Outreach Volunteer- Agro-entrepreneurship trainees

The European Institute for Cooperation and Development (IECD) is a French non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1988 and operating in the field of social and economic development in partnership with local institutions. IECD’s main sectors of action are vocational training and professional integration, assistance to micro and small enterprises, and access to education and health for the most vulnerable. IECD has been operating in Lebanon since 1989 and opened a regional office in Beirut in 2007.

Semeurs d’Avenir (SDA) is an association created in 2010 and is the main operational partner of the IECD in Lebanon. As part of its partnership with IECD, SDA implements projects in the fields of entrepreneurship, education, training, and professional integration.

Among these projects, the Support to Micro Enterprises program has been running in Lebanon and accompanying very small entrepreneurs since 2010, training about 100 entrepreneurs and startups per year on “basic management training” and “skills for your business” in the North, Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and South regions. In addition to the management trainings provided by IECD, entrepreneurs and startups are followed for a year after the training to assess their improvement and provide the needed support, which has a positive impact on the evolution of entrepreneurs' practices and the development of their businesses.

In 2024, IECD and SDA are committed to fostering entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector to promote sustainable development through the Fostering Local Opportunities, Urban, and Rural Initiatives for Sustainable Horizons (FLOURISH) project, which aims to: 

1. Support farmers and beekeepers to adopt agroecological practices. 

1. Provide entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial knowledge and skills to develop and maintain their businesses. 

1. Support entrepreneurs in accessing new markets and financing opportunities. 

FLOURISH Program have 2 main objectives:

• improving farmers’ management skills while supporting them to switch to agroecological practices
• scaling up agri-food entrepreneurs, farmers, and small businesses established by entrepreneurship project holders. 

To achieve this goal, IECD and SDA are seeking the expertise of a consultant to conduct a outreach services focusing on agriculture entrepreneurship. Additionally, the consultant will be responsible for prepare and communicate project objectives with stakeholders to facilitate project implementation.

The objectives of the outreach volunteer will be :

• Audience engagement & reaching to farmers through tailored messages
• Promoting mission and values by helping the organization to effectively communicate the purpose and core values of the project with community stakeholders  

The outreach volunteer will be responsible of the following:

Internal Communications and Community Integration:
-  conduct effective communications between the organization and farmers, entrepreneurs and community stakeholders in Lebanon including the following roles:

-  work closely with IECD/SDA and Agriculture-Entrepreneurship team members

-  provide outreach efforts to specific regions based on project targeted area.

-  report on the data collected to IECD/SDA team including list of referrals.

The Project manager of the Agriculture and Entrepreneurship project will guide and oversee the overall direction of the consultancy under Program Manager supervision

The Outreach Volunteer should be able to collect and provide data on the :

• Mapping strategy to reach out to entrepreneurs, professionals, academia, activists, and practitioners in the domain of entrepreneurship, NGOs, public and private sectors, UN agencies, entrepreneurial networks or similar parties that help identify potential mentors
• Individual meetings , phone calls , field visits & Networking events to help identify potential beneficiaries who meet the project criteria
• Outreach activities informing the local community about project activities
• Dessimination of the project idea through Social media platforms and area key stakeholders

The consultancy is expected to start on October 1^st, 2024 and expected to be completed within 6 months from the date of contract signing or receiving confirmation email from IECD/SDA.

The outreach volunteer is expected to achieve the following deliverables:

• Deliver clear information about IECD/SDA and summary of the project objectives.
• will outreach 500 candidates and potential beneficiaries interested in the project activities.
• Contribute in the project trainings if needed.

Experience and qualifications:

• Undergraduate or fresh graduated students have a BA public relations, or relevant fields.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting outreach services for Agricultural Training or other trainings.
• Strong knowledge in preparing insights from data and stakeholder consultations.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• At least 1 year of experience in working with international organizations and donors.
• Previous experience working with an international organization in vocational programs and entrepreneurship programs is a plus.
• Familiarity with local agricultural contexts, Trends, and networks is Desirable.
• Knowledge and understanding of Agroecology, Permaculture and Sustainable Agriculture Practices is desirable
• Experience in project formulation and evaluation including Microsoft office package.

Recommended skills and competencies:

• Fluency in English and Arabic is needed.
• Strong information technology skills and data entry
• Demonstrate a strong work ethic and professional integrity.
• Display gender, religion, ethnic, age, and cultural sensitivity and adaptability.