Going into the weekend, I want to post this as a reminder for all of you:
Many jobs need UN experience. So how do you gain this experience? One way to get this experience is to sign up with the United Nations Volunteers programme. For one volunteering is a great thing to do and we all should give back to our communities by volunteering and on the other hand you will gain valuable UN experience with UNV. So head over to UNV and learn about their great work today!
Have any more questions? Let me know in the comments below!
I agree that being a UNV is a great experience. That said, as a current UNV, I am saddened by the lack of information shared with us about how to move to another UNV position in another country. You can’t really do this on your own because UNV doesn’t advertise most of its positions publicly and pulls you off the roster while you;re serving in a country. You would therefore have to not renew your contract, go home, and hope that they call you for another gig somewhere else, which seems unfeasible for the UNVs who have dependents.
While being a UNV was an excellent way to begin a UN career, there is a strong contingent of people in Bonn who want to see people volunteer with “pure hearts” i.e. not looking for a more permanent position afterwards. As a result, more and more rules are popping up preventing UNVs from taking up full time positions, so that volunteering doesn’t become a back door into the UN…
So, as with all things, grain of salt (many UNVs spend years in 1 country office, with little hopes of being able to move anywhere else)…