Volunteering with UNICEF USA
To learn more about UNICEF, please see UNICEF USA's Frequently Asked Questions.
Don't see your question listed below? Email us at volunteer@unicefusa.org.
UNICEF UNITE:
- What is a UNICEF UNITE team?
- What is a UNICEF UNITER?
- How do I join a UNICEF UNITE team?
- How do I participate in UNICEF UNITE if I am not in a city with a UNITE team?
- Can I be a part of UNICEF UNITE and join a UNICEF Club?
How to VOLUNTEER:
- How can I become a volunteer?
- How can I support UNICEF through advocacy?
- I would like to volunteer, but I live outside the U.S.
- I am interested in a job or internship!
- How can I organize a fundraiser or event to support UNICEF?
- Do you have overseas volunteer opportunities?
UNICEF Clubs:
- How can I start a UNICEF Club at my school?
- What are the guidelines for creating UNICEF branded material (i.e. club t-shirts, posters, etc.)?
- What types of events, projects, and fundraisers do typical UNICEF Clubs carry out?
- How can I submit my club donations?
- How can I connect with other clubs around the country?
What is a UNICEF UNITE team?
UNICEF UNITE is UNICEF USA's grassroots movement, composed of volunteer-led and staff supported local teams across the country advocating or taking action day in and day out to put children first.
Each UNICEF UNITE team is composed of a diverse community of UNICEF USA supporters committed to advancing local, state and national advocacy, fundraising, communications, and community-building efforts to grow the number of Americans who care about putting children first at home and abroad.
What is a UNICEF UNITER?
A UNITER is a UNICEF USA supporter who cares about protecting the rights of children, here and abroadand who takes action to put children first. Anyone and everyone can be a UNITER. If you belong to a UNICEF high school or campus club or a UNICEF USA Regional Board, if you’re a NextGen member or a part of a faith-based or civil society organization that partners with UNICEF USA, we are excited to have you in our UNITE family already! All of you volunteers and individuals taking action in your communities to put children first –we need you, too!
UNICEF UNITERS wear many hats but they all have one thing in common: a commitment to make the world a better place for children. By UNITING as one, we can have a far greater impact. If you haven’t joined UNITE yet, please sign up here.
How do I join a UNICEF UNITE team?
We currently have UNICEF UNITE teams in the following 18 cities; Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC. Individuals who are located in or near these cities can reach out to volunteer@unicefusa.org to get connected with the Captains of the team they are interested in joining.
How do I participate in UNICEF UNITE if I am not in a city with a UNITE team?
You don’t need to be a member of a UNITE team to participate in UNICEF UNITE. Once you join, there are loads of ways to take action within your own community. Check out our resources here to access essential tools and support to help you start your own fundraisers, advocate for legislation to put children first, speak out about UNICEF's work and mobilize volunteers in your own community to support Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, Kid Power, and other UNICEF USA programs. When you join UNICEF UNITE, you’ll also receive email updates about upcoming trainings and events.
Can I be a part of UNICEF UNITE and join a UNICEF Club?
Yes! When you register to be a part of your school's UNICEF Club, you are also joining our larger community of supporters known as UNICEF UNITE. As a student you have the unique opportunity to be able to activate locally in many different ways. To begin, we always encourage students first to get involved in their school by joining or starting a UNICEF Club. After joining a club, you may look to see if there is a UNICEF UNITE team in your area. Your UNITE team can offer additional experiences including broadening your UNICEF network, activating on a wider level, and learning more about how UNICEF is putting children first.
How can I become a volunteer for UNICEF USA?
To become a UNICEF volunteer, please sign up to join UNICEF UNITE here. to learn about all the ways you can take action to help UNICEF put children first. Once you register, we can point you toward any other UNICEF USA groups or programs–that might be right for you!
I am interested in supporting UNICEF through Advocacy!
Thank you for your interest in supporting UNICEF’s work through Advocacy! Please go to unicefusa.org/advocate to take action online and stay up to date on our advocacy efforts.
In addition to our online advocacy initiatives, please consider joining a UNICEF UNITE team. If you are based in one of the 18 cities with an active UNICEF UNITE team (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC) please email volunteer@unicefusa.org with your interest, as well as the name of the city to which you are nearest.
I would like to volunteer, but I live outside the United States.
Here at the UNICEF USA, we provide support for volunteers in the United States who speak out, advocate, fundraise, and build community for UNICEF. You can find out if your region has similar programs by visiting unicef.org/infobycountry and selecting your country of residence. There, you should be able to find information about opportunities and contact information for that office.
I am interested in a job or internship!
