London, United Kingdom: The 70,000 volunteers who served the London 2012 Paralympic Games, included persons with disabilities.  In their trademark purple t-shirts, they helped athletes on and off the sports fields and visitors throughout the vast metropolis. Read

Bonn, Germany: Getting involved in the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games has proven to be a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime experience for the 70,000 volunteers assisting the organizers in making the Games happen.

Coming from 70 countries from across the globe and outfitted with purple and red volunteer uniforms, these “Games Makers” were hard to miss in the UK throughout July and August – their work has hit the headlines and displayed the impact had by their Olympic volunteerism. Read

Bonn/London: A new partnership between the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and VSO, announced today, will maximize the potential of volunteering to help citizens drive development forward themselves. The UNV-VSO partnership aims to increase the positive impact that volunteering can have on empowering marginalized communities. Read

Miragoane, Haiti: "Water is a very serious problem here in Haiti," says UNV volunteer Civil Affairs Officer Alexandra Simpson, "and it is one that especially touches the lives of women." Many women walk for hours to collect water but Ms. Simpson is helping to ease the burden. Read

Glasgow, Scotland: The CIVICUS World Assembly has highlighted the need for activists and civil society organisations to be more accountable. “The beneficiaries of services need to be involved directly in the events and processes that affect their lives,” said UNV head Ad de Raad. Read