)

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3. Why host a UN Volunteer? Why include volunteerism in your programming?

a) Because volunteerism helps you meet your peace and development goals

The integration of volunteerism into peace and development programming and policies has long been recognized by many UN General Assembly resolutions and some UN instruments as an essential ingredient in achieving sustainable development. It is commonly accepted that the MDGs will be missed if development agencies fail to mobilize and involve millions of citizens to help enhance their development impact.

Volunteerism: i. Is untapped national wealth and a strategic resource for developmentii. Increases the efficiency and outreach of development activities thus increasing communities’ trust in

themselves and their governmentiii. Provides a platform for social inclusion, young, old, marginalized, womeniv. Is an expression of citizenship and human rightsv. Opens the shrinking development and democratic spacevi. Mobilizes collective action to deal with problems and issuesvii. Provides a safety net where traditional market responses fail to protect the powerless from despair,

destitution, abuse and fearviii. Helps the poor to move from passive recipients to active participants in development and helps them

to envision their own future and take actionix. Is enriching to the individual.

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b) Because of the people

i. UN Volunteers are highly motivated and inspirational, and are committed to the principles, ideals and code of conduct of the United Nations

ii. UN Volunteers are experienced, qualified and talented peopleiii. UN Volunteers bring the requisite professional credentials and a minimum of two to five years of

relevant experience.

c) Because of the services UNV offers you

i. A database of 25,000 assessed candidates in over 100 programme categoriesii. The legal framework through Conditions of Service, guidance notes and the UNV code of conduct for

UN Volunteers iii. Contracts between the UN Volunteer, host entity and UNViv. Centralized volunteer living allowance payments to all its volunteersv. A UNV Online Volunteering service that matches skilled volunteers with opportunities to contribute to

development online, rather than on site. In 2010, 10,000 online volunteers undertook 15,000 assignmentsvi. Programmatic, operations and knowledge management support vii. Field support comprising a UNV Field Unit usually led by a UNV Programme Officer operating from

the UNDP Country Office. UNV field support to UN peacekeeping or special political missions is headed by a UNV Programme Manager who is integrated into the mission. Where no Field Unit exists, field support for UN Volunteers is provided by a UNDP Country Office focal point who liaises with UNV Headquarters on programmatic, operational and administrative matters.

d) Because of the concrete support we provide you in the field

UNV can help you identify programmatic opportunities for volunteer assignments and supports you in:i. Drafting the Description of Assignment (DOA)ii. Managing the selection processiii. Conducting the initial briefing iv. Monitoring the UN Volunteer during the assignmentv. Facilitating opportunities to increase the visibility of the contribution of volunteerism for development,

including developing innovative programmes, projects and initiatives.

16Types of volunteers

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4. What types of volunteers are supported by UNV?

a) International UN Volunteers:

i. International UN VolunteersInternational UN Volunteers serve in countries other than their own. They are recruited for their technical expertise and specialized inputs to development programmes and in the areas of peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and UN-supported electoral processes. The average age of international UN Volunteers is 39 years. They have the requisite professional skills and qualifications for their assignment and bring a minimum of two to five years of relevant experience. The majority – 77 per cent – come from developing countries themselves. The duration of their assignments can be from 6 to 24 months with pro forma costs per year ranging from 45,000 to 91,000 USD1.

ii. UN Volunteer Interns2 UN Volunteer Interns are recent university graduates up to 27 years old. The objective of the UNV Internship Programme is to provide them with the opportunities to volunteer in their respective fields of specialization. This exposes them to development realities in international socio-economic and political environments which in turn enhances their professional and life skills. UN Volunteer Interns are fully funded by donors.

Zoran Vasiljevic (left) is a national UN Volunteer from the Roma community in Croatia. As part of a UNDP partnership with local authorities, he leads children in after-school learning and socializing activities at the Capraske Poljana Community Centre at a Roma settlement. These activities are aimed at strengthening social cohesion and promoting the inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable groups through volunteerism. (Hrvoje Žucko, 2009)

1 Pro forma costs are determined by country and vary due to differences in the costs of living, country-specific security and other requirements. Figures accurate at time of printing.2 The UNV Internship programme is currently under review and a name change may follow.

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iii. Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) specialists or “diaspora volunteers” provide primarily short-term advisory services in projects addressing priority areas identified by the host Governments. As expatriate nationals, the volunteers’ intimate understanding of the host country frequently results in the identification of special needs that might otherwise have been ignored. Their cultural and linguistic skills facilitate local capacity development and pave the way for longer term relationships. Diaspora UN Volunteers are identified from UNV and UNDP databases and matched with the country’s needs.

b) National UN Volunteers:

i. National UN VolunteersNational UN Volunteers serve in their own countries and support national capacity building initiatives. They facilitate local networking and the exchange of information. The recruitment of national UN Volunteers is managed at country level with guidance from UNV Headquarters. The assignment duration ranges from 3 to 24 months with an average pro forma cost of 12,000 USD per year.

