UNICEF UNITE encompasses all volunteers and supporters in the USA. As a whole, UNITE members advocate to prioritize children in local, state, and federal funding and policy decisions. They also fundraise and help spread the word about UNICEF’s mission. There are currently UNITE teams in these 18 cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC. Even if you don’t live in a city with a UNICEF UNITE team, you can still get involved with UNITE by advocating for children’s rights and fundraising. Visit the resource page of the website at https://www. unicefusa. org/unite/resources for all the information about how you can help out.
Not every UNICEF National Committee has volunteer opportunities available. The pages vary from country to country, but generally you can check the careers section of the website to see if they list any volunteer positions. You can also go to the contact page of the site for your home country and send an inquiry if you can’t find the info on the site. The National Committee pages also have information about other ways to help out in your country, including fundraising or donating, so you can get involved even if there aren’t any volunteer positions open at the moment.
You can apply for this program no matter where you live in the world. To be eligible for the program you must be 18-24 years old, have completed secondary education, have demonstrated commitment to peace and development through academic, extra-curricular, and volunteer activities, and have a working knowledge of English. If you have a disability or are from a minority group, you are highly encouraged to apply. There were Youth Advocates Programme volunteer positions available in 33 countries during 2018-2019. Assignments for these volunteer positions last for 1 year.
Each job listing at UNICEF requires you to hold the UNICEF core values and core competencies, as well as be competent in 3-5 of the functional competencies listed in this documentation. For example, a human resources manager position might require you to be proficient in these 3 functional competencies: relating/networking, planning/organizing, and leading/supervising. Your competency level will be evaluated during the selection process on a scale of 1-3. Detailed descriptions about the different levels are listed in the documentation.
Double-check the nationality requirements on any posts you are interested in. Some jobs only allow applicants who are nationals of the country where the job is located. Make a note of the application deadline (including timezone) so you can be sure to fill out your application before then. Read the whole job description and requirements carefully to make sure that you qualify for the position and that it is a good fit before you apply. There is a huge variety of jobs available with UNICEF, including roles like immunization specialist, budget officer, finance associate, information management officer, construction engineer, social policy specialist, and many more.
You do not have to fill out the entire application in one sitting. You can save it and come back to finish it later on. Just make sure to complete it before the deadline listed on the job posting. Make sure to update your resume and write a new cover letter specific to your application. Note that you must go through the online application process to be considered for a job with UNICEF. There is no way to apply for jobs outside of the portal. All candidates are considered equally this way.
Additional assessments and your interview are based around the UNICEF core values and functional competencies, so make sure to memorize the values and competencies relevant to the job you applied for to refer to in your tasks and interview. There are helpful tips about preparing for your interview on the UN website here https://careers. un. org/lbw/home. aspx?viewtype=AYI.
If you don’t get the job you applied for, you can always apply for another one. There are hundreds of vacancies posted on UNICEF’s website at any given time, so don’t get discouraged. You can also set up job alerts through the UNICEF job portal so you’ll get notified when a new job gets posted that meets certain criteria for which you might want to apply.
