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International Youth Day, held every 12 August, is an occasion for UNV to highlight that volunteerism is an important channel for recognizing the potential of youth. This year’s theme, Building a Better World: Partnering with Youth, relates to the statement made by the United Nations Secretary General on 25 January 2012 announcing to make youth one of the priorities of his Five-Year Action Agenda.

“Given the chance, youth bring enthusiastic insight and energy to the challenges of development,” says Flavia Pansieri, UNV Executive Coordinator. “As volunteers, young adults are engaged actors in their own development and agents of change within their communities”.

UNV is at work worldwide to harness youth volunteers of all kinds.  From mobilizing young people through advocacy or facilitating vocational training, to organizing environmental and sports activities, with UNV’s programming youth are being nurtured for the future and giving back to their communities in the present. Read below some of the young volunteers stories.

United Nations Volunteer, Dramane Coulibaly, answeres questions on volunteerism to the Scouts at his stand. (UNV programme, 2012).
Promoting volunteerism and humanitarian action among the Scouts
21 August 2012
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire: UNV Programme presented a communiqué on Volunteerism and humanitarian actions in the presence of 40 young participants from Benin, Niger, Togo, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire. The objective of the communication was to motivate young scouts to get involved in volunteer actions for humanitarian purposes in an Africa plagued by incessant conflicts. Read
More about: MDGs: General  Volunteering advocacy
Countries:  Côte d'Ivoire
Other languages: en español  
Mariana Vincani (22, left) was able to learn sewing thanks to Brunilda Peqini, a national UN Volunteer empowering Roma youth and families in Cërrik, in the Elbasan District, central Albania. (UNV/Fabienne Copin, 2012)
Empowering Roma youth in Albania
13 August 2012
Tirana, Albania: In Albania – the country with the highest percentage of youth in Southeast Europe – Roma youth face heavy discrimination. Their exclusion from sports competitions, school events, vocational training and community life often has a negative impact on their self-confidence. Four Albanians enlisted as UN Volunteers to share their experience directly with youth from nearly 2,000 Roma and Egyptian families. Read
More about: Marginalized groups  Youth
Countries:  Albania
Volunteers in Bukhara (Uzbekistan) aim to raise education standards of Lyuli community members through volunteer led trainings on basic reading and writing, healthy lifestyles, and dangers of human trafficking. (UNV programme, 2012).
Making youth volunteers the driving force behind development
12 August 2012
Taskent, Uzbekistan: It has been the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme’s on-going objective to motivate and support Uzbekistan’s energetic and remarkable youth volunteers in their endeavours. As part of these efforts, a national project will soon begin, and it will enhance youth civic participation and involvement in democratic governance practices. Read
More about: MDGs: General  Youth
Countries:  Uzbekistan
UN Volunteers building a better world: partnering with youth
12 August 2012
Bonn: 12 August every year, UNV celebrates International Youth Day with millions of youth around the world to highlight how volunteerism is an important channel for sustainable community development. Youth is a sector of society that faces unique challenges and vulnerabilities, but also contributes with unlimited promise. Visit site
More about: Youth
Attendees actively participate during the training on sex education in Zanzibar, Tanzania. (Joke Lannoye/UNV programme, 2012).
Training in Tanzania stresses importance of sex education and youth development
12 August 2012
Dodoma, Tanzania: How do you equip youth with the necessary skills to avoid unwanted sex? What factors lead to risky sexual behaviour? How do you prevent HIV transmission among youth? These topics form but a snapshot of the issues that fuelled lively discussions during a recent training session on comprehensive sexuality education that I attended in my duty station, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Read
More about: MDG 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases  Volunteering for Development
Countries:  Tanzania, United Republic of
UNV volunteer Shoa’a Al Tawalbeh (right) lists one of her achievements as opening a programme for volunteers from the local community to help out at the Intel Clubhouse in Jordan's e-Village. (UNV)
Supporting UNV’s “Arab Youth Volunteering for a Better Future” initiative
12 August 2012
Morocco/Sudan/DR Congo: The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme recently launched the “Arab Youth Volunteering for a Better Future” initiative, which aims to build the skills and capacities of young people in the Arab States and enhance their participation in the socio-economic development of their communities through volunteering. The initiative will lead to a regional programme covering Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, Tunisia and Morocco. Read
More about: MDGs: General  Online volunteering
Youth Volunteers club Instant Measures for Practical Accountability Commitment and Transparency (IMPACT) in Sierra Leone. (UNV programme, 2012).
Pre launch of the Student Volunteer club
12 August 2012
Freetown, Sierra Leone: The youth IMPACT Volunteer club aims to address the needs of marginalized communities in Freetown and sub-areas by encouraging young graduates to use their knowledge and skills at the grassroots community level. The project aims to contribute to the peaceful coexistence of communities by creating environmentally-friendly livelihood opportunities in a selected number of communities. Read
More about: Education  MDGs: General  Volunteering for Development
Countries:  Sierra Leone
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