Promoting Volunteerism for Peace and Development

DURING YOUR ASSIGNMENT . 13to the possibility that the people you havecome to work with may end up teachingyou more than you teach them.In short, you should be proud of yourexpertise and your professionalism, andseek out opportunities to employ your skillswhile bearing in mind that there is stillmuch to learn. In the end, the quality ofyour performance should speak for itself.If you are a national UN Volunteer, youare likely to be familiar with the localculture where you are carrying out yourassignment. However, even though yourlocal partners are fellow nationals, theymay still consider you to be an outsider.They may also hold you to a higherstandard than international volunteers,expecting more from you and being lessforgiving of mistakes.What can you do to earn their respect andtrust? As is true for all volunteers, humilityand a willingness to listen and learn fromyour hosts will help. You can alsodemonstrate your solidarity by highlightingyour shared commitment to achievingyour country‘s national developmentgoals. Telling them about any successfulvolunteer-facilitated development projectsin your own part of the country that youhave been involved in will underscoreyour solidarity and commitment.“When they see a volunteer comingall the way from Cairo, theyappreciate it more,“ says KhaledHammad, a UN Volunteer onassignment in his native country ofEgypt. In his experience, beneficiariesof assistance from national UNVolunteers understand that “you‘renot only there to do your job – for themoney – but that you believe insomething, to help them change forthe better.“A Person-to-Person ApproachOne of the most critical keys to successas a UN Volunteer is to be a good listener.Listening conscientiously is not only acourtesy, but also an important way toshow respect and to learn from thosearound you. Your impact will be greaterand your own experience richer if youtake the time to listen to and reallyunderstand your hosts. At the same time,give your hosts time to understand UNVand its mission, and always make time formutual exchange. The people youencounter while carrying out yourassignment are not only recipients of aid,but human beings. Remember that youare on this journey together.