Engaging young people through volunteerism has to be a two-way street: young people should benefit from their volunteering experience as much their host community.  That is why, as you will read, this strategy emphasizes skills development, knowledge, and personal growth in our UN Youth Volunteers modality, while also compelling us to not only increase the quantity of volunteering opportunities available to young people globally, but also improve the quality of their volunteer experience.

Youth Volunteering is a two-way street that enhances learning, skills development and personal growth in youth volunteers, and shows them the power of individuals to change the world. It also creates a sense of empowerment, boosts self-esteem and fosters the development of community spirit, especially among marginalized youth. youth volunteers can have a revitalizing effect on global peace and development processes, as they bring energy, passion and creativity, and are often the first to come up with innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.

Throughout, in promoting social cohesion and resilience in post-conflict affected areas, UN Volunteers assigned to United Nations missions helped mobilize local volunteers within communities by supporting inclusive and rightsbased dialogue and inter-community engagement. Additionally, UNV is working with United Nations agencies, funds and programmes to implement rights-based programming initiatives in countries recovering from crisis.