National UN Volunteers must be at least 25 years old and hold the academic or technical credentials required for the relevant assignment. In certain professions, practical experience may substitute for academic prerequisites. National UN Volunteers must have two to five years of relevant working experience.

ii. National UN Community Volunteers3 National UN community Volunteers must be at least 21 years old and have a basic education such as a secondary school certificate, baccalauréat or equivalent. These volunteers bring technical skills in a profession or trade for which they have the related diploma and a minimum of two years of relevant working experience. The national UN community Volunteers also bring skills in community development and social mobilization.

3 Formerly known as national UNV field workers.

National UN Volunteer Javier Maraza Ayca (right) supports achievement of the Millennium Development Goals through a community tourism project in the economically deprived Qaqachaca

municipality of Oruro, Bolivia. Being indigenous to the area, and understanding the local language and culture, Javier is perfectly placed to live and work within the community. (Nicolas Josserand, 2010)

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5. What other types of volunteer modalities are offered by UNV?

a) UN Online Volunteers

The UNV Online Volunteering service connects non-profit organizations – such as non-governmental organizations, Governments and United Nations entities – with volunteers worldwide so they can collaborate online for peace and development. The UN Online Volunteers are not UN Volunteers and are not covered by any contract with UNV. They are students, working professionals and retirees with diverse backgrounds and from across the globe who contribute their skills over the Internet to help organizations address peace and development challenges. UN Online Volunteers have diverse backgrounds and cooperate across borders, without ever leaving their own homes. They do not receive financial compensation. They help develop capacity by training staff, teaching new skills or providing guidance and advice.

How to recruit an online volunteer through the UNV Online Volunteering service:On www.onlinevolunteering.org, UNV provides a global platform for organizations to advertise their online volunteering opportunities. Organizations wishing to collaborate with UN Online Volunteers log on to the website, register their details, and submit volunteer opportunity descriptions explaining what they need from online volunteers. The opportunity is then published on the service website.

Tools to manage online volunteers are available on the website, where you can find out about experiences, best practices and lessons learned from organizations and volunteers worldwide. Many non-governmental organizations, Governments and United Nations agencies recognize the value of online volunteering.

For more information, see www.onlinevolunteering.org.

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b) UN Corporate/Private Sector Volunteers

Under the UNV Corporate/Private Sector (CPS) programme, current or retired employees from the private sector provide short-term advisory services. They support UN projects and initiatives in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with a particular focus on business development in programme countries. Through the host entity, these volunteers advise a variety of organizations, such as small and medium enterprises, associations of enterprises or local NGOs, as well as governmental institutions such as ministries of commerce, industry and tourism.

c) UN University Volunteers

Through its partnership with universities, UNV provides qualified UN University Volunteers from partner universities. These volunteers, who are recent graduates and typically range from 22 to 25 years old, serve for six months in developing countries. They work towards achieving the MDGs in selected areas of youth, education, health, environment, and information and communication technologies for development with a relevant youth component.

UN Volunteer Field Officers with the Sri Lankan Human Right Commission, from left to right, Mohamed Fahmi (Sri Lanka), Jessica Skinner (UK/Australia) and Sivaguru Thanigaseelan (Sri Lanka) prepare a tsunami disaster risk prevention workshop for local community members. (UNV, 2007)

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6. What are the UN Volunteer’s assignment parameters?

UNV has developed a set of principles and guidelines called UN Volunteer Assignment Parameters. These parameters are designed to ensure that volunteer assignments are consistent with the mandate, policies and guidelines of UNV as well as reflect the values and principles of volunteerism. The parameters are also there to ensure that volunteerism is adequately reflected in the assignments. As the host entity, you provide a unique opportunity for UN Volunteers to develop their own professional and personal skills as well as reinforce their commitment to volunteerism for peace and development.

Key UN Volunteer assignment parameters for the host entity:

a) The host entity must provide Descriptions of Assignment (DOA) outlining tasks, responsibilities and the nature of work to be carried out that is clearly suited to be carried out by volunteers. For example, the DOA must:i. Not be identical to existing staff functions;ii. Contain a unique “volunteerism for peace and development” component not found in UN staff job

descriptions;iii. Include a difference (at least 25 per cent or more of the assignment) between the UN Volunteer

assignment and existing staff functions to clearly differentiate the volunteer nature of the assignment;

iv. Be as specific as possible;v. Not include fiduciary or procurement responsibilities.

b) To express the volunteering nature of the assignments, the host entity should make provisions for the UN Volunteer, for at least part of the assignment to be engaged in capacity-building by transferring his/her knowledge and skills to local entities, communities and individuals to ensure sustainability.

