What is Online Model United Nations?

What is Model united nations?
Model United Nations is a live simulation that involves delegates (that's you, hopefully) participating in friendly debate about some of the key issues which are facing our society today. In our conference, you can develop your public speaking, debating, critical thinking, leadership and teamwork.
​When is your next conference?
​Our next conference is SHMUN 8.0 which will be held on Saturday 10th April 2021. To mark our anniversary, we are designing a conference bigger, brighter and better than anything that has come before. We would love to have you at that event.
how does Stay home model united nations work online?
Our conference is held via Zoom Videoconferencing. Having run over 60 committees successfully, we are extremely familiar with the platform and believe we can deliver virtually an experience that is nearly as good as those that you can gain at an in person conference. 
How can i get in touch with stay home model united nations?
We would love for you to contact us if you have any questions, concerns, queries or suggestions. To do so, please emails stayhomemun@gmail.com.

Why should I participate in SHMUN?

How much does shmun cost?
SHMUN is unique in the world of Model United Nations in that there is no delegation fee. Participation is completely free. SHMUN runs as a non-profit organization, striving to provide a public benefit and allow all delegates, regardless of their economic status, to participate. However, all delegates must have at least one device that is capable of running Zoom Videoconferencing.
what makes shmun unique?
​Unlike many other Model United Nations conferences that are profit-driven in nature, SHMUN runs as an educational non-profit, meaning that we put the educational interests of our delegates first. We are funded through donations (meaning we still have the resources to provide a top class conference experience) but we will always put delegates first.​
why is shmun the best place to start as a new delegate?
One of the key mission goals of Stay Home Model United Nations is to get new people interested in our activity. SHMUN prides itself on the things that we do to help new delegates feel accustomed to the format of debate. We offer a range of options for new delegates from our training workshops to our library of guides and other helpful information. We also assign all positions randomly (rather than on experience) so that every delegate has an equal chance of being assigned to any given position.
how does shmun challenge more advanced delegates?
While we are a conference that doesn't restrict committees based on ability levels, we strive to ensure that debate is sufficiently challenging and entertaining for more advanced delegates. To do this, we work hard to choose difficult geopolitical topics, have a wide range of countries on our committees (rather than traditionally "big" geopolitical players) and encourage our chairing staff to give "advanced level feedback" that can make delegates better diplomats, debaters and researchers.
What do I get out of participating in shmun?
We hope that all delegates will be able to gain new skills at our conference. We believe that Model United Nations can help people with researching, debating, public speaking, negotiating, policy creation, writing skills and lobbying. Moreover, MUN allows delegates to gain a greater understanding of the world around them and key geopolitical issues from a range of different perspectives, many of which they would not ordinarily have had exposure to. Finally, SHMUN offers certificates of participation to every delegate at our conference, with additional special certificates for holders of our larger awards.

What do I need to know about conference day?

how does shmun protect the safety of its delegates?
We believe that it is extremely important that all delegates feel safe and comfortable in their environment at our conference. If you have any questions about how we achieve this, please consult our conference rules. If you want to see our safeguarding document, click here. If you are at any point feeling unsafe, we would encourage you to use our anonymous reporting form.
is there a dress code for shmun?
We recognize that not everyone has access to the same resources, particularly if they are in a location which is experiencing a lockdown type event. As a result, while Western Business Attire is preferred at our conference, it is not mandatory.
What happens if I am unable to make it to shmun?
While last minute dropouts are not ideal and can sometimes negatively affect the proceedings of the committee, we understand that sometimes unavoidable circumstances can come up. However, we would really appreciate it if you could let us know by sending us a quick email at stayhomemun@gmail.com so we can plan accordingly and attempt to reassign your position
what language is shmun in?
All committee proceedings at SHMUN are conducted in English. Communication in other languages is strictly prohibited, to ensure fairness and parity
what awards are on offer at shmun?
At our conference, we offer the following awards which come along with special certificates:
  • Best Delegate
  • Outstanding Delegate
  • Best Position Paper
Chairs may also at their discretion offer "honorable mentions" to delegates who were close to being awarded but were unable to access our top awards. Unfortunately, honorable mentions don't come with certificates.
What is the mass crisis event?
Mass Crisis is a fun MUN style event in which delegates are given a new position and a crisis event to deal with. In real time, they will react to live events for the duration of the event. The Mass Crisis is fully optional for all delegates, and will have a separate awarding structure.

How Can I Work With Stay Home Model United Nations?

how does shmun interact with schools?
We are proud to collaborate with a range of schools and educational organizations with both bespoke training workshops, written resources, logistical support and entrance to our conferences. In line with our educational aims, all services offered to schools are completely free, whether you are an independent or state funded school. For more information about how we interact with clubs and school groups, click here.
How Can I get involved in staffing shmun?
Of course! We are always looking for new volunteers for both our secretariat management team and to chair at future conferences on a one-off basis. For more information or to apply for a vacant position, click here.
how can i support shmun?
How can my organization collaborate with shmun?
To learn more about our partnerships, click here. If you have any questions, please email secgen.shmun@gmail.com.

What do I need to know about signing up for SHMUN?

how can i sign up for shmun as an individual?
If you are signing up as an individual, please go to our "sign up" page by clicking here. You will be asked for personal contact information (this is solely for the purpose of sending you your allocation and other conference updates) and you will be asked to express your committee preferences. While we cannot guarantee that every delegate will get their first choice committee, we will do our very best to ensure that happens as much of the time as possible.

If you are signing up as a group (either through a school or MUN club), please click here and fill out our bespoke registration form.
who can sign up for shmun?
Anyone can sign up for SHMUN, provided that they are in continuous full time secondary education and are between 13 and 18 years old. Unfortunately, this means that we don't allow university students to attend our conference as delegates. 
Furthermore, all staff members for our conference (including chairs and secretariat members) must also be between 13 and 18 years old and in secondary education. Undergraduate or graduate students are not permitted to serve on our staff.
If you have any questions about our eligibility policy, feel free to email stayhomemun@gmail.com who will be happy to answer your query. ​
What happens when i sign up for shmun?
When you sign up for SHMUN, we will send you additional information within 48 hours. Please don't be alarmed if you don't receive an email immediately because our delegate relations team can sometimes take a short while to respond to your application. Your assignment email will contain additional information about position papers, optional extra events and conference logistics. If you have any questions, or have been waiting for longer than 48 hours after signing up, please don't hesitate to email us at stayhomemun@gmail.com
can I pick my assignment at shmun?
Unfortunately, SHMUN allocates all positions randomly in line with our value that every delegate should get an equal chance at some of the more conventionally "desirable" countries. However, we strongly believe that there is no such thing as a "bad" assignment, and everyone has a chance at accessing our awards, regardless of the position they have been given
what do i need to do after signing up?
Although position papers are not mandatory, we would advise you to write a position paper. Position papers can help you to understand the issue, along with giving you practice at academic writing. It would also be a good idea to do some more general research, to help inform you about the policy of your conference

Contact Us

If there are any questions that we haven't already answered on this page, feel free to ask us through our email address or social media channels.