Volunteerism and
Disaster Risk Reduction &
Management
Oliver Wittershagen
Portfolio Manager East Asia
Development Division
United Nations Volunteers
May 2011
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
Outline
United Nations Volunteers
Volunteerism – latest trends
Volunteerism and Disaster Risk Reduction
 Hyogo Framework for Action
 UNV’s strategy
 Volunteers in action
Key recommendations
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
United Nations Volunteers
Our Goal
UNV contributes to peace and
development through volunteerism
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
Volunteerism for peace and development
What we believe
VOLUNTEERSM
 Can transform the pace and nature of development
 Benefits society at large and individual volunteers
 Is universal, inclusive, diverse
 Assists social inclusion and promotes access to services
 Is a way for communities to understand their needs, gain
recognition, participate in development solutions
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
United Nations Volunteers
 Volunteerism for Peace and Development
 7,545 UN Volunteers (natl and intl) serving full time in 128
countries from 158 countries
 Average age 37 years old, with 5-10 years working
experience and over 100 professional categories
 42% in crisis prevention and recovery
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
Volunteerism – latest trends
A shift away from a giver and receiver model of volunteering
towards a more reciprocal relationship from which all
parties benefit; opening up opportunities for excluded
people to participate in volunteerism as an approach to
promoting social inclusion.
Advances in global electronic volunteer networks and online
volunteering are redefining the notion of “community”.
Growing interest among Governments in valuing local
cultures and traditions of volunteerism and adapting them
to modern-day circumstances.
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
Volunteerism – latest trends (cont.)
Recognition of volunteerism is being accompanied by calls
for increased professionalism in formal volunteering
management.
Growing interest strengthening measures such as
volunteering-friendly policies and legislation, tools for
measuring economic contributions, service volunteer
schemes and volunteer centres.
Private-sector interest in employee volunteering as an
expression of corporate social responsibility.
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
Hyogo Framework for Action (cont.)
“Promote
community
participation
in DRR”
“volunteerism
was cited as an
important
contributor in
creating
community
engagement and
therefore
improved
resilience”
“Strategic
management of
volunteer
resources”
“building on
spirit of
volunteerism”
“Wider opportunities for
engagement and more
support to NGOs,
CBOs, and the
promotion of
volunteerism to be
addressed more
systematically and
effectively if enhanced
and sustained
capabilities are to be
realised within local
communities.”
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
Volunteerism and DRR:
UNV’s strategy
At the national level, UNV and volunteers can:
support establishment of common awareness and understanding
of crises among key stakeholders, including local authorities and
local communities;
support governments in preparing and implementing crisis-sensitive
development and recovery plans, including establishing and/or
strengthening national volunteer programmes for disaster relief;
advocate for recognition of the contribution of volunteerism in
designing disaster risk reduction plans;
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
UNV’s strategy (continued)
facilitate development of institutional capacities of national and/or
local authorities to strategically manage, support and monitor
local volunteers and civil society organisations; and
provide coordination, operational and technical support to district
administration and NGOs, including volunteer involving
organisations in the implementation of disaster risk assessment
and reduction plans.
At the community level, UNV and volunteerism can:
create space for inclusive dialogue and support the capacity
development of community-based organisations and
communities to engage, empower and mobilise community
members in grassroots disaster risk management efforts;
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
UNV’s strategy (cont.)
raise awareness, promote preparedness, and conduct community
level hazard, risk, vulnerability and capacity assessments as a
significant step towards development of a local disaster plans,
feeding into district and national disaster plans;
mobilise community contributions (volunteer, in-kind and financial
resources) for implementation of local disaster risk management
plans;
facilitate the inclusion and participation of affected communities,
especially women and youth, in the planning and
implementation of disaster risk management plans and tools;
revitalise community members’ voluntary mutual support practices
and self-help activities for implementation of disaster risk
management plans.
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
Volunteers in action
National UN Volunteers facilitate relationship between local
authorities and communities (India)
National UN Volunteers support local authorities to involve
communities in disaster preparedness activities (Sri
Lanka, Nepal, Ecuador)
Community-based disaster-preparedness plans (India, Sri
Lanka); community-based training (India, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka); community-driven environment restoration
projects (Sri Lanka)
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
Volunteers in action (cont.)
Support to institutional capacity development of National
Volunteer Movement (Pakistan)
Organised and long-term involvement of community
members in disaster risk reduction activities (Cuba)
Support to capacity development of NGOs and CBOs in the
area of disaster risk reduction (Ecuador)
Volunteer-based training-of-trainer programmes (Ecuador,
Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia)
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
Recommendations
Ensure inclusion of volunteerism in national disaster management
programmes with a focus on local capacity development
Establish rosters that allow rapid deployment of disaster
management specialists that are able to support aid coordination
efforts and fill immediate capacity gaps
Establish national and/or local volunteer schemes that facilitate
management of massive influx of spontaneous voluntary action
Mainstream volunteerism and the role of volunteers in all sectors of
national development plans
Develop enabling environment for volunteer action
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme
THANK YOU!
Oliver Wittershagen
Portfolio Manager
Development Division
United Nations Volunteers
Oliver.wittershagen@UNVolunteers.org
UNV is administered by the UN Development Programme