UN Volunteer Learning Strategy 2014-2017

UN Volunteer Nguyen Qui Quynh Mai speaks to Viet Nam Volunteer Information Resource Centre volunteers. UN Volunteers supported the centre, training about 150 people and establishing a trainer-of-trainers network.

Š Harald Franzen, 2013

Enhancing the UN Volunteer Experience

VOLUNTEER LEARNING STRATEGY

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is committed to promoting competency development and learning for UN Volunteers as a critical element of its Strategic Framework 2014-2017. The Framework emphasizes knowledge sharing and learning to enhance the quality and impact of the volunteer experience, for both the work of the United Nations (UN) and UN Volunteers’ individual development.

The Volunteer Learning Strategy addresses issues identified through a comprehensive Learning Needs Assessment, carried out in 2013. The Strategy lays out the foundation for competency development within UNV. It applies to all UN Volunteers, under the different modalities and sets UNV on a path to become a learning organization. The Strategy mirrors the phases of the volunteer management cycle, looking at the soft and hard skills necessary to promote volunteerism and to carry out the assignment, and contributing to learning for the professional life.

UNV will adopt multiple learning methods and approaches, including blended learning, which is comprised of online and face-to-face training. Considering the challenge given the geographic distribution of UN Volunteers and the cost implications, the possibility of diversifying learning through online opportunities, will allow them to study remotely and at their own pace, and share their experience through online discussions or face-to-face learning events.

Vision Statement UN Volunteers, through their growth and personal development, enhance the programme value and effectiveness of the host organizations, and advance the value of volunteerism.

National UN Volunteer Aminata Diagne Barre (left) speaks with Ibrahim Sene, President of the Handicap Form-Educ

Key Principles

Association, in front of the cyber café run by the association, in Louga, Senegal. The

UNV’s Volunteer Learning Strategy will ensure:

cyber café is a source of revenue for the

• All UN Volunteers are empowered to take ownership of their learning;

association as well as a training centre.

• All UN Volunteers have easy access to learning opportunities and material; • Minimum learning requirements for all UN Volunteers; • Relevance and appropriateness of learning, to UN Volunteer modality and assignment; • A blended learning approach and encourage experiential learning; • Lessons learned and knowledge management methodologies are integrated in all learning phases and interventions.

Strategic Drivers The following three strategic drivers have been identified to ensure contribution to the outcomes of UNV’s Strategic Framework 20142017: • Enhancing programme value – impact on the beneficiary and/or host organization; • Promoting the spirit of volunteerism – impact on UNV and its mandate;

Key Principles and Results

© Harald Franzen, 2010

• Supporting volunteer’s growth – impact on the individual.

Key Result 1

More specifically UNV will: • Develop standardized pre-assignment and upon arrival induction packages including online courses and relevant reference documents and face-to-face interaction respectively; • Ensure UNV Universal Core Learning is available to all UN Volunteers; • Develop guidance and tools for the UNV field units on delivering learning interventions; • Strengthened Memoranda of Understanding to ensure access to the host organization’s internal learning platform and opportunities.

Key Result 2 UN Volunteers will consider competency development and work experience from their assignments as valuable benefits towards their professional and personal development.

More specifically UNV will: • Develop a learning policy clarifying issues related to access and a mechanism to support learning; • Identify those providers/partners who could respond to more targeted learning needs for groups of volunteers; • Support UN Volunteers after the assignment with advice on translating their learning into skills and competencies for future employment, job interviewing and reintegrating into the home country, as applicable.

Key Result 3 UN Volunteers are supported to promote the value of volunteerism through sharing knowledge and experience and to contribute to organizational learning.

More specifically UNV will: • Establish a mechanism to support and promote leadership and innovation. Selected UN Volunteers will have the opportunity to pilot and document innovative ideas or products that demonstrate the value of volunteerism, and its contribution to Youth Empowerment, Access to Basic Services, Disaster Risk Reduction and Peacebuilding; • Promote with host organizations the possibility for UN Volunteers to broaden their experience through community engagement; • Promote knowledge sharing and learning, with peers and experts, through UN Volunteer networks.

Young participant during Youth Volunteer Summer Camp in Jordan in August 2013

© WupY PS, 2013

UN Volunteers will receive a core learning package and have access to learning opportunities that will benefit their assignment and enhance programme value and operational efficiency.

UN Volunteer Houssene Sebogo, Civil Affairs Officer with the United © Jose Rendee Torres, 2012

Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti, supporting a cassava production project in the rural area of Jérémie.

Learning throughout the UN Volunteer Assignment Universal core learning and introduction to other topics relevant to the assignment will be delivered in two parts, as part of the same pre-assignment and upon arrival learning package to all new UN Volunteers. The induction phase will then contextualize the pre-assignment learning. UN Youth Volunteers will receive additional training and mentoring.

During the assignment, there will be opportunities for self-driven learning, through UN partners and/or external providers. UNV will also have a Capacity Development and Learning Facility to support group learning for volunteers and promote peer-to-peer informal learning. A mechanism will be established to support and promote Leadership and Innovation.

At the end of assignment UN Volunteers will be provided with career guidance, facilitating the transition from the UNV assignment into their professional career.

Learning throughout the UN Volunteer Assignment

Contextualisation of Core and Delivery of Induction

Organization / UNV-Driven and Individual-Driven for Professional and Personal Development

Outplacement Assistance

4 to 2 weeks before

1 to 3 months

3 months +

Last 6 months

Pre-Assignment

Induction

During Assignment

End of Assignment

Introduction to Core and Key Induction Content

Start Assignment

Recruitment

Blended Learning

Separation from the Assignment

The Strategy will be implemented through a phased approach throughout the UNV Strategic Framework 2014-2017 period.

Priority will be given to creating the main building blocks, including a new learning policy, access to online learning and development of new agreements to support learning with UN and external partners.

The implementation of the learning strategy is designed to follow the volunteer management cycle which describes the different steps of the volunteer experience from the first contact with the organization through the reintegration in the home country.

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming and mobilizing volunteers. UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

For more information about UNV, please visit www.unv.org.