As a retiree, I didn’t expect to apply for another assignment, but the UN process of application and interview was easy to manage in my situation then, confined at home during COVID-19 lockdown. I had the time to commit to a volunteer programme, which engaged the skills I had used throughout my working life. In addition, the job brought me in touch with the continent where I had made my home for so long. -- Laurel Boland, online volunteer.

The work of Online Volunteers in remote teams is creating a virtual humanitarian community that underscores the work of the United Nations. Khaled Alyam, gladly responded to the need for translation support at the UNRCO. When he started volunteering, he was employed full time, going to school and already volunteering with two other organizations. Yet, this workload did not dissuade him. 

Martin and a team of Online Volunteers working on the project are excited to help Ukrainian pioneers uncover biomimetic solutions to their problems. They are part of the national Biomimicry Challenge* organized by UNDP's Accelerator Lab project, with the assistance of the Biomimicry Institute. This all-Ukrainian competition seeks to find ideas inspired by natural systems.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Niger is currently conducting a study to identify, qualify and quantify the effects of environmental changes on mobility patterns.  Driven by the motivation to support the project with a design-thinking strategy for humanitarian response, Nupur Gurjar joined the initiative as an Online Volunteer. 

Peace is a broad word — it covers general domains of providing access to justice and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions. It also refers to specific United Nations mandates that are being implemented under peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions.  While the role of the UN in maintaining and restoring peace is pivotal in laying the foundations for a peaceful world, it is also important to note the role of young people, who are active agents of change. 

UNDP advertised for the Young Environmental Journalists via the Online Volunteering platform of UNV, offering young leaders and environmental and human rights advocates worldwide an opportunity to join the programme. Following a rigorous selection process, 71 young talents were selected to work together in 2019, while 100 young talents from 27 countries participated in the 2020 edition of the campaign.

Online Volunteers supporting the Istanbul Regional Hub of UNDP initially completed tasks in research, translation and economic modeling to support projects on non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention and control across low- and middle-income countries.

I have served as an Online Volunteer with the UN Volunteers (UNV) programme, partaking in emergency mapping, women’s rights advocacy, NGO funding, creating learning opportunities for people in poverty, rare bird species conservation and much more. 

I remember sitting at home in Mwanza, Tanzania, in July 2017, and reading about the work United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme was doing on my phone. As I read further, my excitement grew, and I stumbled upon the United Nations Online Volunteering platform. I quickly followed the link, read on, and in 10 minutes, I was able to understand how it works. I was delighted by the prospects of using the platform. I loved the impact I could make anywhere in the world from the comfort of my home. --Kido Mwamyenyelwa

This joint campaign is aimed at empowering young volunteers between the ages of 18-31, to raise awareness about, and have a voice in decisions around management, and use of mineral resources. The 70 selected ‘Young Environmental Journalists’ will work with the joint Swedish EPA-UNDP Environmental Governance Programme (EGP) to produce inspiring stories of change and build a strong network of young journalists and environmental and human rights defenders.