UN Volunteer Maïmounata Ouedraogo rides across Burkina Faso by motorbike with the National Volunteer Programme to sensitize people to the power of volunteerism. (K. Gosse/UNV, 2009)

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c) The DOA must provide an opportunity to the UN Volunteer to promote and engage volunteering activities (e.g. developing volunteerism policies and schemes, civic sensitization, promotion of self-help, community mobilization and capacity development of civil society) and to take part in in-country volunteerism activities, including the celebration of International Volunteer Day (IVD);

d) If mainstreaming volunteerism for peace and development into the DOA is not possible, the host entity must provide for the UN Volunteer to dedicate at least 10 per cent of the time covered by the DOA to promoting volunteerism for peace and development either in another internal Section/Unit or outside the host entity.

In Honduras, the Joint Programme for the Support of Human

Security, intends to reduce violence and improve the lives of

youth. There, UN Volunteers such as Alexis Sagastume (left), the

programme’s coordinator, engage youth in community activities.

(Andrew Smith, 2009)

This page: UNV Vehicle Technician Adama Aissatou

Sherif runs a safety check at the transport section of the United Nations Mission in the Central

African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) in N’Djamena, Chad.

(Harald Franzen, 2009)

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7. What are the roles and responsibilities of UN Volunteers?

UN Volunteers devote their knowledge and abilities to peace and development in accordance with the values of free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity, which are the foundations of volunteerism. During the entire course of their UNV assignment, all UN Volunteers are required to abide by the Code of Conduct as set out in the UNV Conditions of Service.

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UN Volunteers have certain responsibilities during the following phases of the assignment, including:

a) Pre-assignment

The UN Volunteer:i. Gets acquainted with the UN entity, UNV and its concept of volunteerism for peace and development;ii. Familiarizes him/herself with the Code of Conduct and the UNV Conditions of Service (COS);iii. Completes mandatory online security and ethics training; andiv. Completes all required medical and visa procedures.

b) During the assignment

The UN Volunteer: i. Shares expertise and knowledge by fulfilling his/her duties according to the Description of

Assignment (DOA), contributing with his/her skills and technical competencies towards achieving peace and development goals;

ii. Promotes volunteerism through acting as a facilitator and catalyst, increasing the understanding and appreciation of volunteerism among colleagues and with the host entity;

iii. Reflects and learns by completing the initial and interim reports in UNV’s Volunteer Reporting System; and

iv. Writes and shares stories and results of his/her volunteering experience.

c) End of assignment

The UN Volunteer:i. Completes the final report in the UNV Volunteer Reporting System;ii. Prepares handover notes and participates in debriefing with the supervisor; and iii. Shares stories and results from the UNV assignment.

National UN community Volunteer Badria Ahmed Elhij (right), a support specialist on combating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), distributed information, education and communication materials

during a community discussion and FGM awareness training at Abu Seid Omdurman, Sudan. (Blazej Mikula, 2008)

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in managing a UN Volunteer?

Host entities have responsibility for managing the UN Volunteer during the following phases of the assignment:

a) Pre-assignment

The host entityi. Prepares a Description of Assignment (DOA) which fully describes what the volunteer will be required

to do during the assignment, including advocacy for volunteerism within the host entity and duty station;ii. Confirms availability of funding for the pro forma costs; andiii. Prepares the on-site briefing and logistical support for the UN Volunteer. This might include such

important basics as the allocation of office space, equipment and business cards (which should clearly reflect the volunteer nature of the assignment and both the host entity and UNV logos).

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b) During the assignment

The host entity supports the volunteer’s activities by providing the following: i. An orientation and cultural briefing;ii. Appropriate supervision;iii. Performance feedback and reporting;iv. Training opportunities;v. Opportunities to promote volunteerism within the host entity and duty station

(e.g. to mark International Volunteer Day).

c) End of assignment

The host entity confirms the extension or completion of the assignment three months prior to the contract’s expiration.i. If the contract is to be extended, the host entity must follow the pre-assignment steps e.g. DOA,

funding availability, etc. ii. If the contract has been completed, the host entity completes an End of Assignment report.

