Adolescent & Youth Engagement Consultant, 11 months, Amman, Jordan Country Office

The United Nations Children's Fund Jordan Country Office in Amman seeks a dedicated, experienced, highly motivated and proactive Consultant.

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BACKGROUND:

In Jordan, there are a total of 126,009 Syrian refugees in refugee camps (Azraq and Zaatari refugee camp) this makes up approximately 20% of total refugees in Jordan.  Three quarters of Syrian refugees in camps are below the age of 35.  In Jordan, the transition to safe and decent work is often slow, with youth having limited access to the resources required for self-employment and very little room for social and civic engagement. More than 39 per cent of youth in Jordan aged 15-30 years are neither employed nor in education or training. The situation is even worse for Syrian refugees, with an estimated 84 per cent not engaged at all in their community, and thus at a risk of harmful, exploitative labor, or negative coping mechanisms.

Youth in Jordan searching for employment are often seen as ill-prepared for the workforce. This mismatch between the skills possessed by young graduates and the needs of the labour market affects 52.4 per cent of young workers aged 15-29. Consensus amongst employers is that the applicants communication and problem-solving skills remain underdeveloped, and this is often blamed on an education system built on memorization.

To support youth in their successful transition to adulthood and employment, UNICEF Youth Section has been focusing on market-oriented skill building and creation of engagement opportunities. This includes providing access to civic and economic engagement opportunities through training programs, such as: 1. life skills and social innovation training (under the skills building program at Makani centers), 2. technical and vocational training, and 3. social entrepreneurship training and support (provided in social innovation incubators). 

UNICEF supports programs in various parts of Jordan including Azraq and Zaatari camps where access to engagement is even more challenging for Syrian refugee youth. Hence, in camps, UNICEF is establishing youth centers which are specifically for youth ages 16-24 years old who are more concerned with their future steps (when compared to adolescence). The center is aimed at providing youth with a safe space to share ideas, concerns and also access various engagement activities. Engagement activities include the social innovation and entrepreneurship training program, incubation services, and prototyping service in a wood and metal workshop. In 2020, UNICEF will be expanding the youth center services to include access to engagement opportunities, such as, volunteering with the aim of employability, and be exposed to future possibilities and available engagement opportunities in the camps that help them pursue their future needs. However, to achieve this, UNICEF must have a clear understanding of the engagement opportunities available to youth on various levels (volunteering, education, employment, inside the camp and outside the camp, virtually, etc.) and the requirements needed to seek such opportunities in order to support shape and purse their future goals.

OBJECTIVE OF ASSIGNMENT:

The assignment is focused on supporting UNICEF with expanding youth center services in Azraq and Zaatari camps to include access to engagement opportunities (i.e. volunteering with the aim of employability), and obtain guidance and counseling on available engagement (economic or civic) opportunities to shape and purse their future goals. 

The assignment will include:

1. Identifying and analyzing youth engagement opportunities, engagement needs, capacity of both youth and programs/services available in the camp supporting youth engagement, and the gaps in programs/services.
2. Develop youth engagement pathways on various levels (volunteering, education, employment, inside the camp and outside the camp, virtually, etc).
3. Establish a counseling and guidance program for youth in the camp by: designing a program framework, piloting the approved framework, and then operationalize implementation of revised program based on pilot.

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT:

Under the supervision of the Youth & Adolescents Program Officer (Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship-camps), the consultant is requested to support with: 1. Further defining the youth engagement activities by identifying youth engagement pathways, and 2. Establishing counseling and guidance programs in Azraq and Zaatari camps.

1. Youth engagement pathways:

Consultant is expected to support with refining youth engagement activities by identifying youth engagement needs, available services/programs, and gaps through an analysis exercise. The consultant is then expected to develop youth engagement pathways based on an analysis exercise. It is important to emphasize leveraging on existing resources (Makani centers), programs (Makani programs, youth clubs), UNICEF partnerships in camps and host communities, and collaboration agreements with other NGOs/INGOs in the camp.  

2. Establishing Counseling and guidance programs in camps:

Using the youth engagement pathways, consultant is expected to propose a counseling and guidance program in the youth centers.  Program should focus on guiding youth through the available opportunities and possibilities to shape and pursue long-term goals.  The consultant will work closely with UNICEFs youth economic engagement officer and refer to UNICEFs youth engagement programs in JCO, existing documents on youth engagement in the MENA region, and past assessments carried out in camps on available opportunities in camps to design a program framework. Consultant is then expected to pilot an approved program framework, reflect on the plan developed, and adjust accordingly. After revising framework program, consultant is expected to operationalize the implementation of the program. Lessons learned to be documented across the process for learning.

It is crucial that all activities are carried out with close coordination with Makani team, UNICEF humanitarian field team, and youth programs in host.

KEY DELIVERABLES:

Youth Engagement in camps

1. Identify youth engagement needs, available services/programs, and gaps through an analysis exercise.
2. Develop youth engagement pathways based on the analysis carried out, previous surveys, reports, and documents reported by UNICEF. 

Counseling and guidance of youth engagement (Civic and Economic)

3. Design a counseling and guidance program framework using the youth engagement program.
4. Pilot the counseling and guidance services in the camp based on approved framework and pathways.
5. Develop assessment tools to monitor the program and test during pilot
6. Reflect on the plan developed, adjust accordingly, and operationalize the implementation of the program. The operationalization should include: types of services, staff needed to carry out services and their qualification, assessment and monitoring tools, and equipment needed.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS (IF APPLICABLE):

1. Results report of the analysis of youth engagement.
2. Bi-weekly report on progress and activities in line with workplan
3. Design framework for the youth engagement and counseling and guidance services programs.
4. Assessments of pilots.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Education: a university degree in social science, innovation or related fields.
2. At least two years of experience in civic and economic engagement of youth in a humanitarian/development context.
3. Experience in youth project implementation and familiarity with youth needs in refugee camps is an asset.
4. Language: excellent speaking and writing skills in English is required; Arabic speaking and reading skills is an asset.

EVALUATION PROCESS:

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

1. Cover letter/application.
2. Financial quote as lump sum for professional fees, and lump sum for travel/administrative/subsistence, if applicable.
3. CV.
4. Examples of previous, relevant work as applicable
5. Proposed methodology/approach to managing the project.
6. Proposed work plan
7. At least 2 References
8. P 11 form (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html ).

Late submissions, incomplete packets, or submissions with an incorrect email subject heading will not be considered.

Successful applicants may be invited for further technical assessment

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The functional competencies required for this post are...

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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