Photo: Angela Peca, UN Volunteer Nurse with MINUSMA, takes care of the people who serve the world at the UN clinic in Bamako.
© UNV, 2019
Safeguard mental health and wellbeing
Reduce the stigma and inspire sufficient trust that your UN Volunteers and staff feel comfortable seeking help or admitting how they’re truly feeling at work. Good health and wellbeing is number 3 of our Sustainable Development Goals.
Leaders and supervisors play a crucial role in promoting health and wellbeing of all UN personnel, including UN Volunteers. It is essential that you tell your volunteers who they can talk to for support and how to access resources if they are struggling. Given the nature of volunteering (moving to a new country, escalating civil conflict, natural disasters, humanitarian crises), it’s up to all of us to take our duty of care seriously. Our resilience, our ability to serve as an international organization depends on the wellbeing of all our people, volunteers included.
Let’s keep checking the UN Mental Health Matters hub . See the big 6 benefits of doing what you can to support UN Volunteers and staff. Plus, put mental health awareness and these wellbeing ideas at the top of your agenda.
Join the UN Secretary-General’s call to create a healthy workforce for a better world:
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Do what it takes for a more inclusive and supportive culture.
Reduce burnout with flexible hours and arrangements.
Familiarize yourself with host entity procedures on handling emergencies and critical incidents.
Suggest psychological counselling services to your volunteers.
Encourage volunteers to sign up for free one-to-one self-development coaching.
Familiarize yourself with the leave entitlements of UN Volunteers.
Play team sports or games to get everyone moving and bonding.
Conduct health and wellness workshops.
Encourage healthy eating.
Suggest free mindfulness apps and websites to help volunteers be kinder to themselves and self-reflect.