UN Volunteer Project Manager, Wendy Shapiro, second from right, discusses a volunteering project designed by Lera Ivanova, right, a 5th grade student at Secondary School 168, in Kyiv,

Ukraine. Lera, whose school offers inclusive education for children with special needs, developed her project as a part of the training course “Skills for Success” implemented within Youth Social

Inclusion for Civic Engagement project. (Vladimir Negrebeskij, 2010)

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9. What are the costs of hosting a UN Volunteer?The host organization covers the costs4 related to engaging the UN Volunteer. The costs for the UN Volunteer assignment are based on the pro forma estimate of in-country and external costs (within the framework of the applicable Conditions of Service (COS) for UN Volunteers). In accordance with the decisions and directives of the Executive Board of UNDP/UNV, the estimated pro forma cost for the UN Volunteer assignment shall include a ten per cent (10%) allocation for UNV’s support costs.

Pro forma costs for a UN Volunteer assignment vary due to differences in the costs of living and country-specific security and other requirements. For a one year assignment5:

International UN Volunteer Pro forma costs range from 45,000 to 91,000 USD; Average pro forma costs are approximately 61,000 USD

National UN Volunteer Pro forma costs range from 6,000 to 21,000 USD; Average pro forma costs are approximately 12,000 USD;

National UN Community At time of writing, a review of the scheme isVolunteer underway and the rates are being revised.

4 Fully-funded volunteers: For a small percentage of the volunteer assignments which UNV facilitates, the costs are borne by donor partners. These donors include universities and Governments who provide full funding for a number of their students or citizens to serve as international UN Volunteers and occasionally for a number of national UN Volunteers to serve in the field.

5 Figures accurate at time of printing.

Farmers El Houssain El Kerdaoui (centre) and El Mahfoud Ihrche (right) discuss climate change and its effect on their oasis at Iguiwaz, Morocco, with Ali Ait Baha (left), a respected elder. El Houssain and El Mahfoud volunteer with the UNV-supported Community-based Adaptation

project, contributing towards water-sharing systems and tree-planting initiatives, and sharing their knowledge with local youth. (Baptiste de Ville d’Avray, 2009)

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frameworks are involved?

UN Volunteer assignments are fully governed by the Conditions of Service or Guidance Notes. UN Volunteers are not UN staff members and hence, not issued with a UN Laissez Passer.

The Conditions of Service or Guidance Notes reflect the volunteer nature of the assignments within the framework of the United Nations system. The basic principle throughout is to ensure reasonableness, fairness and consistency in guidelines for the UN Volunteer assignment.

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11. How do you request a UN Volunteer?

• ContactyourUNVFieldUnit.• UNVwillhelpyoureviewyourprogrammingactivitiesandidentifyrelevantassignmentsforaUN

Volunteer.• YoumaysubmitthedraftDescriptionofAssignment(DOA)totheUNVfieldpresenceforreviewand

ensure the relevance of the volunteer assignment.• FinalapprovaloftheDOAisdoneatUNVHeadquarters.

a) Recruiting international UN Volunteers

An efficient and effective recruitment process entails early involvement of UNV in the programme/project design and work planning processes. This way, UNV can forecast the demand and identify the most suitable volunteer profiles for your needs.

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i. As the host entity, provide UNV with a project concept (preferably) or a project document in advance so that the UNV Programme Manager or Programme Officer at the duty station can work closely with you to incorporate the volunteerism aspects into the design;

ii. Based on the project document or UN mission requirement, draft a DOA, which should include the initial assignment length and duty station and confirm the availability of funds for the volunteer assignment;

iii. Based on the DOA, UNV will identify profiles of candidates that best match the requirements of the position from its extensive database. As part of the candidates’ assessment, UNV conducts motivational interviews and gives due regard to gender balance and geographical distribution in accordance with the principles of the United Nations. UNV will then submit these details to you;

iv. As the host entity, you will then select from among the candidates, including through a technical interview, and communicate the names in order of preference to UNV Headquarters.

b) Recruiting national UN Volunteers

i. At the request of the host entity, its field office in the country of operation informs the relevant UNV Field Unit of the number of national UN Volunteers required;

ii. The host entity provides the UNV Field Unit, or UNDP as applicable, with the relevant Description of Assignment (DOA);

iii. In countries where a national UN Volunteer programme or scheme does not exist, UNV Headquarters will collaborate with the host entity and the UNDP Country Office to establish a new national UN Volunteer scheme;

iv. As the host entity, you and the UNV Field Unit will closely collaborate in the selection and recruitment of national UN Volunteers, giving due regard to volunteer motivation (by conducting a motivational interview), gender balance and geographical distribution in accordance with the principles of the United Nations.

