Mission and objectives

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does – in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life – in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions – her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens – addressing inequity – not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Context

This UNV assignment is part of UNICEF Albania’s major strategies on youth empowerment and will support UNICEF office in Albania in providing support to the adolescent development area. The UNV specialist (with disability) will support the development, coordination, and monitoring of youth interventions and will provide ongoing technical support to the overall education team (flagship on youth empowerment) in the design and implementation of the respective youth initiatives. The Education Sector in UNICEF Albania is seeking a National UN Volunteer for Education and Youth Programme where education and skills building is a major/key component of the Country Programme. The key function of this position is to strengthen UNICEF delivery of results for adolescent boys and girls across Goal 2 (Every Child Learns) through technical support and development of programmes and strategies. The selected national UN Volunteer will support delivery of results for boys and girls, through both formal and alternate pathways, from primary to upper secondary and an overall focus on developing skills (foundational literacy and numeracy, transferable, digital skills). The selected UN Volunteer will support the Education team and when necessary other departments to contribute to the delivery of inclusive programs, strengthen data, and contribute to results for inclusive interventions that meet the learning needs of all adolescents, especially those with disabilities. This will include strengthening internal inclusive approaches into UNICEF education and adolescents’ programs, activities’ interventions, youth programs like UPSHIFT and U-Report.

Task Description

Under the direct supervision of UNCIEF Education Specialist, the UN Volunteer will provide professional technical, and operational assistance to support youth & education programming, specifically he will support the team as follows: 1. Program Support and Coordination – Assist in the coordination of education and youth programs, ensuring timely implementation of activities in liaison with the Education and Adolescents’ team, partners and youth groups with special focus on inclusion and diversity. – Support the creation and implementation of the inclusive programs and activities that cater to all youth including those with disabilities. – Collaborate with government agencies, NGOs, schools, and community organizations to support program delivery. – Organize and facilitate workshops, training sessions, and meetings as needed. – Develop programme briefs and concept note for fundraising as needed. – Tracking the progress of youth empowerment initiatives and providing feedback to improve their effectiveness. – Design an implementation plan targeting the outreach of U-Report and work closely with the team to implement the plan. – Organize meetings in schools, youth community centers, national activities involving youth to promote U-Report and outreach strategies. – Work collaborative with the team to design U-report polls as per program’s needs, validate with youth groups/ UNICEF Adolescents Advisory Board before the launching of polls. 2. Research and Analysis – Support the team through conducting analysis of the program in mid-term and assist in the formulation of new programme priorities for next cycle of work for UNICEF in Albania along with other team members. – Conduct research on education policies, youth development trends, and best practices in Albania and globally. Support the follow up and a deep dive of PISA Analysis for Albania. – Analyze program data and prepare reports on program progress, outcomes, and impacts. – Prepare a summary of the Italian funded programme “Qendro” for Donors and Government audience. 3. Community Engagement and Advocacy – Support community engagement activities to foster inclusive education and youth participation. – Assist in the development and dissemination of advocacy materials, including social media content and policy briefs with a focus on UPSHIFT, U-Report programme – Represent UNICEF at local events, workshops, and forums to advocate for children’s and youth’s rights. – Promoting disability rights and raising awareness about the challenges faced by youth with disabilities. 4. Administrative Support – Provide administrative support for program activities, including managing schedules, organizing events, and maintaining records. – Assist with the preparation of financial and procurement documents related to program activities. – Ensure compliance with UNICEF’s policies and procedures in all program activities.

Competencies and values

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNICEF Albania; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNICEF Albania procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors. • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNICEF Albania in daily activities and behaviors while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behavior; does not abuse power or authority. • Adaptability and Flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances and needs within the project environment. • Collaboration: Willingness to work collaboratively with others to achieve common goals. • Advocacy: Strong advocacy skills to promote disability rights and inclusion within the community and the project. • 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; • Communication: Ability to effectively communicate with diverse groups, including youth, stakeholders, and team members. • Empowerment: Belief in the potential of every young person and a dedication to empowering them to achieve their goals. • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity, and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNICEF Albania ‘s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values. • Inclusivity: Commitment to creating an inclusive environment where all youth feel valued and supported. • Respect: Respect for the diverse backgrounds and experiences of all participants.

Living conditions and remarks

Albania is a small country in the southeastern part of Europe. It is part of the Balkan peninsula together with few other states. It has gone through a lot of positive economic growth during the last years and it is fast developing towards being a member of the European Union. The UN presence in Albania is strong with 17 representatives’ agencies with 7 of them being resident in the country. UNICEF contribution is important and is valued and appreciated a lot by the Government and other national and international stakeholders in the areas of child wellbeing and protection. Albania is a vivid country, visited by many foreigners who appreciate a lot the immense beauty of the natural landscapes combined with the warmth and hospitality of Albanian people. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.”