UNV Youth Advocate for Technology, Youth and Innovation

Preamble:

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers. In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. In this context, UN Volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local communities. In all assignments, UN Volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make the time they spend as UN Volunteers even more rewarding and productive.

1.  UNV Strategic Framework:  Youth

2.  Host Mission:  UNICEF - https://www.unicef.org/

3.  Duty Station:  Beirut, Lebanon. Duty station can change in the course of assignment. The volunteer may be required to work anywhere in the area of operations, including in remote locations.

4.  Assignment Family Status:  Family Duty Station

5.  Expected Starting Date:   July 2018

6.  Organizational Context:         

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF is working to scale up essential services for adolescent and young refugees – to deliver on their rights to livelihood, health, education, protection, and other essential services, but also to help make their voices heard, reduce their involvement in risky behaviours and conflict and ensure they do not lose hope. UNICEF Lebanon Youth and Adolescent Program is focusing on the following key interventions with its government and non-governmental partners: 1) Adolescents and youth have benefited from learning (formal or non-formal) and skills building opportunities to build their knowledge, skills and professional readiness, 2) Adolescents and youth have been increasingly engaged as partners in programming and advocacy to amplify their voices, improve programming through the innovation lab and protect their rights.  Through these interventions, the aim is to reach approximately 60,000 adolescents and youth aged 14 to 24 years old (refugees and vulnerable Lebanese) in 2017-2018.

Ensuring access to formal education is a key priority of the youth programme. For the 2016/2017 school year, the TVET enrolment has been an integrated part of the back to school campaign carried out by MEHE, UNICEF, and sister UN agencies and NGOs. MEHE has enough seats available in vocational and technical public schools and secondary schools; however, the enrolment criteria and initiation process will take place in October 2016 with the PMU. Through the AWP signed with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), UNICEF has supported the development of 6 curricula for short and medium term certified courses, the revision of two educational curricula and the delivery of certified agriculture training to youth in their agriculture public vocational schools.

7.  Description of duties:

UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the impact of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Build relationships with a wide range of Youth Organizations, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to support and/or participate in community-driven voluntary activities; reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking; raise awareness in communities that will increase knowledge of issues pertaining to the UNV programme’s mandate and tis role in supporting the Mission mandate;
• Encourage, mobilize and support co-workers and fellow UN Volunteers to better understand the connections between the UNV programme’s engagement within the Mission and voluntary action;
• Contribute articles/write-ups/stories on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Under the direct the supervision of the Youth and Adolescent Development Officer the UN Youth Volunteer will:

• Monitor program activities in the field, and track/consolidate challenges identified in partner reports to develop recommendations for improving program quality;
• Support partners in adopting, testing and improving the Youth Platform and dashboard;
• Analyze and synthesize data from Youth Platform and Activity Info Database to inform strategic decision-making;
• Develop a strategy to identify opportunities for greater engagement of young people in UNICEF programs and participation at the local, municipal and Ministry level to advocate for their needs;
• Support in coordinating UNICEF’s activities under the UN Peacebuilding Fund with ILO and UNDP, including visits to the field, attending meetings and reporting; 
• Document and consolidate lessons learned, best practices, case studies, case stories, testimonials in written, picture and video form to share the section’s work with external stakeholders.

8.  Results/Expected Output:

• Monthly report consolidating challenges, successes and key recommendations to improve program quality for the section;
• Partners are supported and capacitated to use the Youth Platform for the intended purpose; Suggestions and improvements were incorporated into the redesign of the platform based on partner experience;
• Dashboard is created and data analysis is presented to inform program decisions.
• A new strategy for active youth participation and engagement has been developed and approved;
• Lessons learned and best practices are shared with external stakeholders including government counterparts, donors and the wider humanitarian community;
• UNICEF’s contribution to the PBF is timely and with good quality;
• Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment;
• A final statement of achievements is developed and submitted.

9.  Qualifications/Requirements:

A) Qualifications, skills, experience: UN Youth Advocates must be between 18 and 24 years for the whole duration of their assignment.

• Demonstrated interest in and knowledge in the field of Youth and Information Management (IM);
• Up to 2 years of experience in the area of Information Management (IM);
• Motivated to contribute towards youth participation and development and to serve others;
• Good interpersonal, networking and communication skills;
• Willingness to contribute and work as part of a team;
• Flexible and open to learning and new experiences;
• Respect for diversity and adaptability to other cultures, environments and living conditions;
• Previous experience as a volunteer would be highly regarded;
• Computer skills (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, social media, and others);

B) Competencies and values:

• Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.
• Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations.
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working.
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

10.  Living Conditions:

As this is a national UNV assignment, the incumbent will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. This position is based in Lebanon, Beirut. National UN Youth Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions.

11.  Conditions of Service:

The contract lasts for the period indicated above with possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. Moving travel to duty station (if applicable) and a Settling-In-Grant will be provided in the event duty station is not within commuting distance from the place of recruitment. A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) of LBP 1,530,637.50 is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Well-being Differential of 15% (WBD-A) or 30% (WBD-B) of the VLA will apply, paid on a monthly basis, depending on the ICSC classification of the duty station. Life, health and permanent disability insurance are included (health insurance for up to 3 dependents), as well as return travel of (if applicable) and resettlement allowance for satisfactory service. 

Disclaimer:

The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.