Relevant Links
Website Resources
UN Volunteers
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme contributes to peace and development through volunteerism. With partners, UNV advocates for volunteerism, integrates volunteerism into development planning and mobilizes volunteers. UNV helps countries to foster and develop volunteerism as a force for sustainable development. It provides strategic advice on the role and contribution of volunteerism and options for civic engagement in development programmes. It helps countries to improve public inclusion and participation in social, economic and political development, and supports the growth of volunteerism within communities as a form of mutual self-help.
UN Volunteers Online
UNV launched its redesigned Online Volunteering service website on International Volunteer Day 2008. The new multilingual site enables organizations to connect with volunteers better than ever.Online volunteering allows anyone with Internet access to contribute to development. Development organizations can thus find volunteers across the globe who provide technical expertise and freely share their skills over the internet.The UNV Online Volunteering service website has been upgraded to increase its reach and maker it easier for use by people with special access needs. The site is now available in Spanish and French as well as in English and complies with international accessibility standards.
European Volunteer Center
The European Volunteer Centre (Centre européen du volontariat, CEV) is the European network of more than 88 national, regional and local volunteer centres and volunteer support agencies across Europe, that together work to support and promote voluntary activity. Through its network it reaches out to more than 17,000 volunteer organizations, associations and other voluntary and community groups at local, regional, national and in some cases at the international level. CEV channels the collective priorities and concerns of its member organizations to institutions of the European Union. It also acts as a central forum for the exchange of policy, practice and information on volunteering.
UN RIO +20
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) is being organized as a consequence of General Assembly Resolution 64/236 (A/RES/64/236). The Conference will take place in Brazil on 4-6 June 2012 to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), in Rio de Janeiro, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. It is envisaged as a Conference at the highest possible level, including Heads of State and Government or other representatives. The Conference will result in a focused political document.
ECOSOC - Division of Sustainable Development
The Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) provides leadership and is an authoritative source of expertise within the United Nations system on sustainable development. It promotes sustainable development as the substantive Secretariat to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and through technical cooperation and capacity building at international, regional and national levels. The context for the Division's work is the implementation of Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and the Barbados Programme of Action for Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.
European Year of Volunteering
The European Year of Volunteering is both a celebration and a challenge. It is a celebration of the commitment of millions of people in Europe who work in their communities during their free time without being paid – for example in schools, hospitals, and sports clubs- protecting the environment, providing social services and helping people in other countries. Their efforts and those of the many thousands of volunteering organizations make a huge difference to our lives in countless ways. The world would be much worse off without volunteers. The EYV is also a challenge to three-quarters of the European population who do not do any volunteering. It says to them that they can also make a difference.
Volunteers for Peace
Volunteers For Peace promotes International Voluntary Service as an effective means of intercultural education, service learning and community development. It provides projects where people from diverse backgrounds can work together to help overcome neediness, violence and environmental challenges facing our planet. It organizes and promotes projects where nations join together to improve life on our planet and volunteers experience a microcosm of our world. Through the exchange of ideas and international understanding, projects of the Volunteers for Peace offer practical ways to both prevent and resolve conflict while meeting local community needs. By encouraging and providing opportunities for voluntary service it is sowing the seeds of a better future for all.
International Volunteer Programs Association (IVPA)
IVPA is an association of non-governmental organizations involved in international volunteer work and internship exchanges. IVPA is an association of volunteer- sending organizations but does not organize or run its own volunteer programs.VPA promotes awareness and access to valuable volunteer programs abroad. IVPA can serve as a guide to anyone considering volunteering abroad or developing international service opportunities. This includes but is not limited to prospective volunteers, newly created volunteer-r sending organizations, corporations, and colleges and universities.
Cross Culture Solutions
CCS’s mission is to operate volunteer programs around the world in partnership with sustainable community initiatives, bringing people together to work side-by-side while sharing perspectives and fostering cultural understanding. It is an international not-for-profit organization with no political or religious affiliations.
United Planet
As an international non-profit organization, United Planet (UP) strives to create a world in which all people understand, respect, and support one another. United Planet's global network of leaders and volunteers fosters cross-cultural understanding and addresses shared challenges to unite the world in a community beyond borders.The underlying principle of itr programs is the concept of Relational Diplomacy – recognizing that the relationship between people of diverse backgrounds is the basic building block for uniting the world. United Planet’s innovative programs are designed to expose our common human bonds, generate respect and appreciation for our cultural, racial, and religious diversity, and enrich lives of our neighbors worldwide.
