Photo: UN Volunteer Will Seal, serving as Communications Officer with WHO in the Pacific, travels by speedboat to Funafala, the only inhabited island in the Funafuti Conservation Area, in low-lying Tuvalu. Capturing the stories of people directly impacted by climate change is critical for advocacy on the issue. One of the nations most vulnerable to climate change, Tuvalu faces a range of problems caused by a changing climate – from food insecurity or lack of clean water access to increasing storms and flood risks. For Tuvalu’s islands, boats are the only way to travel, often limited during bad weather, and causing significant resource availability and evacuation challenges.
© WHO, 2019
Extend your volunteer's contract
Start planning for assignment extensions well in advance.
For your volunteer’s contract to be extended, we will need you to provide:
of your volunteer.
from your organization to extend the contract.
from everyone involved.
Funding Arrangements
from the funding agency
There is no right or expectation to extension, renewal or conversion to any other type of appointment or to employment with UNV or any other UN entity.
UN University Volunteers and UN Youth Volunteers can serve for up to a maximum of six months and two years respectively. You can extend them under other volunteer categories for up to four years.
1. Contact your HR person for help understanding your organization’s workflow and budget cycle.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNCHR) and UN missions have distinct processes in place.
2. Set a reminder two months before your volunteer’s end of contract date.
3. See what’s left to be completed for the assignment.
Estimate how long this could take and how much it could cost (proforma) to extend the contract.
4. Review your volunteer’s performance and complete an appraisal, as applicable. Use our templates or follow your own.
Volunteer Performance Assessment (VPA) Guidelines (EN, FR, ES); Volunteer Performance Assessment (VPA) Template (EN, FR, ES)
5. Consult with your volunteer to understand any plans or commitments they have made for the end of their assignment.
Gauge their capacity to continue to volunteer if an assignment extension was offered, but temper any expectations.
6. Check our funding guidelines and work with your HR or Finance team, to confirm the funds this extension needs.
UNV Service Request form (financial authorization for contract extension), UNV Financial Authorization Requirements
7. Email ‘support@unv.org’ when funding and the extension request is confirmed and advise us how long your volunteer’s new contract will last.
8. See your extension processed and your volunteer’s Personnel Action Form (PAF) updated with new contract details on their UNV database profile.
Donors usually cover the initial contract for fully funded UN Volunteer assignments – few may cover an extension, depending on availability of funds (ask when in doubt). They expect your organization to extend them under your own funding as a recognition of the volunteer’s commitment and contributions.