Learning Officer, Adolescent Skills

Details

Mission and objectives

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, 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 favouritism. 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.

Context

Viet Nam is part of the global UN ‘Delivering As One’ reform initiative, whereby Viet Nam has agreed to capitalize on the strengths and comparative advantages of the different members of the UN family and look at ways to increase the UN system’s impact. In Viet Nam, the initiative brings together the expertise, experience and capacities of all UN agencies in the country to provide more coordinated and effective assistance. The Viet Nam Country Programme for 2022-2026 will support the achievement related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets, and it will complement the One Strategic Plan between the Government and UN system agencies that will continue with a delivering-as-one (DaO) approach for the period 2022-2026 and is aligned to UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025. With equity as the fundamental principle, social policies and social protection serve as an overarching umbrella for the country programme strategic intent. The Education Programme is a key component of the UNICEF Country Programme, aiming to enhance policy and legal frameworks for the realisation of children’s right to education and strengthen accountability of the education system, legislators and policy makers to families, children and the public to deliver on commitments to equitable and inclusive education and ethnic minority education in the context of education sector plans. In particular the programme intensifies interventions to support the achievement of SDG 4 which focuses on education across all categories and also on quality and access. The Education programme in based on Viet Nam’s Education sector progress and vision, and includes a specific focus on: disadvantaged children especially girls, children with disabilities, ethnic minority children and other marginalized children; quality of inclusive education; learning and skills; conducive and respectful learning environment; enabling education system; and safe, green and clean world. The UN Volunteer will work in the Education Programme team managed by the Chief of Section. The UN Volunteer will work under the direct supervision of the Education Specialist-2nd Decade Education and Learning and with the team to support the improvement of adolescents’ skills and learning, mental health and psycho social support (MHPSS), disaster risk reduction (DRR) in education sector, climate action led by adolescents, Technical & Vocational Education & Training (TVET), and social innovation, and will assist the education colleagues on digital learning initiatives, inclusive education, social behavior change, communications, and others section’s work.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Education Specialist-2nd Decade Education & Learning, the UN Volunteer will support work related to the Skills & Learning pillar of the Education programme, and will lead on specific areas of work in agreement with the Education Specialist – 2nd Decade Education & Learning including the following tasks: • In coordination with other colleagues in the Office Adolescent Development (ADAP) and Emergency Working, will support the Education Specialist-2nd Decade Education & Learning to drive forward the development of children and adolescents’ skills and leaning, the emergency-disaster risk reduction and climate change related work in the section, MHPSS and TVET • Support the Education Specialist on the coordination work in Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh cities and Ninh Thuan province as needed with all program cycle management (planning – implementation – monitoring – evaluation) and donor and high-level visits. • In collaboration with Education Programme Officers, Communications team members, and others as appropriate, assist in the section’s efforts in new initiatives such digital literacy, digital learning, technology based innovations to strengthen skills and learning, social behavior change and communications, and inclusive education. • Supporting the Education Specialist – 2nd Decade Education & Learning and other Programme Officers, review activities/annual work plan/activities descriptions and designs developed and proposed by the Implementing Partners (IPs) under the MOET project (2022 – 2026) and convergent provinces to ensure the accuracy of methods applied, inclusion aspects and gender-responsive integration in those activities. Based on the review, support the Education Specialist – 2nd Decade Education & Learning in providing inputs to IPs to ensure adequate planning in UNICEF priority areas related to Skills & Learning. • Work with Programme Officers and Education Specialist – 2nd Decade Education & Learning to ensure the availability of accurate, complete and up-to-date data and information related to quality education including Skills & Learning. • Establish and foster partnerships with internal UN and external stakeholders working on Skills & Learning. This may include representing the UNICEF Education advocacy platform in dialogue with UN, government, development partners, donors, and NGO partners. • Ensure the appropriateness of financial, administrative and supply documentation for interventions related to Skills & Learning. • Prepare and/or draft reports, concept notes, proposals, briefing notes and other documentation, in collaboration with other team members. • Raise awareness and build capacity within the section and Country Office on Skills & Learning as appropriate. • Other tasks related to supporting the Education programme broadly, including both the Skills & Learning, and Inclusive Education programme pillars, as needed. Furthermore, 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 concept 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; • Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities. • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • 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.