World Volunteer Web
The World Volunteer Web supports the volunteer community by serving as a global clearinghouse for information and resources linked to volunteerism that can be used for campaigning, advocacy and networking. It is an online hub where the community can meet, share resources and coordinate activities to mobilize volunteer action in support of the Millennium Development Goals. With a constituency comprising of more than 20,000 organizations and individuals, the World Volunteer Web helps to catalyze partnerships among volunteer stakeholders from all continents. The website is also the global focal point for International Volunteer Day (IVD), celebrated around the world every 5 December.
Volunteer Abroad
GoAbroad.com is committed to providing the most comprehensive international education and alternative travel databases. GoAbroad.com utilizes data-driven programming to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information. In addition to some of the largest directories of their kind on the internet, GoAbroad.com provides extensive additional information within its dynamically constructed travel guides, currency converter, and embassy directories. GoAbroad.com is dedicated to providing this information in a clean and less-commercial format. Advertising space is limited and strategically placed for the most cohesive design. GoAbroad.com is a very user-friendly site, graphics are developed with load time as a priority, search directories and content are created as the market demands.
ICJA Freiwilligenaustauschweltweit (ICJA volunteer exchange worldwide)
ICJA is the German committee of the international ICYE Federation. ICJA is both a sending and hosting organization for volunteers. ICJA is a registered, independent and open non-profit-making organization, which was founded in 1949. Its office is located in Berlin.
European Union-Education, Audiovisual and Culture (EACEA)
Youth in Action is the programme the European Union has set up for young people. It aims to inspire a sense of active European citizenship, solidarity and tolerance among young Europeans and to involve them in shaping the Union's future.
United We Serve
United We Serve is a nationwide service initiative in the United States that helps meet growing social needs resulting from the economic downturn. It works with the concept that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things when given the proper tools, Serve.gov is an online resource of United We Serve for not only finding volunteer opportunities in communities but also for encouraging people to create their own.. The Organization boasts: “Use Serve.gov to help you do your part America’s foundation will be built one community at a time – and it starts with you.”
Volunteer Match
VolunteerMatch strengthens communities by making it easier for good people and good causes to connect. The organization offers a variety of online services to support a community of nonprofit, volunteer and business leaders committed to civic engagement. The popular service welcomes millions of visitors a year and has become the preferred Internet recruiting tool for more than 76,000 nonprofit organizations.
Idealist
A "global clearinghouse of nonprofit and volunteering resources", offering a directory of volunteer opportunities and other resources. (in French, Spanish and English) Idealist is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed. Its work is guided by the common desire of its members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.
Energize, Inc.
Energize, Inc., is an international training, consulting and publishing firm specializing in volunteerism. If these words are in your vocabulary – community service, membership development, auxiliary, community organizing, service-learning, lay ministry, pro bono work, supporter, friends group, political activist, service club – Energize, Inc., offers support. Founded in 1977, Energize has assisted organizations of all types with their volunteer efforts – whether they are health and human service organizations, cultural arts groups, professional associations, or schools.
Sustainable United Nations Unit
The Sustainable United Nations Unit houses a number of initiatives which have influence both within and beyond the UN system: The Sustainable United Nations facility works with all UN agencies to improve the sustainability performance of the UN system, and provides support to public sector organizations embarking on their own sustainability journeys. The Sustainable Public Procurement initiative works with governments across the world to make sure every penny of public money serves both people and the planet. The Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative brings together leading organizations from the building sector to develop approaches to improve its overall performance.The Urban Environment team supports cities across the world to address key urban environmental issues and to integrate environment in their long-term strategic planning.
World Summit on Sustainable Development
The World Summit of Sustainable Development was held Johannesburg 24 August to 4 September 2002. This site contains press releases, webcasts, meeting summaries, daily journals, speeches and photos from this landmark meeting.
International Organization for Sustainable Development
The mission of the International Organization for Sustainable Development is to foster the well-being of all human beings by promoting sustainable economic development, inter-cultural dialogue, and facilitating access to world-class higher education, especially in the developing nations of Africa and the Pacific.
European Sustainable Development Network (ESDN)
The European Sustainable Development Network is an informal network of public administrators and other experts dealing with sustainable development strategies in Europe. This website serves as a one-stop-shop for sustainable development strategies in Europe, and is the communication platform of the ESDN.
German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE)
This 15 member multi-stakeholder Council has been requested by the German Government to contribute to the process of elaborating and updating its strategy for sustainable development and to come up with political recommendations to implement sustainable development. It is also tasked with strengthening communication about sustainable development. The Council stands for societal dialogue; it is not a scientific advisory body.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
The eight MDGs, adopted by world leaders in the year 2000 and set to be achieved by 2015, provide concrete, numerical benchmarks for tackling extreme poverty in its many dimensions. They include goals and targets on income poverty, hunger, maternal and child mortality, disease, inadequate shelter, gender inequality, environmental degradation and the Global Partnership for Development.