Online Volunteers support from margins to mainstream

More than 280 Online Volunteers, including three persons with disabilities, supported a study on how to build a more supportive environment for young entrepreneurs in the Asia Pacific region, especially those from underserved communities. From Margins to Mainstream: Inclusive Youth Entrepreneurship in the Asia Pacific Region was produced by Youth Co: Lab, an initiative, co-led by UNDP and the Citi Foundation, in partnership with the World Bank and United Nations Volunteers (UNV). In the lead up to International Women's Day, we highlight the voices of women Online Volunteers who supported this study.

A linguist in Thailand, Busawan Kachonnarongvanish has a Bachelor's degree in Arts and a Master's degree in Economics and Development Studies. “Tasked to translate survey dissemination guidance from English to Thai, I have gained insights into best practices for data collection centered on the principle of upholding empathy and respondent confidentiality. Translating collected responses from Thai to English opened my eyes to a myriad of challenges that the target audience has encountered. Yet, at the same time, as I read their stories, I found each of their unique aspirations to also be inspirational on a personal level.” 

Busawan coordinated 17 Online Volunteers and made them feel valued and motivated with efforts to create an inclusive and enjoyable volunteering experience. 

Online Volunteers translated the study survey into multiple languages, ensuring that it was culturally fitting for local contexts. It was then disseminated in five countries and resulted in close to 5,000 responses (of which Online Volunteers collected more than half of the responses), and interviews across 23 countries in the Asia Pacific region. 

Online Volunteers came from across the globe with varied backgrounds essential for their volunteering assignment, including communication, education, social work, business management, community development, economics and finance, human resources, information technology, and health. 

Another Online Volunteer supporting the study, Qiaoran Wang (Violet) is a student from Shandong Daxue University in China and an entrepreneur herself. She also coordinated a team of Online Volunteers, which allowed her to improve teamwork and cross-cultural understanding.

Reflecting on her experience, she shared, "This volunteer assignment allowed me to witness the UN efforts to support young entrepreneurs and understand their challenges. My role contributed to this study and helped getting recommendations on how different entities can join forces to bridge gaps in inclusive youth entrepreneurship in the Asia-Pacific Region.” 

From the United States of America, Joy Opsvig brought skills in public relations and data science. Not limited by distance, she invested 15 hours per week to join forces with the UNDP Youth Team. “I further improved my ability to clean research survey data and leveraged Natural Language Processing techniques to standardize the data. This experience will help further my career in data analytics."

Volunteers bring passion, creativity, and dedication to making a difference. Digital platforms like UNV’s Online Volunteering Service creates opportunities for individuals to share their skills and serve communities regardless of their location. At UNDP, we recognize volunteering as a powerful force for unity, trust, and shared progress toward a better future.” Beniam Gebrezghi, Programme Specialist, Civil Society and Youth, UNDP Regional Hub, Bangkok. 

The Asia-Pacific region is home to over 1.1 billion young people aged 15 to 29, accounting for more than 25 percent of its population.  Many are eager to start their businesses, yet entrepreneurship remains a challenge.

And that's why this study was so vital. It used quantitative and qualitative data to draw out key themes and recommendations in its targeted countries—Bangladesh, China, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Data also revealed that entrepreneurs from marginalized communities such as women, persons with disabilities, LGBTI+ individuals, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities, migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons often face challenges related to identity, inclusion, and intersectionality. Recommendations included creating a fair ecosystem around policy, finance, support, human resources, markets, and technology, and the use of the Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, and Quality (AAAQ) framework.