UN Volunteers

UNDP has benefited from the support of UN Volunteers across a range of functions pertaining to its health implementation portfolio. With the intensive need for specialized expertise entailed in the management of Global Fund grants in particular, coupled with resource and capacity constraints that characterize many operational contexts, engaging UN Volunteers may prove a cost- effective and flexible option for UNDP Programme Management Units (PMUs) to address human resource gaps.

UNV offers a global talent pool with over 300,000 profiles of well-qualified volunteer candidates; a legal framework for engaging UN Volunteers that comprises conditions of service and the UNV code of conduct; a diverse set of volunteer categories, and a comprehensive package of benefits and entitlements to candidates.

Added value to the portfolio

Onsite UN Volunteers:

• Diversity of experiences: In some cases, international UN Specialist or Expert Volunteers may prove a cost-effective option of complementing PMU teams comprised mainly of national staff. In one UNDP Country Office, the PMU noted that bringing on board an international staff as an international UN Volunteer contributed to enhanced managerial and oversight experience within a key function for the team. Additionally, PMUs can engage national or international UN Youth Volunteers, which can bring in a valuable skillset and perspective for health programmes.
• Local capacity: National UN Volunteers add value with their knowledge of local languages, cultural, social, and economic characteristics. National UN Volunteers are particularly well-placed to nurture capacities at the community level, fostering local ownership and sustainability.
• Support with community integration: UN Community Volunteers can play a significant role in health service delivery, raising awareness, or debunking myths and misconceptions around critical health issues.

Online volunteers: Online volunteers remotely support completing UN entities’ tasks. As online volunteers’ typical assignments, they design and create communication materials, translate documents, and make reports. UNDP can complete the recruitment process on its own through Unified Volunteering Platform (UVP). Online volunteers collaborate with UNDP on a short-term task basis up to 20 hours per week for up to 12 weeks.

On-screen step-by-step guide: How to create a new online Description of Assignment

Practice Pointer

Addressing capacity gaps of national counterparts through UNV

In addition to addressing human resource needs within PMUs, UNDP can support national counterparts to engage UN Volunteers. In Kiribati, UNDP’s engagement with UNV in support of the UNDP-managed Western Pacific regional Global Fund grant was prompted by government demand. Following the resignation of its TB programme coordinator, the Ministry of Health (MoH) faced a critical staffing gap in a country with one of the highest TB burdens in the world. UNDP shared its positive experience with the MoH from engaging a UN Volunteer Medical Specialist in Tuvalu under the Western Pacific programme. The MoH subsequently requested UNDP’s support to recruit a UN Volunteer TB Specialist, as a means of ensuring sufficient medical expertise on TB in the ministry amidst staff turnover challenges.

UN Volunteer categories

• UN Expert Volunteers: People with critical skills, including specialized in-demand knowledge, professional expertise and technological acumen, often cultivated over many years
• UN Specialist Volunteers:
  • International UN Specialist Volunteers: Professionals with specialized knowledge and a wide range of cultures and professional backgrounds
  • National UN Specialist Volunteers: Nationals of the host country (or refugees and stateless persons physically present in the country of the duty station) who are recruited nationally
• UN Youth Volunteers: Ideally suited to areas needing innovation, community outreach, youth engagement, social media or work with marginalized communities. UN University Volunteers are a special segment of UN Youth Volunteers and serve on assignments of 3-6 months.
• UN Community Volunteers: Bring local expertise to development and peace solutions, recruited locally with no experience required. They work where they live on projects that impact their own community.

For more details on UN Volunteer Categories, see the UNV Partner Toolkit.

Cost:

The Online Volunteering service is free of charge.

For more information, please check the Entitlement calculator on the Unified Volunteer Platform UVP website.

Practice Pointer

PMU experiences with UNV

Several PMUs have engaged UN Volunteers across a range of functions, with notable benefits:

"I think UNV is an excellent modality. It adds cultural diversity to the team and gives a chance to the local staff to be exposed to experiences from other countries. We also receive a lot of appreciation from host countries, as UN Volunteers are usually highly educated and experienced people bringing a lot of added value."

"The UNV modality works well in contexts when specific expertise is required that is missing in the host country or host agency, including in ministries of health. Low income and remote countries will find UNV help particularly beneficial."

– Programme Manager, Western Pacific Grant

"I knew I could get a competent international UN Volunteer for this assignment. In contexts such as Afghanistan where the cost of operation is high and in the current context of declining funding, engaging international UN Volunteers results in cost efficiency, especially for the PMU budget. This is well received by both the Global Fund and Country Coordinating Mechanism."

"The assignment required key technical skills and expertise. I already had three national staff in the section so having an international within the team brought on board added experience, including a managerial and oversight function."

– Programme Manager, Afghanistan

To be put in touch with another PMU that has recruited a UN Volunteer for a specific assignment, contact the UNDP Global Fund Partnership and Health Systems Team (GFPHST).

The process to recruit a UN Volunteer

UNV provides end-to-end support for the recruitment and administration of UN Volunteers. This includes:

• Helping to identify appropriate volunteer assignments;
• Outreach and identification of candidates that match the assignment’s requirements;
• Issuing an offer to the candidate the host unit selects and concluding the contractual arrangements with the volunteers;
• Ensuring medical and other clearances are in place;
• Providing access to a learning eCampus to all UN Volunteers;
• Administering assignment-related payments, benefits and entitlements;

If interested in hosting a UN Volunteer, the Country Office should:

1. Determine your needs, which may be informed by discussions with UNDP GFPHST or Global Fund counterparts
2. Reach out directly to the closest UNV Field Unit or Regional Office - contact details are available here
3. Define your needs, draft a Description of Assignment (DoA Template) and confirm funding
4. Engage in the recruitment process by reviewing the profiles of 3-5 shortlisted candidates provided by UNV – including at least 1-2 women – who meet your requirements
5. Select the most suitable candidate through a desk review, technical test and/or interview.
6. UNV makes the offer to the candidate, concludes contractual arrangements, ensures medical clearances, and helps the UN Volunteer prepare for travel to the duty station
7. Prepare for the arrival of the UN Volunteer – this may include ensuring the availability of a workspace and computer; preparing induction and making supervisory arrangements

For additional guidance and resources related to hosting a UN Volunteer, please visit the UNV website.

UNDP GFPHST and UNV have developed a set of standard DoA templates for the following common profiles leveraged by PMUs. These should be adapted based on the specific context: