UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

ADVERT – for an Intern to support the Youth Engagement program at UNICEF Maldives Country Office.

Background and rationale:

Maldives has made considerable progress in improving access to education with gender parity (at primary and lower secondary level) over the last decades. However, nationwide, 25 per cent of males and 30 per cent of females (aged 15–24 years) are not in employment, education, or training, compared to 33 per cent of males and 35 per cent of females in the atolls. Challenges include the lack of career guidance and work-readiness programmes, and insufficient resource allocation for developing labour market-relevant skills, including technical and vocational training and skills for a green and blue economy. To address the situation of adolescent skills and employability, UNICEF Maldives Country Office is in the process of formulating Adolescent Skills and Employability (ASE) programs in collaboration with Government and Civil Society partners. To implement the skills and employability initiatives, UNICEF Maldives Country Office wishes to work with young people and provide opportunities for young people to contribute to design the interventions.  Further, UNICEF wishes to provide internship opportunities for young people to gain work experience to enhance their employability and work readiness.

Purpose of the internship:

1. To provide young undergraduates between 18-24 years, the opportunity to work as interns with the UNICEF Youth Engagement team and gain skills required for life and work.
2. To test/demonstrate how job placement and internships in the UN/UNICEF can contribute to building skills in young people that can increase their employability

Duty Station: UNICEF Maldives Country Office, Male’. Maldives.

Supervisor: Mazeena Jameel, Education Specialist.

Major tasks to be undertaken by the intern and deliverables

1. Support the UNICEF team to implement UNICEF’s key flagship initiatives; UPSHIFT and Imagen Youth Challenge and Youth led-climate action.
2. Coordinate the UNICEF Youth Reference Group and facilitate the implementation of the work plan of the Youth Reference Group.
3. Organize and implement design thinking bootcamps with young people (including logistics).
4. Organize consultations with young people and stakeholders.
5. Develop program concept notes, human interest stories on youth empowerment and other required documentation for the key initiatives.
6. Organize engagements with adolescents to mark the international days UNICEF Maldives Office observes.

Deliverables:  Monthly report on key achievements of the tasks, key learnings and the interns’ self assessment of the evolving competencies.

Competencies the intern is expected to develop under the guidance of the supervisor.

Appraisal of the intern

Appraisal of the intern will be done monthly on a regular basis and at the end of the internship (final evaluation)

Successful interns will be awarded an official recognition of completion of the internship (as per organizational policy).

The supervisor:

1. Will develop a weekly/monthly work plan with the intern to achieve the planned targets and results for the week/month and will provide support as required.  The ASE team will also provide support as required.
2. Will facilitate through the HR associate, within the first 5 days of the internship, an orientation for the intern on UNICEF’s core values and principles.
3. Will engage with the intern on a monthly basis and provide written feedback on the performance of the intern, highlighting the strengths, evolving competencies and areas of improvement using the above indicators.
4. Will establish a mentor-mentee relationship with the intern and ensure that the intern has a safe space to express grievance and address issues in a timely manner.
5. Shall ask for feedback on her/his managerial and/or mentoring skills and improve where necessary.

Estimated duration of the internship: Six months from start date.

Official travel involved: Official travels to the field will be undertaken with the ASE team as required.

Payment: A monthly stipend of MVR 8140 will be paid upon submission of the monthly report.

Qualifications required:

• Is enrolled in a university or college in the Maldives or is a recent graduate
• Have strong academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records.
• Good command in spoken and written English.
• A keen interest to gain 21^st century work skills and experience through an internship.
• Interest in youth development or issues relevant/affecting young people.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness(3)Drive to achieve results for impact(4)Innovates and embraces change(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity(6)Thinks and acts strategically(7)Works collaboratively with others.

[add the 8th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for supervisory role]

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks: 

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable [Insert candidates from targeted underrepresented group]are encouraged to apply.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.