In line with the new Country Programme priorities, the Volunteer Engagement Consultant will play a cross-cutting thematic role in supporting UNICEF’s work on adolescent health and mental health, peer support, and skills development, including STEM-related initiatives. Under the supervision of SBC Officer and in close coordination with programme sections, the Communication Team and relevant partners, the consultant will provide technical, coordination and facilitation support to strengthen the UNICEF Belarus volunteer programme.
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For every child, the right to health
Consultancy Title: Volunteers Engagement Consultant (National, Belarus)
Section/Division/Duty Station: Programme Section, UNICEF Belarus CO
Duration: March 2026 – March 2027 (about 12 months)
Home/ office Based: Remote/Home-based (with visits to the office upon request/needs)
About UNICEF
If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. Over 75 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and abuse. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations, and governments.
BACKGROUND
UNICEF in Belarus has established an active and steadily expanding volunteer programme that engages adolescents and young people in advancing child rights, supporting programme delivery, and strengthening community resilience. Today, the UNICEF volunteer movement in Belarus brings together more than 440 young people aged 15–30 who share UNICEF values and contribute across a wide range of thematic areas, including child protection, early childhood development, youth engagement, communication, fundraising, environmental action, peer education and sports-for-development initiatives. A strong emphasis is placed on reaching and involving the most vulnerable children and adolescents.
Since around 2018, UNICEF’s volunteer engagement in Belarus has evolved from episodic support during large-scale public events into a more structured and diversified model. The programme initially gained momentum during the 2nd European Games, where volunteers provided organizational and logistical support to UNICEF-led activities. Building on this experience, UNICEF progressively developed long-term partnerships with national volunteer infrastructures, most notably the Republican Volunteer Center (RVC), allowing volunteer engagement to expand beyond Minsk to regional and local levels.
Through these partnerships, volunteer initiatives now support humanitarian assistance, environmental action, behaviour change and awareness campaigns, and participation in programme and advocacy activities linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Volunteers are increasingly engaged not only in implementation, but also in consultation and feedback processes, including adolescent advisory mechanisms, youth SDG discussions and community-based outreach. This shift reflects a transition from event-based volunteering to more meaningful, participatory, and skills-oriented engagement.
UNICEF places strong emphasis on inclusive volunteer engagement, deliberately creating opportunities for adolescents and young people who are often left behind. This includes youth with disabilities, those from small towns, young people in contact or conflict with the law, and adolescents from migrant and refugee communities. Volunteer initiatives are designed to combine service with empowerment, enabling young people to build life skills while contributing to awareness campaigns, sports events, humanitarian activities and community-level initiatives.
A distinctive feature of the programme is the development of peer-to-peer education (“peer-to-peer”) approaches. After completing structured training through the u-platform.by and sessions with invited experts, trained volunteers independently deliver sessions for their peers on topics such as inclusion and non-discrimination, eco-friendly practices, healthy lifestyles, soft skills development, bullying and cyberbullying prevention, and media volunteering. In 2025 alone, trained youth activists conducted more than 50 peer-to-peer trainings, reaching over 1,000 adolescents across the country.
Volunteers are also actively engaged in environmental initiatives, including plogging runs, tree-planting campaigns, climate-related discussions, and promotion of “green” professions, often in partnership with national institutions, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and civil society actors. Inclusive volunteering initiatives include direct engagement with children with disabilities, for example through youth mentorship and creative workshops during inclusive summer programmes.
UNICEF encourages volunteer-led initiatives, creating space for young people to design and implement their own ideas. This has resulted in youth-led activities such as a regular online English Club reaching adolescents from different regions, a forum-theatre initiative addressing bullying and career guidance, and peer-led trainings on public speaking, digital skills, and personal branding.
To ensure quality, safety and sustainability, UNICEF invests in continuous learning and capacity development of volunteers. Structured training cycles focus on soft and life skills, leadership, ethical and safe volunteering, digital safety, mental wellbeing, inclusion, and sustainable development. These efforts are supported through the u-platform.by and complemented by in-person learning events, such as the UNICEF Volunteer Summer School, which serves as a capstone learning and motivation space for active volunteers.
The volunteer programme is embedded within UNICEF’s broader agenda on adolescent participation and development and supported through dedicated coordination and consultancy roles responsible for planning, monitoring and continuous improvement of volunteer engagement across programme sectors.
Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
The purpose of this consultancy is to strengthen the UNICEF Belarus volunteer programme through a more structured, coordinated, and strategic approach to adolescent and youth engagement in line with the priorities of the new Country Programme Document (CPD).
