United Nations Volunteers

If you are inspired to take concrete action for global peace and development, take a look at the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program. Every year, up to 8,000 qualified and experienced women and men of some 160 different nationalities volunteer at least six months of their lives to help others. These UN Volunteers work in some 130 countries promoting peace, responding to disasters, empowering communities and helping to build sustainable livelihoods and lasting development. UN Volunteers come from dozens of professional backgrounds but all of them are catalysts of positive change. They are encouraged to be creative and entrepreneurial, and foster volunteerism for peace and development both within and beyond their assignments. They work at the heart of communities in partnership with governments, United Nations entities and civil society. Being a UN Volunteer is not a career (you are currently limited to four years of service), but it is rich with opportunities and experience and offers huge personal rewards. As a UN Volunteer you receive a Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) which covers basic needs, housing and utilities. Additionally, UNV will provide a settling-in-grant, life, health, and permanent disability insurance, return airfares and a nominal resettlement allowance.