United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

Since 1998, the Staff Development Organisation has been nominated to act as the National Focal Point for the United Nations Volunteers [UNV] programme.

The UNV was created in 1970 by the UN General Assembly to be an operational programme in development cooperation. This programme is the volunteer arm of the UN system and it promotes volunteer contributions to development, particularly with a community-focus, and seeks to influence policy for sustainable results.

Every year there are some 4,000 qualified, experienced and motivated women and men of over 125 nationalities, who serve as volunteer specialists and field workers in some 136 developing and 'transition' countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Arab States, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltics. Three-quarters of them serve in the world's poorest nations - least developed countries, landlocked and small island economies.

UNV's are mainly involved in technical cooperation and community-based work in various sectors such as: agriculture, health, education, social conditions, vocational training, industry, transport, population, humanitarian relief and rehabilitation, peace and electoral work.

Normally, UNV's hold a first university degree, or a diploma or certificate from a higher professional, technical or vocational institute and many of them have postgraduate qualifications including Masters degrees and doctorates. Interested individuals should be between thirty and forty years of age and should have worked in their respective fields for a minimum of ten years. In practice the UNV age-range spans from the late twenties to the sixties and even seventies. Offers of service from retired people are welcome.                                                           

UNV seeks to recruit men and women genuinely interested in supporting the efforts of others and in dedicating some years of their lives in other countries with different cultures, climates etc. They accept their assignment not as employment but as a service, keeping in mind that working with UNV is not a career proposition.

Work contracts are usually for two years but they may be renewed with the agreement of all parties. However, no UNV may serve for more than a total of eight years. Conditions include the payment of airfares, a modest settling-in grant, a monthly living allowance, resettlement allowance and the provision of housing and basic utilities, health and life insurance, basic local transport and orientation and local language training.

Further detailed information on the United Nations Programme may be obtained from the following UNV Internet site: http://www.unv.org