The African Union Youth Volunteers Corps (AU-YVC) is a flagship initiative of the AU for promoting youth participation, capacity building and empowerment through service and skills exchange, driven by the philosophy of Pan-Africanism and Youth Leadership. 

Launched in Abuja, Nigeria in 2010, the AU-YVC aims to promote volunteerism as a means of bringing African young people together to share skills, knowledge, creativity and learning to build a more integrated, prosperous and peaceful Continent driven by its citizens. 

The AU-YVC AU-YVC recruits and works with young professionals aged between 18-33 from across the Continent and the Diaspora to serve for a period of 12 months in their respective fields of expertise in an AU Member State, other than their own. 

Some key AU-YVC Priority Areas include: Education, Entrepreneurship, Youth-friendly Health Services, Institutional Capacity Building, youth mainstreaming, ICT, Peace Building and Agriculture.

AU-YVC Objectives
  1. Achieve the vision of the African Union of “An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in global arena” through volunteerism and free movement of African youth;
  2. To contribute to Africa’s human development in line with AU’s Mission and Vision through effective youth participation in Africa’s Development process which includes youth as key beneficiaries;
  3. To actualize the emergence of empowered youth who will direct their energy and creativity towards their own growth and enrichment through pan African orientation and spirit of service;
  4. To initiate re-affirmation of Africa’s commitment to actualize the African Youth Charter as an instrument to make youth participation the critical value driver and architect for sustainable human development in Africa;
Who Can Apply
  1. Citizen of an AU Member State or the Diaspora; Age between 18 and 33 years;
  2. Have a post-secondary certified training and qualifications — Bachelor’s degree or equivalent;
  3. Be proficient in at least one AU working language (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese);
  4. Available to dedicate 12 (twelve) months for volunteer work;
  5. Willing to live and work in another AU Member State
  6. Have at least one year verifiable volunteer work experience and one year of professional work experience;
How to Join the AU-YVC
  1. Registration: Aspiring candidates need to create a profile by registering on the AUC under: http:// aucareers.org. A complete application requires:
    • Filled out online application form
    • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    • Scanned copy of University degree
    • Letter of recommendation from place of volunteer/work (not older than one year)
    • Scanned copy of passport
  2. A call for application is launched by the African Union every year. To be considered for the application cycle, one needs to apply with their completed profile within the call period.
  3. Selection: volunteer applications are screened and evaluated based on their submitted application and available vacancies. Successful candidates will be notified.
  4. Volunteer Training: Prior to deployment, AU Youth Volunteers would take part in a mandatory AU-YVC volunteer pre-deployment orientation training.
  5. Deployment: AU Youth Volunteers successfully completing the AU-YVC training, will be matched to available vacancies and if selected deployed to the requesting host organization.
  6. AU-YVC Alumni: after successful completion of 12 months service as AU Youth Volunteers, one will join a network of young Pan-African professionals who will continue to engage as mentors and trainers to promote youth volunteerism across the continent and beyond.

When the program is accepting the 2020 cohort, the call for applications will be posted on all our digital platforms. Check out this video to see how to apply.