UNV Youth Engagement and Participation Officer

UN Entity: UNICEF

Assignment Context:
Youth and adolescent programme namely, Increased opportunities for participation and empowerment of Lebanese and Non-Lebanese youth enabling their healthy lifestyles and active engagement in their communities.

Under this output, the programme interventions address the expansion of meaningful participation of young girls and boys in Lebanon. Through increasing access to meaningful civic engagement opportunities, young girls and boys will be trained to develop, implement, and lead initiatives for addressing issues of importance in their lives and for improving their communities. UNICEF will support the establishment and empowerment of youth mechanisms/. that will be established to expand opportunities for adolescents and youth to connect with NGOs/CBOs to find appropriate volunteer opportunities at the local level. When adolescents and youth are empowered to play meaningful roles in their communities, given a sense of purpose, evidence shows that they make positive/healthy choices and transcend violence and discrimination.

Moreover, the programme seeks to create innovative models of youth engagement to identify, analyze, and take l action against challenges in their communities—helping disadvantaged young people realize their role as agents of social change, and building their knowledge and skills, professional readiness, and resilience along the way. It will increase the capacity of institutions engaged in health promotion and education, as well as in women and girl’s empowerment, to prepare young people become productive members of the society.. The achievement of concrete and sustainable results from these programmes contribute to achievement of UNICEF goals in Lebanon to promote the full and active participation of adolescents in determining their essential needs, promoting their rights to a safe environment, and protecting their rights to survival, development and well-being in society. Achievements in programmes and projects in turn contribute to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to provide programme services for mothers and children that promotes greater social equality and inclusion in the country.

In addition to duty station specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment.
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Task description:
Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Adolescent Development Specialist, the UNV Youth Engagement and Participation Officer will:

• Support the youth engagement and participations progamme component, including development, planning, and monitoring with a focus on key programmes such as Nahno- Volunteers, Youth Advisory Groups and Youth Climate Groups and U-Reports
• Support the review of research and analyze regional and national political, health, social and economic development trends.
• Collect, analyze, verify, and synthesize information to facilitate programme development, design and preparation, review inputs for programme preparation and documentation, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and relevancy of information.
• Provide support to the youth and adolescent section with the mental health and Psychosocial Support (PSS) components under the life skills program.
• Provide operational support to the Adolescent and Youth Officers throughout all stages of programming processes by executing/administering a variety of program, operational and administrative transactions, to support program planning, results-based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluating results.
• Provide needed support to monitoring program activities related to youth engagement in the field, and track/consolidate challenges identified in partner reports to develop recommendations for improving program quality; Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.
• Support the civic engagement program and the volunteering platform; act as support at the Volunteer task force to follow up and monitor the implementations of the project under guidance of the supervisor.
• Follow up on the Youth lead initiative component implementation, monitoring, follow up and reporting.
• Support in the capacity building for the UNICEF partners and be able to identify, capture, synthesize and share lessons learned for knowledge development and support in building the capacity of stakeholders.
• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in, and capacities developed.

Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required
Arabic, Level: Fluent, Required

Required Experience:
3 years of experience in volunteer management, engagement and participation programs working with young people, communications or other relevant programmes; experience with organizing events is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization.
Other required skills and experience:
• Understanding and experience in content production, project development, monitoring and climate action work, volunteering program management.
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development.
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel.
• Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing is desirable.
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment.
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.
• Sound security awareness.
• Have affinity with or interest in human rights advocacy, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

Inclusivity statement:
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.

Living conditions and remarks
As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. This position is based in Beirut. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. National UN Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions.

National UN Specialist Volunteers in Lebanon are entitled to:

• Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) at the amount of USD 1,606.58
• Annual and learning leaves;
• Medical and life Insurance
• Free access to different learning platforms.

For more information on UN Volunteer benefits, entitlements and support, please visit:
https://www.unv.org/volunteer-your-country-conditions-service