UNICEF Launches the UNICEF Zhastary Volunteer Platform

ASTANA, 23 February 2026 – In the International Year of Volunteers, initiated by the President of Kazakhstan, UNICEF is launching a new digital platform for volunteers in Kazakhstan. The  UNICEF Zhastary platform brings together youth training, social participation, and leadership development within a single online space. The platform will enable young people to complete challenges from anywhere in the country. The UNICEF Zhastary project, developed in line with best international standards and practices, targets young people aged 16 to 35 and aims to simplify youth engagement in protecting children’s rights and sustainable development nationwide.

The platform launch comes at a symbolic moment: the United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2026 the ‘International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development’. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of the United Nations General Assembly announced this initiative, first proposed by Kazakhstan, from the podium in 2020 – receiving support from the majority of Member States. Such decisions highlight the global and national importance of the volunteer movement.

Beginning in 2026, the platform will serve as a unified digital space for volunteer activities under the auspices of UNICEF Kazakhstan. Users will have access to online courses on children’s rights, violence prevention, mental health, climate literacy, inclusion, and digital safety, as well as a convenient application system and automated participation tracking. Each volunteer will have a digital profile recording their achievements and project contributions. 

To boost motivation and engagement, the UNICEF Zhastary platform will include gamification. Each volunteer will receive a unique avatar that will ‘grow’ from a simple child to a true superhero with active project participation – reflecting his or her significant contributions.

Volunteer challenges will enable young people to support child-focused awareness-raising activities in their communities – whether in an urban school, a remote village, or a local district – regardless of their locations. The platform will provide volunteers with all necessary support resources, including statistical data, methodological guidance, analytical materials, and direct contact with UNICEF coordinators. After completing a task, participants will be able to upload reports, earn points, and gain inspiration from regularly updated challenges.

The UNICEF volunteer movement in Kazakhstan already includes more than 10,000 active participants. In recent years, they have implemented dozens of social and environmental initiatives, collected around 500 tonnes of waste, and planted more than 20,000 trees – contributing to sustainable community development.

IT company Documentolog, a UNICEF digital partner, created and developed the platform’s website and software entirely pro bono, significantly contributing to the national volunteer movement.

According to Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar, UNICEF Representative in Kazakhstan, the platform’s launch opens new opportunities for young people: “UNICEF Zhastary is an investment in the future of Kazakhstan. The platform creates equal opportunities for youth participation from all regions, develops leadership skills, and enables participants to make a real, measurable contribution to protecting children’s rights. This business partnership is especially important for us, as it demonstrates how private-sector technology and expertise can work for the public good. We highly value such cooperation and hope this example will inspire other companies.”

Baiyzhan Kanafin, CEO of Documentolog and UNICEF Advisory Board member, noted that the project represents how businesses can contribute to socially significant digital initiatives: “It is a great honor for us to become a UNICEF digital partner. Today, digital technologies are an integral part of educational programmes: they remove boundaries and enable youth initiatives regardless of territory. The platform will make it possible to reach the maximum number of young people across Kazakhstan, amplify positive impact, and create new initiatives aimed at improving children’s quality of life and communities throughout the country.”

The UNICEF Zhastary platform will be open to everyone. UNICEF volunteer recruitment is already open and will subsequently take place four times a year – in February, April, July, and October. The organizers expect the project to become a sustainable digital ecosystem uniting government institutions, businesses, and youth initiatives around a shared goal: the protection and development of every child in Kazakhstan.

For updates on the platform launch and opportunities to participate in the volunteer programme, UNICEF Kazakhstan recommends following the organization’s official Instagram account.