If you would like to work at the UNICEF USA offices, all positions are posted on our career page. There are also a limited number of internship opportunities available in select offices. UNICEF USA does not have overseas internships.
Placement is subject to the needs of the organization, and the skills and interests of the intern. Interns help in a variety of activities, including research, analysis, marketing, and communications. Interns also assist in general office support and special projects. UNICEF USA does not provide financial support for interns. All successful applicants are expected to make their own arrangements for travel, lodging and living expenses during the internship period. To apply for an internship you must be enrolled in college.
For other volunteer opportunities, please register as a UNICEF UNITE member where you will receive updates on the latest ways you can take action.
How can I organize a fundraiser or event to support UNICEF?
If you would like to host a fundraiser, approval is required. Information on applications for events/fundraisers for UNICEF can be found at unicefusa.org/usfmaps. You may join an existing fundraiser, or create your own, using our guidelines. A signed application for a fundraiser to benefit UNICEF requires the organizer to adhere to the rules and regulations governing the use of UNICEF's name and logo.
Within 2 business days of submitting an application on the website, you should receive an email stating whether your event or fundraiser was approved. If your event is approved, you will receive a zip file of resources to help with your fundraiser, including the UNICEF USA logo.
If you are part of a UNICEF Club, check out the UNICEF Club Resources for a fundraising toolkit, and additional helpful resources to organize a successful fundraiser!
Do you have overseas volunteer opportunities?
Here at the UNICEF USA, we work within the United States to speak out, advocate, fundraise and build community on behalf of UNICEF’s lifesaving work around the world. You can explore opportunities with UNICEF in other countries by visiting the UNICEF job website; there you will find opportunities for employment in countries around the world. If you have a particular country you would like to explore, please visit unicef.org/infobycountry and select the country of your interest; there may be positions listed on the country website.
There is also a United Nations Volunteers Program, where individuals can apply to work overseas with the United Nations. More information can be found at unv.org.
UNICEF Clubs:
How can I start a UNICEF Club at my school?
The UNICEF Clubs Program is comprised of a detailed year-long curriculum that empowers students to educate themselves about global humanitarian issues with educational resources and hands-on activities. The first step in starting a club is to secure at least 4 student leaders and a faculty advisor. Then, please complete a registration form on our website.
We also recommend readying through this helpful Club Starter Guide, which walks you though the steps to create your club, policies and best practices, and explains the many resources available to you. Be sure to check out our website for more resources! For example we have a great Clubs Calendar that gives you ideas of events and activities you can plan throughout the year.
What are the guidelines for creating UNICEF branded material (i.e. club t-shirts, posters, etc)?
Creating UNICEF branded materials is a great way to promote your club throughout your campus and community. Any use of the UNICEF logo requires approval prior to use. Please refer to the UNICEF Clubs Brand Book for guidelines, and send any designs to volunteer@unicefusa.org for approval.
What types of events, projects, and fundraisers do typical UNICEF Clubs carry out?
The UNICEF Clubs Program is comprised of a detailed year-long curriculum that empowers students to educate themselves about global humanitarian issues with educational resources and hands-on activities. UNICEF Club members aim to advocate, build community, fundraise and speak out on behalf of UNICEF.
Among other things, these activities include bake sales, benefit concerts, sports tournaments, and other fundraisers, working with local elementary schools, panel discussions, and letter writing campaigns to support UNICEF’s work. UNICEF Clubs may also set up booths at their schools to promote children’s issues and participate in anchor programs such as Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, Advocacy, and End Trafficking. For more information about the UNICEF Clubs Program or to register a club, please visit unicefclubs.org where you will find our resources on Sample Club Events.
How can I submit my club donations?
Following each event use the following guidelines to ensure the safe and proper transfer of your Clubs fundraising efforts.
You can submit your funds online at unicefusa.org/clubremit. You can also send a check or money order, but you cannot send cash through the mail. Donations mailed in must be submitted with our club donation form.
Please be sure that all donations are submitted no later than 30 days following your event.
How can I connect with other clubs around the country?
There are a lot of ways that UNICEF Clubs can connect with each other, collaborate, and share ideas. First you should join our UNICEF Clubs Slack channel. On our Slack page clubs can ask questions about issues they may be facing or share ideas after successful meetings and events. You should also follow our UNICEF Clubs social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube where we share lots of club content and other important updates throughout the year. Our handle is @UnicefClubs on all platforms. Lastly, be sure to check out our UNICEF Clubs map where you can see where all of our registered clubs are located around the country and find contact information for clubs that you may be interested in outreaching to!