UN VOLUNTEERS (UNV)


Who are UN volunteers?

Every year some 5,000 UN Volunteers from more than 150 different nationalities actively support the programmes and agencies of the UN. Their ingenuity, solidarity and creativity is a huge resource in efforts to achieve and sustain the UN's Millennium Development Goals. Volunteering benefits both society and the individual volunteer. It makes important contributions, economically as well as socially and it builds trust and reciprocity among citizens.

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme was created by the UN General Assembly in 1970. Administered by UNDP, it supports human development all around the world by encouraging and mobilizing volunteers.

UNVs in Turkey

The aftermath of disaster -- UNVs and the 1999 earthquake Turkish UNVs played a key role in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes which struck north-western Turkey in August and November 1999, killing more than 17,000 people and destroying or damaging hundreds of thousands of homes and other buildings.

In the months which followed the earthquakes, a team of UNVs worked to establish an information gathering system to facilitate the identification of pipeline projects for UNDP. They also helped to anchor UNDP's presence in the earthquake stricken area.

At the end of their assignment period, the UNV team prepared a comprehensive report which serves as a useful tool for future planning in disaster management related activities of UNDP, as well as providing the basis for identifying the areas of cooperation with the national and international aid organisations on related issues. For more on the involvement of Turkish UNVs in the 1999 earthquake, click here.

Assisting Transition - Turkish UNVs in the former Soviet Union

Following their political independence, the republics of the Former Soviet Union embarked on the difficult process of transition from centrally planned to market economies. The Government of Turkey decided to provide humanitarian assistance and technical cooperation to help these countries overcome the difficulties during this critical period. It was agreed that one effective way to meet these countries' needs for technical expertise would be to provide the services of well qualified Turkish specialists under the cost-effective UNV programme and the Government of Turkey requested UNDP's support in providing this assistance. As a result, for a six year period between 1992-1998, 92 Turkish experts and young professionals were fielded to 15 Former Soviet and EU countries, in a variety of technical and social sector fields ranging from constitutional law to banking and telecommunications. For more on this project, please click here.

How can you become a UN Volunteer?

If you visit the web site of UNV Headquarters at www.unv.org, you will come across the following headings:

  • About UNV (Frequently Asked Questions)
  • News/Media
  • Volunteers
  • Activities
  • Partnerships
  • Publications

If you click on the "Volunteers" indicated above and then select "Your Options", you can find information on the following issues:

  • More information about UNV as an organization
  • Benefits for UNVs
  • Volunteering in home country
  • Volunteering abroad
  • Volunteering online
  • Internship possibilities at UNV Headquarters
  • Vacancies for volunteers
  • Questionnaire (which is the preliminary assessment form for being included in the resource bank of UNV candidates)

Vacancies | Questionnaire

If you complete the online questionnaire and receive a positive response from UNV Headquarters, then you can visit or call the UNV Officer in UNDP Turkey Office to get an appointment for an interview and have more information about volunteering. Following a positive interview, the UNV Officer will provide you with the Personal History Statement Form (PHS). Your submission of the completed PHS form will constitute your official application to UNV Headquarters, for being included in their roster of candidates for UNV specialists. It is possible to send the form directly to UNV Headquarters but it is advisable to submit it to the UNV Officer in UNDP Turkey Office, so that s/he can check whether all your documents are complete, can keep a copy of your form for follow-up and then s/he can send it by UNDP pouch which will guarantee that your documents reach the correct destination.

Being rostered does not guarantee that you will be assigned to a UNV post, as UNV operates on a demand-supply basis. Applications identified for a vacancy are submitted to the appropriate authorities of the country requesting the services of an International UNV Specialist. Upon evaluation of the dossiers of all submitted candidates, these authorities will accept the candidate who best fulfils the requirements of the post. When an application is retained for a UNV post, the candidate is immediately informed by UNV Headquarters in Bonn and - subject to positive interview and medical clearance - is expected to assume duties within six weeks thereafter. International UNV Specialists travel on their national passports and it is their responsibility to obtain the necessary travel documents, clearances and visas to ensure their arrival at the duty station. Please note that travel and other expenses related to the interview are not reimbursable.