Volunteering with the United Nations is no longer limited by geography. Through the UN Online Volunteering programme, people from around the world can contribute their skills remotely to support peace, development, human rights, and humanitarian action. Whether you are a student, professional, or simply someone passionate about making a difference, online volunteering offers a flexible way to support global causes while gaining valuable experience.
Why Choose Online Volunteering with the UN?
Online volunteer assignments allow you to work from anywhere while contributing to real UN projects and partner organizations. These roles support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and span a wide range of fields, including education, health, technology, communications, research, data analysis, and advocacy. Many assignments are short-term, skills-based, and designed to fit around studies or full-time work.
By volunteering online, you can:
- Support global development and humanitarian efforts
- Build practical, internationally relevant experience
- Apply your professional skills to meaningful causes
- Collaborate with UN teams and civil society organizations worldwide
Current Online Volunteer Opportunities
A wide variety of online assignments are currently open, reflecting the diversity of skills needed across the UN system. Opportunities include advocacy, digital support, research, translation, design, training assistance, and data analysis, with start dates ranging from late December 2025 to January 2026.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
- Work for the British Government, Jan 2026 : British Embassies open vacancies/Online Application
- United Nations Volunteer Programme, Jan 2026 : Open Roles/ Online Application portal
- UNICEF Volunteer Opportunities, Jan 2026 : Open Roles/ Online Application
Some highlighted areas include:
Advocacy, Human Rights, and SDGs
Volunteers are needed to support advocacy initiatives linked to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and human rights promotion. These roles include advocacy support with initiatives such as The 34 Gallery Initiative, social listening to detect misinformation, and dissemination of youth-focused toolkits addressing online gender-based violence.
Digital, Media, and Communications
There are numerous opportunities for volunteers with digital and creative skills, including:
- Social media management and content creation
- Videography and video production for UN and partner campaigns
- Graphic design for advocacy materials, reports, and UNICEF country programmes
- Website support, including WordPress development, UX/UI design, sitemap optimization, and SEO for mental health organizations
These roles play a key part in improving outreach, visibility, and public engagement.
Education, Training, and Capacity Building
Education-focused assignments include teaching digital skills and SDGs to primary school students in rural China, as well as supporting online training initiatives in generative AI and machine learning. Volunteers are also supporting civil society capacity-building efforts in countries such as Papua New Guinea.
Research, Data, and Policy Support
For those with analytical skills, several assignments focus on research, monitoring, and evaluation. These include:
- Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning support
- Industry research for AI governance initiatives
- Education data analysis for UNICEF Egypt
- Environmental research on climate change, mangroves, and environmental impact assessments
- Business plan enhancement for conservation and wildlife areas
Translation, Editing, and Writing
Multilingual volunteers are in high demand. Current opportunities include translation between English, French, Arabic, Sinhala, Tamil, Serbo-Croatian, and Spanish. Editing and writing roles include copy-editing UN Women and national action plan reports, report writing for emergency responses, and drafting articles related to UNICEF initiatives.
Emergency Response and Humanitarian Support
Several online assignments support emergency response efforts, such as the Ditwah Emergency Response. These roles include research support, report writing, graphic design, translation, and desk research—demonstrating how even remote contributions can play a vital role during humanitarian crises.
To explore current opportunities, Visit the Official website at https://app.unv.org/?type=online
Who Can Apply?
Online volunteer opportunities are open to people from diverse backgrounds. Requirements vary by assignment, but many roles value motivation, relevant skills, and a commitment to UN values over formal experience. Students, early-career professionals, and experienced experts can all find suitable opportunities.
How to Get Started
To apply, candidates typically need to:
- Register on the UN Online Volunteering platform
- Create a profile highlighting skills, languages, and availability
- Apply directly to assignments that match their interests
Most assignments are clearly described, including expected deliverables and time commitments.
Online volunteering with the United Nations proves that meaningful impact doesn’t require crossing borders. From supporting education and mental health initiatives to advancing AI governance and climate research, these opportunities allow volunteers to contribute directly to global progress—one project at a time, from wherever they are in the world.