ASTANA — In the International Year of Volunteers, UNICEF is launching a new digital platform for volunteers in Kazakhstan. Targeting youth aged 16 to 35, the platform aims to simplify engagement in children’s rights and sustainable development nationwide.
Photo credit: UNICEF Kazakhstan
The UNICEF Zhastary platform unites youth training, social participation, and leadership development in a single online space, allowing young people to complete challenges from anywhere.
Starting this year, the platform will offer online courses on children’s rights, violence prevention, mental health, climate literacy, inclusion, and digital safety, along with an application system and automated participation tracking. Volunteers will have digital profiles recording achievements and contributions, with gamification allowing avatars to evolve from a child to a superhero as they participate, reported UNICEF Kazakhstan on Feb. 23.
Challenges will let volunteers support child-focused activities across urban and rural areas. The platform provides resources, guidance, and direct contact with UNICEF coordinators. After completing tasks, participants can upload reports, earn points, and access new challenges.
Kazakhstan’s UNICEF volunteer movement already has over 10,000 participants, who have implemented social and environmental initiatives, collected 500 tons of waste, and planted more than 20,000 trees.
IT company Documentolog developed the platform pro bono, contributing to the national volunteer movement. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar, UNICEF Representative in Kazakhstan, said the platform “creates equal opportunities for youth participation from all regions, develops leadership skills, and enables participants to make a real contribution to protecting children’s rights.”
Documentolog CEO Bauyzhan Kanafin highlighted the role of business in socially significant digital initiatives, noting the platform will “reach the maximum number of young people across Kazakhstan, amplify positive impact, and create new initiatives to improve children’s quality of life.”
The UNICEF Zhastary platform will be open to everyone. Volunteer recruitment will occur four times a year – February, April, July, and October – aiming to unite government, business, and youth initiatives around protecting and developing every child in Kazakhstan. Updates are available on UNICEF Kazakhstan’s official Instagram account.