At Claxton Bay Health Centre, a public facility in Trinidad and Tobago, UN Volunteer Medical Doctor Shahana Sharmin (centre) from Bangladesh works with Lydia Benoit (right), the District Head Nurse, and receptionist Maria Nanan. (Anthony Harris, 2010)

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v. Locally-identified candidates must apply to the UNV database and undergo the mandatory standard assessment, clearance and submission process of UNV in accordance with the DOA. For more about locally-identified candidates, please see section c below.

c) Locally identified candidates

Sometimes a host entity may wish to place someone who resides at or near the duty station in a vacant international UN Volunteer assignment. This candidate is called a “locally-identified candidate” because he or she is not registered on the UNV database and has not been identified, vetted and assessed by the recruitment team at UNV. The host entity should:

i. Refrain from proposing a locally-identified candidate for consideration for an international UN Volunteer assignment. This person will not be considered by UNV Headquarters in its submission of candidates for an assignment as this person falls outside the parameters of UNV’s global identification, assessment and submission processes.

ii. Should a hosting entity request that UNV make an exception and consider a locally-identified candidate, then a relevant justification must be submitted formally in writing to UNV Headquarters by the Resident Representative/Country Director (UNDP), Representative/Country Director (UN Agencies) or Director of Mission Support (peacekeeping and special political missions) in the country of operation. The justification for the exception must clearly demonstrate the critical advantage of the locally-identified candidate.

iii. The locally-identified candidate must apply to the UNV database and undergo the mandatory standard assessment, clearance and submission process of UNV in accordance with the Description of Assignment.

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12. Examples of UN Volunteers helping host entities to meet their goalsVolunteerism fosters empowerment and broad-based ownership. It increases people’s autonomy, capacity and commitment to change and improve their own lives. By hosting a UN Volunteer, you help empower individuals and communities to work on the reality they wish to transform. And volunteers contribute to your achieving your peace and development goals.

The following examples illustrate how UN Volunteers help host entities meet their peace and development goals in different regions of the world.

In Uganda, UN Volunteer Charles Peter Odok, speaks to a returnee from Garamba in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who, only one month before, had been a captive of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Mr. Odok registers her so that she can obtain psycho-social support. (Harald Franzen, 2009)

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Democratic Republic of the Congo: Disarmament, demobilization and reintegrationUp to 700 UN Volunteers contributed to the work of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in 2010, including through a disarmament, demobilization, return, reintegration and recovery programme focussing on foreign combatants. UN Volunteers with the UNDP disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme also contributed to the successful demobilization of 23,000 national ex-combatants, including 10,000 child soldiers. Both programmes required multi-disciplinary approaches and involved UN Volunteers in cross-cutting areas like gender, HIV/AIDS, child protection, human rights, socio-economic reintegration and women’s empowerment.

Ethiopia: Combating climate change and desertificationUNV is working with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in the Amhara and Oromia Regions in Ethiopia to combat desertification resulting from human activities and natural disasters, aggravated by climate change. Livelihoods and environmental conservation skills of 200 youth volunteers were built, demonstrating a sustainable approach to fighting poverty and desertification. The project has had a multiplier effect and has inspired neighbouring communities to replicate the experience. For its extraordinary efforts, the Youth Association in Amhara Region received the National Green Award and the National Youth Innovators Award in 2009 as well as the Regional Green Award in 2010. This project replicated lessons from a similar project in Cape Verde.

Liberia: Bridging the youth divide through volunteerismIn Liberia, 15 years of civil war polarized communities and pitted youth against each other. To support reconciliation and peace-building and to promote the MDGs, UNV and UNDP partnered with the Government to set up the Liberian National Youth Volunteer Service. The Service recruits, trains and deploys urban youth volunteers to support education, health, agriculture, peace-building and development projects in the rural interior. Young national volunteers build social cohesion, bringing urban youth and rural communities together through the establishment of peace gardens, inter-community sports events, and micro projects such as vegetable gardens which provide an alternative source of income. They also raise awareness about gender-based violence, HIV/AIDS and the contribution of youth to poverty reduction efforts.

Abinata Fall Sarr, (right) explains a fish farming project she initiated in Senegal to national UN Volunteer Aminata Diagne Barre. The fish farming project “Promotion et dévelopment de la pisciculture” near Lac de Guiers was created to provide a steady supply of tilapia fish for both local consumption and income. The project includes training local community members in fish farming techniques and in the long run aims to use the surrounding land to grow vegetables. (Harald Franzen, 2010)

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Asia: Tsunami response The destruction caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004 was tremendous. India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand were among the hardest hit countries. Within 48 hours of the disaster, UNV had deployed volunteers to Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia. Operating within the overall UNDP tsunami response framework, by the end of 2007, some 238 UN Volunteers were mobilized in the region, 39 per cent of whom were women. The initial focus on recovery and reconstruction support eventually evolved to integrate disaster preparedness and risk reduction. A participatory community-based approach was adopted in rolling out these plans, which supported capacity-building efforts at the community level. As a result, marginalized groups were able to access services. There was a particular focus on vulnerable groups and on the empowerment of women.

