UN VOLUNTEERS (UNV) >> Turkey

UN Volunteers in TURKEY Following the attainment of political independence, the Republics of the former Soviet Union have endeavoured to transform their centrally planned economies into market oriented ones. The transitions have posed critical problems of economic and social disruption and urgent delivery of multilateral and bilateral assistance became of essence. Following consultations with the Governments of the Newly Independent States (NIS), the Government of Turkey decided to provide humanitarian assistance as well as 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 and experienced Turkish specialists under the cost-effective UNV modality.  Given the unavailability of an appropriate administrative set-up in Turkey to channel the large number of potential volunteer candidates available in the country, the Government of Turkey requested UNDP's support in identifying the methods and mechanisms for providing this assistance. As a result, the project TUR/92/008-"Turkish International Volunteer Advisory Services Programme for the NIS and Other Neighbouring Countries" was signed in 1992 between Turkish International Cooperation Agency (TICA) and UNV. The said project was implemented for six years between 1992-1998 during which 92 Turkish experts and young professionals were fielded to 15 NIS and EU countries, in a variety of technical and social sector fields ranging from constitutional law to banking and telecommunications. The total budget of the project was US$ 1,879,601 with only $ 400,000 provided by UNDP and the remaining from the Turkish Government and TICA resources. The project was completed at the end of 1998. However other UNV placement and volunteer specialists recruitment possibilities continue. For more information on this, please  visit the web site of UNV at www.unv.org or contact the UNV focal officer at UNDP Turkey Office. Volunteering Abroad 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. International Year of Volunteers 2001 (IYV 2001)  In November 1997, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers. To prepare for the year, the United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) has been designated as international focal point. With its main objectives of increased recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of volunteering, the International Year of Volunteers 2001 (IYV) provides a unique opportunity to highlight the achievements of the millions of volunteers worldwide and to encourage more people globally to engage in volunteer activity. To have more information about or to get involved in the activities of the International Year of Volunteers, please visit the web-site at www.iyv.org. and/or contact the UNV focal officer at UNDP Turkey office.