The assignment aims to enhance the quality and effectiveness of volunteer engagement by strengthening planning systems, capacity development, coordination mechanisms and partnerships. It will support meaningful participation of adolescents and young people, ensure alignment with UNICEF safeguarding and ethical standards, and improve the use of evidence and feedback to inform programme design and communication.
Through this consultancy, UNICEF Belarus seeks to develop further sustainable volunteer engagement mechanisms, strengthen collaboration with national partners and youth networks, and increase the contribution of volunteers to programme delivery, social and behaviour change initiatives, youth participation, and community resilience, while ensuring that volunteer involvement remains inclusive, well-coordinated and impact-oriented.
Scope of Work:
In line with the new Country Programme priorities, the Volunteer Engagement Consultant will play a cross-cutting thematic role in supporting UNICEF’s work on adolescent health and mental health, peer support, and skills development, including STEM-related initiatives.
Under the supervision of SBC Officer and in close coordination with programme sections, the Communication Team and relevant partners, the consultant will provide technical, coordination and facilitation support to strengthen the UNICEF Belarus volunteer programme.
The consultant will be responsible for the following areas of work:
- Volunteer engagement strategic planning
- Coordination and implementation support
- Capacity development and learning
- Monitoring, documentation, and reporting
- Partnerships and coordination
- Digital media management
- Coordination of Volunteer Visibility Materials. This includes supporting context-appropriate visibility of UNICEF during volunteer engagement activities, ensuring that branding and recognition are applied thoughtfully and in coordination with UNICEF Communication Team guidance.
- Capacity Development for Youth Health Friendly Centres (YHFCs) and Socio-pedagogical Centers (SPCs) on Volunteer Engagement.
Detailed TOR with full description of Work Assignment Overview, Deliverables/Outputs, and Delivery deadline is available here 
VA - National VE Consultant Belarus ADV.pdf
Travel (if required as per TOR):
Consultant will provide estimated budgets for travels to project sites during the contract period (places, number of visits *rate per one visit* number of days of each visit)
Qualifications
Education:
- University degree (Bachelor’s) in Social Sciences, Education, Youth Development, Psychology, Sociology, Communications, International Development or another relevant field related to youth engagement, community development
* Three years of additional relevant work experience that was gained may be accepted in lieu of completed university degree, if it is 1) exceptionally approved by Representative and 2) indicated in the vacancy announcement.
Work experience/Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
- Minimum 2 years of proven professional experience in volunteer engagement.
- Knowledge of youth engagement and volunteer coordination principles, including meaningful participation of adolescents and young people.
- Understanding of child rights–based approach and the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
- Knowledge of safeguarding standards, ethical participation, and protection considerations when working with adolescents and young people.
- Understanding of inclusive approaches to youth engagement, including participation of vulnerable groups.
- Basic knowledge of communication and outreach principles.
- Familiarity with community engagement and participatory approaches.
- Understanding coordination mechanisms with civil society organizations, youth networks, and institutional partners.
- Basic knowledge of monitoring, documentation, and reporting practices related to programme implementation.
- Awareness of reputational and communication risks associated with volunteer and youth engagement activities.
- Fluency in Russian (spoken and written); ability to write in a clear, engaging, and practical tone for adult learners.
- Experience in working with UN agencies will be an asset.
Competencies:
- Strong coordination and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously.
- Ability to work effectively with adolescents and young people in a respectful, inclusive, and ethical manner.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders such as volunteers, partners, and UNICEF staff.
- Ability to facilitate group discussions, consultations, and participatory processes.
- High level of responsibility, reliability, and attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining regular communication with the supervisor.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to synthesize information and formulate practical recommendations.
- Sensitivity to cultural, social, and contextual dynamics when working with youth and community groups.
- Commitment to UNICEF values, integrity, and ethical standards.
- Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
Requirements:
Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and
- Interested applicants should provide a letter of interest (Cover Letter) describing how they can contribute to the interventions listed under roles and responsibilities and why they should be selected for this position. In addition, they should share their latest CV/Resume and financial proposal Financial Offer template_National VE Consultant.docxto undertake this job.
- Samples of the related job/tasks done.
- Upload copy of academic credentials
- Financial proposal should be submitted using the financial offer template and must:
- Reflect the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment period (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
- Include travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR. Consultants are responsible for arranging their own transportation arrangements. UNICEF can provide office vehicle for some duty travel missions with prior agreement as per monthly travel plan approved by the supervisor
- Include any other costs: visa, health insurance, payment of an incidental expenditure (such as bank charges, insurances, etc.) and living costs as applicable.
- Indicate your availability
- Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
- At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
- Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.
Desirables:
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
The 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
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
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Remarks:
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable male and female candidates are encouraged to apply.
Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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.
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Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.