Cambodia: Biodiversity conservation through community volunteerism Tonle Sap is the largest permanent freshwater body in Southeast Asia, and one of the most productive freshwater ecosystems in the world, and thus critically important for Cambodians as a source of nutrition and livelihoods. UNV partnered with UNDP, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the Government of Cambodia to promote – through community volunteerism – alternative “biodiversity-friendly” income-generating activities among communities living in the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. The aim is to break the vicious cycle that links biodiversity loss and the deterioration of livelihoods. UN Volunteers have provided training, technical inputs, and mobilized community volunteers to establish linkages with civil society organizations, reinforce local ownership, and promote biodiversity. Twelve self-help groups are active with about 500 participating families and a female membership of 85 per cent. These groups are self-sustaining and replicable, with improved capacity to provide for their families through alternative livelihoods, improved quality of life (with water filters/efficient cook-stoves), and biodiversity conservation through the piloting of small scale sustainable livelihoods initiatives. Reinforced by the efforts of the community volunteers, the work of the UN Volunteers has made a tremendous impact in terms of the social inclusion of women and youth into project activities, demonstrating that volunteerism is a powerful tool for sustainable development.

National UN Volunteer Leng Lay (right), is an Assistant to the National Sustainable Livelihood Specialist in Tonle Sap, Cambodia, where UN Volunteers train people to conserve and sustainably manage biodiversity and natural resources. The Tonle Sap biosphere covers over 30,000 hectares and provides refuge for some 200 different plant and fish species, along with 42 different reptile and 15 mammal species. The volunteers must also live and learn how life works in the floating villages of this duty station. (Peter Harris, 2008)

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India: Decentralized planning, monitoring and human development reportingIn India, in response to the Government’s emphasis on decentralization and outcome based planning in the 11th Five Year Plan, UNV’s collaboration with UNDP has resulted in enhancing capacity for participatory, decentralized planning and monitoring. Spanning 35 districts across seven states, about 35 volunteers have been mobilized through a joint project. UNV has contributed to the training of district administration on planning, data analysis and monitoring in four of the seven states and in undertaking a capacity assessment exercise. UNV support has also been predominant in the development of district profiles and in the designing and deployment of community level monitoring and data collection tools. In addition, through UN Volunteer support, 14 District Human Development Reports were prepared in 2009.

Nepal: Community development through volunteerismIn Nepal, 2009 saw the successful launch of the joint programme on Governance and Community Development where UNV collaborates with UNDP, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). UNV’s primary focus is on strengthening the capacity of the National Development Volunteer Service to better engage at the community level and facilitate grassroots planning. Hundreds of national volunteers are engaged in community development and social mobilization.

Ismini Palla, UNV Public Information Officer from Greece, attends to requests from Sudanese

journalists during a press conference of the United Nations Mission in Sudan in Khartoum.

(Blazej Mikula, 2008)

This page: In Nepal, national UNV Coordinator Indra Bhujel (second from left) and Sharmila Kafle of the National Development Volunteer Service (left) talk

with Sabita and Saroj Purkuti of the Dalit community about the importance of water and sanitation. (Anna-

Marie Guiney/UNV, 2010)

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Jordan: Empowerment through community radio stationThe region of Ghoreyiah outside Amman, Jordan, is the target area for the “Takalam” project (meaning “to speak out” in Arabic), a UNV initiative which aims to empower traditionally marginalized and disadvantaged members of society and include them in local development. The area is a “poverty pocket” where inequality and unemployment are pervasive. In partnership with UNDP, the Government of Japan and the Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development (ZENID), UN Volunteers have reached out to the local community. Four Community Development Committees (CDCs) with members representing youth, children, persons with disabilities and women have been formed. CDC members are all community volunteers themselves, mobilized and inspired by the field work of UN Volunteers. Because of the communications and MDG training, CDC members have produced radio messages and broadcasted them throughout the governorate to address the concerns of local citizens who were never before given an opportunity to express their priorities for local development. The Women’s CDC (the largest) has been a particular success, with local women actively participating in debates and embracing the opportunity to have their voices heard. Volunteering through the community radio project has empowered women in resource-poor communities to speak up about their rights and entitlements and to exercise choices. As a result, civil society organizations and local authorities in Jordan have better access to the voices of local communities thus facilitating their efforts to formulate locally sensitive MDGs/poverty alleviation plans and projects.

