Photo: UNV Khandker, Medical Doctor in Trinidad and Tobago

 

WHO WE ARE
 

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the focal point for volunteerism in the United Nations system. UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme and it has its headquarters in Bonn, Germany.

 

UNV is inspired by the conviction that volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and by the idea that everyone can contribute their time and energy towards peace and development. With partners, UNV advocates for volunteerism, integrates volunteerism into development planning and mobilizes volunteers.

 

Every year UNV mobilizes more than 7,500 volunteers for development projects and it operates online to connect development organizations with thousands of online volunteers worldwide. UNV volunteers are skilled professionals with an average age of 37 and 5-10 years of working experience. They work in more than 140 countries and 70% come from the South of the world, establishing the best example of transfer of knowledge from South to South countries.

 

Photo: The UNV family in Trinidad and Tobago

 

The UNV programme in Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname is coordinated by the UNV Country Office Team in Port of Spain. All UNV volunteers in Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname carry out their service by placing at the center of their everyday lives the spirit of humanity and solidarity that lays at the heart of the very concept of volunteerism.

                                                         

As of September 2008, 70 International UNV volunteers serve in Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname, 44 men (62.7%) and 26 women (37.1%), from 20 different countries.The UNV Programme in Trinidad and Tobago is one of the largest programmes in the world.

 

 

WHAT WE DO

 

The first UNV volunteers arrived in the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago in 1988.  Since then, over 166 UNV volunteers from all over the world have been assigned to this Caribbean country.

 

The UNV programme in Trinidad, Tobago and Suriname is implementing the UNV Results Framework for development effectiveness. The framework is based on the threefold UNV’s Business Model, which includes Advocacy, Integration and Mobilization of volunteers.

 

These three overlapping and interconnected operations are implemented through the following activities:

-         Policy support at the ministerial level;

-         Capacity building and institutional strengthening;

-         Fieldwork.

 

 

Photo: UNV Dr. Shahanna adn UNV Dr. Vallouri working in Health Centers all over Trinidad

 

UNV volunteers in Trinidad, Tobago and Suriname make substantial contributions in their various fields of expertise, working as medical doctors, engineers and architects, statisticians and planners. They come from various backgrounds and bring to their individual projects a wealth of expertise, diversity and neutrality. They especially improve access to services and service delivery and assist with capacity-building.

 

UNV volunteers assigned in Trinidad and Tobago work in UNDP projects and offer their technical expertise to the ministries of Health, Education, Local Government and the Tobago House of Assembly.

 

Photo: The team of UNV volunteers, engineers, working in Tobago

 

Most of the work of the UNV volunteers is carried out in the field and well beyond standard office hours. For instance, the Free Medical Camps are held voluntarily in different locations over Trinidad and Tobago every month. In such occasions, UNV medical doctors provide in their spare time free blood testing and a full health check-up to all patients in need. At the medical camps set up by UNV volunteers, as well as at the VCT (Voluntary testing centres), patients also receive free health education, counselling and HIV-Aids awareness and support.

 

INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER DAY

 

 

Every year, on 5 December, volunteers all over the world unite to celebrate together International Volunteer Day.

In 2007, volunteers in Trinidad and Tobago joined hands to organise a Volunteer Fair

the IVD was celebrated with the creation of a Trinidad and Tobago Volunteer Fair in coordination with the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, the International Federation of the Red Cross, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross, the Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women, the YMCA and the National Aids Coordination Committee.

 

Photo: UNV volunteers Kumkum, Angela and Seyi IVD 2007

 

NEWS

Service, awe and wonder: Volunteering in Trinidad & Tobago  26 February 2008 - Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago: It has struck me in awe how the simple idea of being “Man for Others” from my small world in the eastern corridor of the Philippines, has brought me to the bigger stage where I can contribute as a UNV volunteer…

Money is not my business -- it’s saving lives 11 February 2008 - Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago: The Sangre Grande hospital has become the new home of Doctor Clement Onuoha, a UNV volunteer who believes volunteering makes a difference in development… 

Contradictions and surprises in Trinidad and Tobago 09 November 2007 - Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago: Life is full of surprises and contradictions, says UNV volunteer Fabio Balboni. While working in Trinidad and Tobago as a UNV Specialist on corporate social responsibility, he learned that business and volunteerism actually go hand-in-hand…

UN Under-Secretary-General Melkert awards UNV volunteers in Trinidad and Tobago 20 December 2006 - Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago: Mr. Ad Melkert, UN Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), today awards UNDP Excellence Awards to outstanding UNV volunteers in Trinidad and Tobago for their commitment as ambassadors of volunteerism for development…

Volunteers can walk the walk too! 04 September 2006 - Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago: It took two UNV volunteers – from Nigeria and India – some community work to organize a successful Walk Against Child Hunger in just a month’s time in Trindidad and Tobago. Dr. Onuoha Clement describes how he and Dr. Veena Murlidhar extended voluntary work beyond their assignment as medical doctors to achieve this...

 HOW TO VOLUNTEER

For information on UNV in Trinidad, Tobago and Suriname please contact:

Ms. Hitomi Urushihata, UNV Programme Officer, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN House, 3A Chancery Lane, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Tel: (001) (868) 623 7056 Ext. 235 E-mail: hitomi.urushihata@undp.org

For information about volunteering and to apply online, please click here.

For information about how to become an online volunteer and about UNV's Online Volunteering (OV) service click here.