United Nations Volunteers
Ursula Makowski has extensive experience in recruitment and volunteer management, currently serving as an Operations Specialist for Volunteer Talent Acquisition and Recruitment at United Nations Volunteers since October 1996. In this role, Ursula focuses on volunteer talent sourcing and engagement initiatives, while also managing the Talent Pool and special initiative teams. Previous positions at UNV include Programme Associate for the Online Volunteering service and Recruitment Resources Associate. Prior to joining UNV, Ursula worked at the Japanese Embassy in Bonn as an Assistant to the Cultural Attaché, where responsibilities included responding to public inquiries and supporting cultural exchange programs. Ursula's early career involved organizing events for Up With People in Europe as a Student and Promotion Representative. Ursula holds a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from The Open University and a degree in Languages and Business from Akademie fuer Wirtschaft und Verwaltung.
United Nations Volunteers
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges, and it can transform the pace and nature of development. Volunteerism benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity and reciprocity among citizens, and by purposefully creating opportunities for participation. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for recognition of volunteers, working with partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing an increasing number and diversity of volunteers, including experienced UN Volunteers, throughout the world. UNV embraces volunteerism as universal and inclusive, and recognizes volunteerism in its diversity as well as the values that sustain it: free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity. Based in Bonn, Germany, UNV is active in around 130 countries every year. UNV, with Field Units in 60 countries, is represented worldwide through the offices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and reports to the UNDP Executive Board.