How to Join UNICEF

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 27, 2024

The United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is a global organization that advocates for the protection of children's rights, helps them meet basic needs, and strives to expand their opportunities. If you want to join UNICEF, you can either do so as a volunteer or apply for a job with the organization. Either way, you will need to follow the processes listed on the organization's website to join.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Volunteering with UNICEF

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Join a UNICEF UNITE team if you live in the USA in a city that has one. There are 18 U.S. cities with UNICEF UNITE teams that you can volunteer to be a part of. Register as a UNITE volunteer at https://www.unicefusa.org/unite/register and contact volunteer@unicefusa.org to get in touch with local team captains if you live in one of the 18 cities with a team. ^{[1]
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- 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.
Tip : You can get more information at https://www.unicefusa.org/unite about volunteering and getting involved if you live in the USA.
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Contact the UNICEF National Committee if you live outside of the USA. Volunteer opportunities in industrialized countries outside of the USA are offered through 33 UNICEF National Committees. Visit https://www.unicef.org/unicef-national-committees for a list of them all to find the contact info for the one in your home country and ask about volunteer opportunities. ^{[2]
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- 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.
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Volunteer for the Youth Advocates Programme if you are between 18-24. This is a program developed by UNICEF and the United Nations Volunteer Program. Apply for both national and international volunteer assignments on the UNV website at https://www.unv.org/news/applications-open-unv-and-unicef-youth-advocates-programme .
- 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.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Getting a Job with UNICEF

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1
Read the UNICEF competencies documentation to prepare you to apply. Read the list of UNICEF's core values and competencies here https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf . This will help you select jobs that are relevant to your skills and prepare you for the selection process.
- 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.
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Visit the vacancies page of the UNICEF website and search for relevant jobs. Go to https://www.unicef.org/careers/explore-careers-unicef and search for jobs that align with your education, experience, skills, and interests. Search by keyword or filter job listings by category, location, or work type.
- 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.
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Fill out the application form for a job to be evaluated for selection. Click on “Apply” underneath the title of a job listing you are interested in and qualified for. Follow the on-screen instructions to apply for the position.
- 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.
Tip : This video shows you exactly how to fill out the online application for UNICEF jobs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePgDIQ9RVYs&feature=youtu.be .
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Complete additional tasks and an interview if you are selected as a candidate. UNICEF might send you additional tasks such as an online assessment, a written assignment, or a video assessment before they interview you. You will be interviewed once you have completed and passed any additional tasks.
- 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 .
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Wait for an email from the hiring office about the outcome of your application. All applicants will be informed, at least by email, of whether they have been selected for the position or not. The selection process usually takes from 1-4 months, so be patient if you don't hear back right away.
- 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.