HYAB launches new round of United Nations Volunteers – Hong Kong Universities Volunteer Internship Programme
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The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), in partnership with the United Nations Volunteers, the Agency for Volunteer Service (AVS), the Hong Kong Volunteers Association and the Peace and Development Foundation, today (December 22) launched a new round of the United Nations Volunteers – Hong Kong Universities Volunteer Internship Programme. Local undergraduate students are welcome to apply.
The Government attaches great importance to youth development. The HYAB promulgated the Youth Development Blueprint at the end of 2022. It states that the Government will further strengthen the breadth and depth of the Mainland and international internship and exchange programmes with a view to enhancing young people’s understanding of the development of the country and the world. The Programme provides local undergraduate students with valuable opportunities to undertake six-month volunteer internships in the overseas field units of various United Nations (UN) agencies. The interns will be able to develop their personal capabilities and expand their horizons, as well as contribute to the international community in the capacity of Chinese youth volunteers. A total of 23 university students participated in two rounds of the Programme in 2023 and undertook internships in various UN agencies located in Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal and Thailand, including the World Food Programme, UN Children’s Fund and UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, etc. They made contributions to different international affairs and were greatly rewarded from the experience.
The new round of the Programme will be expanded to cover more countries along the Belt and Road region, offering a total of 25 internship placements in different UN agencies located in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, etc. The volunteer internships will cover areas such as health and education, environment and innovation management and will run from July to December 2024. Applicants should be full-time undergraduate students of local universities. The HYAB will provide round-trip air tickets and monthly living allowances, etc, and offer suitable pre-departure training for participants in collaboration with the AVS.
Details of the Programme are available at the designated webpage (www.avs.org.hk/eng/UNV). Interested young people should submit applications on or before January 25, 2024.