Hosting a UN Volunteer - United Nations Volunteers

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Hosting a UN Volunteer
inspiration in action
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
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)
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)

Table of contents
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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

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
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About us

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 mandate
On 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 inspiration
UNV 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)

• 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.
Fast facts
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Volunteerism’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
• Strengthening local governance
• Primary health care and HIV/AIDS
• Non-formal education
Environment and climate change
• Community-based natural resource management and sustainable biodiversity conservation
• Community-based adaptation to climate change
• Food security through sustainable livelihoods
Crisis prevention and recovery
• Disaster prevention and risk reduction, as well as conflict prevention
• Post-disaster and post-conflict recovery, including sustainable livelihoods and democratic governance
(e.g. post-conflict electoral processes)
• Local conflict resolution, reconciliation, peace-building and human rights
Humanitarian assistance
• Emergency response and early recovery, including basic services and food security
• Protection, including of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, children
• Promotion of human rights
• Support to coordination efforts and information, reporting and research
Operational and capacity building support to UN Missions
• Substantive and technical support to achieve UN peacekeeping and peace-building mandates
• Capacity development and skills transfer to national stakeholders
• Local institutional capacity building, including in democratic governance, transitional justice, rule of law,
and civil affairs
• Outreach to the community level to support UN peacekeeping and political missions’ credibility and
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)

Why host a UN Volunteer?
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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 development
ii. Increases the efficiency and outreach of development activities thus increasing communities’ trust in
themselves and their government
iii. Provides a platform for social inclusion, young, old, marginalized, women
iv. Is an expression of citizenship and human rights
v. Opens the shrinking development and democratic space
vi. Mobilizes collective action to deal with problems and issues
vii. Provides a safety net where traditional market responses fail to protect the powerless from despair,
destitution, abuse and fear
viii. Helps the poor to move from passive recipients to active participants in development and helps them
to envision their own future and take action
ix. Is enriching to the individual.

) 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 people
iii. 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 categories
ii. 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 UNV
iv. Centralized volunteer living allowance payments to all its volunteers
v. 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 assignments
vi. 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 process
iii. Conducting the initial briefing
iv. Monitoring the UN Volunteer during the assignment
v. Facilitating opportunities to increase the visibility of the contribution of volunteerism for development,
including developing innovative programmes, projects and initiatives.
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Types of volunteers
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4. What types of volunteers
are supported by UNV?
a) International UN Volunteers:
i. International UN Volunteers
International 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 USD 1 .
ii. UN Volunteer Interns 2
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.
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.
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)
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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 Volunteers
National 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 Volunteers 3
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)

Other UNV modalities
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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.

) 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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Assignment parameters
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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 selfhelp,
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.
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)
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)

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.
Volunteers’ responsibilities
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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; and
iv. 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)

8. What is your responsibility
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 entity
i. 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; and
iii. 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).
Host’s responsibilities
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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)

Cost considerations
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9. What are the costs of
hosting a UN Volunteer?
The host organization covers the costs 4 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 countryspecific
security and other requirements. For a one year assignment 5 :
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 is
Volunteer 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)

10. What legal and operational
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.
Governing frameworks
31

Requesting a UN Volunteer 32
32
11. How do you request a UN Volunteer?
• Contact your UNV Field Unit.
• UNV will help you review your programming activities and identify relevant assignments for a UN
Volunteer.
• You may submit the draft Description of Assignment (DOA) to the UNV field presence for review and
ensure the relevance of the volunteer assignment.
• Final approval of the DOA is done at UNV Headquarters.
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.

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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34
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.

12. Examples of UN Volunteers helping
host entities to meet their goals
Volunteerism 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)
UN Volunteers in action
35

Africa 36
36

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration
Up 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 desertification
UNV 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 volunteerism
In 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 genderbased
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 Pacific 38

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” incomegenerating
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 reporting
In 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 volunteerism
In 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.
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)
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)

Arab States
41

42
Jordan: Empowerment through community radio station
The 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 mutilation
In 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 nongovernmental
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)

Europe and CIS
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South East Europe: Regional integration, social cohesion and poverty reduction
The 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 cooperation
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.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Youth Employment and Volunteerism
The 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)
45

Latin America and the Caribbean 46

Bolivia: Revealing women volunteers’ contribution to national development
and the economy
Women’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 refugees
Colombia 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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48
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.

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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50
Published by: Communications Section, UNV
Translation: Alba Candel Pau (Spanish), Fabienne Copin (French), Claire David (French), Delia Tasso (Spanish)
Designed by: Phoenix Design Aid, Denmark
Printed 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 + 49.228.815-2001
Email: information@unvolunteers.org
Internet: http://www.unvolunteers.org

“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
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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/unvolunteers
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/unv
inspiration in action