Sudan: Combating female genital mutilationIn Sudan, a unique approach to combating female genital mutilation (FGM) capitalizes on volunteerism and local community action. Working closely with the Ministry of International Cooperation, UNICEF, UNFPA, Ahfad University for Women and other stakeholders, UNV engaged local volunteers to tackle these issues from within their own communities. This led to greater openness to consider collective abandonment of the practice. By involving males and youth in peer education, engaging midwives and mothers in sexual education, and working with schools to raise the awareness of children, UNV and community volunteers were able to challenge the practice of FGM from a community perspective. The holistic approach of this pilot project has been crucial to its success. A combination of innovative information materials, entry into the community through schools, and reaching the families of pupils through public events has led to engaging a greater number of people. To ensure sustainability, UNV and partners supported the creation of a new non-governmental organization comprising the community volunteers they mobilized.

National UN community Volunteer Eduart Koci meets with youth association members in the village of Driza, Albania, to encourage them to take part in project activities to improve the

integration of Roma and Egyptian minorities. (Gavin White, 2009)

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South East Europe: Regional integration, social cohesion and poverty reductionThe Volunteer Exchanges for Reconciliation of South East Europe (RIVERSEE) programme was a UNDP and UNV pilot initiative in seven countries - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of (FYRO) Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo. Its overall objective was to contribute to regional integration, social cohesion and poverty reduction in the Balkans by strengthening civic networks through East-to-East volunteer exchanges, promoting volunteerism and proactive citizenship, building the capacity of civil society to support local development and contribute to regional cooperation through civic engagement, establishing regional cooperation between civic initiatives, and promoting legislative frameworks on volunteerism in the region in order to secure a supportive environment; thus engaging local, regional, and national Governments towards building a vibrant volunteer sector. South East European Youth Network (SEEYN) took over the implementation of RIVERSEE, ensuring the sustainability of the initiative. SEEYN has 15 member organizations from Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYRO Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The member NGOs work on a broad range of issues such as human rights, environment, voluntary service organizations, and youth issues.

All member organizations share the approach of inclusion of active volunteers in the organizations’ work and a belief in cross-boundary exchanges as an important tool for youth engagement in society and co-operation for peace and stability. Laws on volunteerism were adopted in Croatia and FYRO Macedonia. RIVERSEE laid the groundwork for regional participation in the European Commission Youth in Action Programme 2007-2013.

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Bosnia and Herzegovina: Youth Employment and VolunteerismThe Youth Employability and Retention Programme (YERP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina aims to address the problems of high youth unemployment and migration and social exclusion. In collaboration with UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and IOM, UNV is working closely with the Government, civil society and the private sector to better youth employability through improvements to school curricula and government employment services for youth. The project also aims to improve youth employment prospects through youth volunteerism, knowledge transfer, capacity building, community mobilization and enhanced recognition of the value of voluntary activities. Nineteen national UN Volunteers are assigned to Youth Employment Centres being created within the Public Employment Service System. These national UN Volunteers will be complementing the Government-funded staff in each Youth Employability Resource Centre in providing counselling, job search training, job search assistance, the creation of individual employment plans and career development support. Based on local needs and interest, the centres’ capacity will be supplemented by short-term volunteer interns who will support the activities, including community outreach activities to raise awareness of the value of voluntarily contributing to one’s community. UNV’s involvement in the Youth Employability and Retention Programme provides a platform for young people to serve as ambassadors of volunteerism and civic engagement as well as role models for their peers and community members.

In Uzbekistan, community Volunteer Trainer Rametova Zulfia (right) and her peers are mobilizing 3,000 community volunteers to combat tuberculosis. Here, she works with a dentist and two nurses (from left to right) to document prevention, recognition and treatment processes. (Leonid Kudreyko, 2010)

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Bolivia: Revealing women volunteers’ contribution to national development and the economyWomen’s multiple contributions to development remain invisible in local and national public policies and budget allocations across the region. UNV has joined forces with UN Women to better understand the value of unpaid contributions by women to society and enhance the influence of women in participatory local decision-making and their involvement in local, national and regional accountability. The programme focuses on incorporating women’s needs and proposals into municipal planning and budgeting. UN Volunteers build the capacity of volunteer women’s organizations and other key actors so that they can participate in governmental decision-making processes locally and advocate for their interests. Since 2010, 11 national UN Volunteers have trained more than 3,400 women from grassroots and activist organizations throughout Bolivia about rights and active citizenship, decision-making, negotiation and accountability. This work undertaken by UN Volunteers and social activists has significantly empowered women who were excluded from decision-making processes, and has transformed them into stakeholders in municipal budget planning. In one municipality in the Department of Cochabamba, the alliance building, training, and accountability work undertaken in support of women’s organizations, led to seven demands from women’s organizations. As a result, the municipality incorporated over 250,000 USD into its budget to address their demands.

