The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) is a programme that aims to promote peace and contribute to development by supporting the effort aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) through volunteerism. The UNV aims to improve occupational retraining and self-development by improving agriculture, health, education and human rights in developing countries. To these ends, the programme brings together thousands of men and women from all over the world.
Based in Bonn, Germany, the UNV is active in 140 countries. Over the years, they have served in about 140 countries. Currently, 40 percent of the activities undertaken by the UNV take place in Africa, followed by 26 percent in Asia and the Pacific, and 15 percent in Central and Eastern Europe. The remaining projects take place in the Arab States, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Overall, 30 percent the volunteers serve in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) with approximately 7500 people volunteering at peacekeeping and humanitarian operations every year.

Conditions of Service

In addition to the personal satisfaction being a UN volunteer brings, many volunteers find having the opportunity to make a positive impact on peace and development exhilarating. The programme also provides the participants with a unique professional experience. 

To support you during your assignment, you will receive:

• A settling-in-grant calculated based on the duration of the assignment and paid at the beginning of the assignment;
• Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) (not a salary) paid each month to cover basic living expenses;
• Reimbursements for travel expenses on appointment and at the end of assignment;
• Life, health and permanent disability insurance;
• Annual leave;
• Resettlement allowance calculated based on the duration of assignment, which is paid upon satisfactory completion of the assignment.

UN volunteers usually receive six to twelve month renewable contracts. However, the UN expects volunteers to serve at least for a year.

Values and commitment

• Strong commitment to the values and principles of volunteerism;
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment;
• Ability to adjust to difficult living conditions;
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills;
• Prior volunteering and/or working experience in a developing country (not mandatory, but will be considered an asset).

Professional qualifications

• University degree or higher technical diploma;
• Several years of relevant working experience;
• At least being 25 when taking up an assignment (there is no upper age limit);
• Good working knowledge in at least one of the three UNV working languages: English, French and/or Spanish.

To apply, please visit http://one.unv.org/main/?Lang=en
The UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and adheres to UNDP policies and procedures for recruitment and staffing. 

Online Volunteers
The OV service has hitherto brought together more than 1000 non-profit development organizations (CSOs, government institutions, academic institutions and United Nations agencies) with more than 12,000 dedicated individuals (from about 182 countries) who can:

• Provide technical expertise
• Support project and resources management
• Contribute to knowledge management
• Facilitate communication and networking

To apply, please visit http://www.onlinevolunteering.org/en/vol/register.html
You may visit www.worldvolunteerweb.org for more information on the volunteering needs of non-UN organization and programmes.