Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will require the ingenuity, solidarity, and creativity of millions of ordinary people though voluntary action. Efforts on the part of national governments, supported by the international community, can only complement what ultimately will depend on the full involvement of people all over the world. Six billion people have something to contribute. Recognizing this fact is the first step on the road towards harnessing this vast resource in a global effort to meet the MDG targets.

Worldwide, an estimated 114 million children of primary school age are still not enrolled in school, depriving one in every five children access to even the most basic education. At community level, the UN Volunteers (UNV) programme works in partnership with local volunteer-involving organizations such as parent-teacher associations to address issues relating to enrollment, school dropouts and low literacy rates. In collaboration with other development partners, UNV also helps strengthen the capacity of institutions, teachers and other professionals to deliver effective educational services.

UNV’s work in advocating volunteerism focuses on the promotion, recognition, facilitation and networking of volunteer action, including:

Through individual volunteers, the UN Volunteers programme

• Provides technical support in analyzing socio-economic obstacles to progress in the field of education and develop strategies to address them;
• Supports the development of innovative curricula adapted to local realities and needs;
• Assists schools and communities to define and implement programmes which promote girls’ education;
• Facilitates the training of trainers at various levels of the education system;
• Promotes the potential of the Internet and other information and communications technology (ICT) to reach out to those in remote areas.

Through volunteer-involving organizations (VIOs), the UN Volunteers programme

• Supports VIOs in mobilizing young people to assist in expanding and improving educational services and infrastructure in disadvantaged areas;
• Assists in the creation of parent-teacher associations to ensure communication between the family and school which in turn promotes educational initiatives;
• Encourages community-based and non-governmental organizations to provide access to literacy courses and practical skills training for out-of-school and dropout children.

Through volunteer networks, the UN Volunteers programme

• Connects local parent-teacher associations and community groups with national and international networks to stimulate innovative approaches to education, especially with respect to girls’ education;
• Facilitates contacts among VIOs involved in education to increase their effectiveness.