Colombia: Protecting refugeesColombia has been dealing with people displaced by the complex security situation for years. UN Volunteers with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Colombia engage with community leaders, communities and local institutions to identify and analyse immediate risks for refugees and internally displaced persons. They support local authorities and institutions in implementing appropriate protection measures. This is particularly true in critical situations, where vulnerable groups like women and children require special protection.

“We have been leading a participatory diagnosis process with local institutions and communities to identify protection risks for each population group,” said UN Volunteer Community Services Officer Sergio Castelblanco, a Colombian national. “In effect, we are generating mechanisms that allow state institutions to respond to the needs of their people. It’s about improving the living conditions of these people.”

Indigenous national UN Volunteer Agronomist Eliseo Raúl Pinto (right) shares his technical expertise with a member of the Huayllamarka municipality in the Oruro district of Bolivia. Eliseo conveys his knowledge of better agricultural practices to help local growers increase their yields and addresses MDG1, to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. (Nicolas Josserand, 2010)

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Haiti: Mobilizing For Peace More than 200 UN Volunteers supported the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in 2010. Several others served with UNDP or other United Nations organizations, working at central and local levels with Government, elected representatives, and national police. Their efforts in civil affairs, capacity building, community violence reduction and peace-building activities aim to help foster dialogue, understanding and social cohesion. Volunteers in civil affairs provided information on socio-economic and human security issues.

Honduras: Promoting a culture of peace Honduras has one of the highest incidences of violence in Latin America. Youth gangs and gender-based violence are destructive influences on youth, who make up 60 per cent of the population. This is why UNV in partnership with the Government of Japan, UN agencies and local organizations launched the Joint Programme for the Support of Human Security in Honduras. It targets groups affected by family breakdown, poverty, unemployment, lack of education and social exclusion and promotes a “culture of peace”. UN Volunteers engage youth in sports, cultural events and public theatre; organize peace fairs and workshops; and train youth in leadership. They also support the creation of youth volunteering groups, which organize activities in their communities. The young volunteers develop a sense of belonging to their communities, thus improving their social inclusion and enhancing their understanding of the value of peaceful coexistence and cooperation.

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UNV ONLINE VOLUNTEERING SERVICE

International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth, Brazil A team of fourteen UN Online Volunteers helped the UNDP International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth to update and expand its online directory of research centres in Asia and the Pacific by gathering information on institutions doing research on poverty and development in 26 countries in the region. The volunteers also actively contributed with new ideas and proposals to revise the Centre‘s online directory of research centres in developing countries. A communications strategy was developed and improvements were suggested for effective communication to foster lasting partnerships and to expand the Centre’s outreach to other poverty research centres. The International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth is UNDP’s global forum for policy dialogue and South-South learning on development innovations. Its headquarters are in Brasilia, Brazil.

National UN Volunteer Sidibé Fatoumata Haidara (left), a New Technologies of Information and Communications specialist, and Shindouk (right), a guide, use their laptops in Timbuktu, Mali. The UNV Online Volunteering service connects non-profit development organizations with highly capable and motivated individuals all over the world who provide their support over the Internet. (Jean-Baptiste Avril, 2005)

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Published by: Communications Section, UNV

Translation: Alba Candel Pau (Spanish), Fabienne Copin (French), Claire David (French), Delia Tasso (Spanish)Designed by: Phoenix Design Aid, DenmarkPrinted by: Phoenix Design Aid, Denmark

©United Nations Volunteers, 2011

ISBN: 978-92-95045-40-8 (English)

This guide is intended for UN entities considering hosting UN Volunteers and is available on request by contacting information@unvolunteers.org.

United Nations Volunteers Postfach 260 111 D-53153 Bonn Germany Telephone +49.228.815-2000 Fax + 49.228.815-2001Email: information@unvolunteers.org Internet: http://www.unvolunteers.org

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“The strength of UNV is in its capacity to efficiently mobilize UN Volunteers who are professional and experienced people, who greatly contribute to strengthening local capacity and maintain close contact with host communities.”

Guy Siri, Chief of Mission Support at the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad in 2008.Source: Reaching People, 2008 UNV Annual Report, Forging Paths for Peace, page 14

English UNV Emblem / A4 Vertical / tagline / CMYK3 mm bleed included

inspiration in action

Relevant links

This guide is reproduced online and available to print in English, French and Spanish. Please visit: http://www.unv.org/partners/hosting-a-un-volunteer.html

UNV Annual Report, available on http://www.unv.org/news-resources/resources/annual-report-2010.html Online Volunteering service website www.onlinevolunteering.org Contact us at information@unvolunteers.org

UNV website: http://www.unvolunteers.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/unvolunteersYouTube: http://www.youtube.com/unv