New York and Bonn: A dedicated trust fund has been set up by the United Nations to boost youth volunteerism and harness the energy of young people around the world to contribute to achieving development goals while enhancing their own lives.

Announced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the new youth trust fund is an important milestone in developing the inspirational UN Youth Volunteers Programme. Read

Bonn, Germany: During his announcement of his Five-Year Action Agenda on 25 January 2012 the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme to create a specific youth volunteers programme. Since then, UNV has been engaging with youth-led networks, international volunteer sending organizations, national volunteering and civil society organizations, and UN agencies to develop the UN Youth Volunteers Programme.  Read

Elbasan, Albania: Volunteering for the first time in a summer camp for children, she saw it as a kind of psychological and social training for children, helping them to socialize. “This helps them to overcome shyness and to express themselves through games and different activities.” Read

Bonn, Germany: The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is partnering with the Asan Nanum Foundation (ANF) of the Republic of Korea to promote youth engagement in the achievement of human development goals.  

The UNV-ANF partnership was officially launched today at UNV headquarters in Bonn.  The ANF was represented at the launch by a delegation led by Dr CHUNG Chin Hong, Chairman of the ANF. Read

Bonn, Germany: A fact sheet providing an overview of UNV's Arab Youth Volunteering for a Better Future Programme is now available in Arabic, English and French. The initiative aims to facilitate young people's participation in five Arab states through volunteerism as a positive and sustainable mechanism for effecting social change. Read

On Friday, 24 August 2012, Flavia Pansieri, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, and Jean-Pierre Ezin, Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology with the African Union Commission (AUC), signed a letter of understanding in Bonn where the two organizations agree to harmonize their efforts to promote the concept of youth volunteerism as a means to advance socio-economic growth and development in Africa. Read

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

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

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: On the first day of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, a Rio+20 delegation visited the favela area of Canta Galo, where 57 UN Volunteers are engaged in the renewal of their own community. "This is yet another example of people power driving real change," says UNV Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri. "Volunteers, together with communities around the world, support social, economic and environmental transformation every day." Read

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: In the lead-up to Rio+20, UNV was actively involved with the Government of Brazil and UNDP in the training of 1,200 young volunteers for the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development taking place from 20 to 22 June in Rio de Janeiro. Read