Intern with UNDP SD4E Project

Background

After years of experience addressing labor supply interventions, UNDP Albania’s strategic vision is to contribute to building a labour-market focused skills development system that is suited to enhance the employment and entrepreneurship aspects of the unemployed in urban and rural areas, while simultaneously addressing the skills needs of those employed in the formal and informal sectors and emerging entrepreneurs.

The ‘SD4E programme – consolidation phase’ will continue to support the Government of Albania in the national VET and Employment reform through a comprehensive approach of institutional capacity building on a macro/policy level, enabling key actors (MFE, NES/NAES and NAVETQ) to deliver coordinated and demand-driven services.

Responding to national priorities and the objectives of the National Employment and Skills Strategy, this Swiss funded intervention has the ambition to make a systemic contribution where the Albanian VET system and Employment Service supply the labour market with a skilled workforce that contributes to sustainable and inclusive economic development of the country. To achieve the programme purpose and finally the programme goal, the programme will focus in 3 strategic fields that will aim to improve the governance and quality of service provision in VET and employment promotion in Albania.

• Outcome 1 The institutional capacity of key actors in VET and Employment (Ministry, NAVETQ, NAES) is strengthened
• Outcome 2 The employment service portfolio is based on a balanced demand-and supply-side oriented approach
• Outcome 3 A standardized Quality Assurance (QA) framework is in place that improves the image of VET and fosters linkages between school and world of work.

One of the main goals of outcome 2 is the institutionalization of the the Self-Employment Programme (SEP) developed and piloted by SD4E during the previous phase of the programme.  The SEP aimed to tackle the unemployment of youth by providing grants and mentorship for the unemployed to establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs. This programme has been implemented according to the methodology developed by UNDP.

This programme was implemented in 5 separate calls from 2016 to 2019 covering the whole territory of Albania. As a result in all the cycles there was a total of:

1. 1,450 business ideas submitted;
2. 420 people trained on entrepreneurship and business plan development;
3. 150 businesses created and awarded star-up grants;
4. Around 75,000,000 ALL disbursed as start-up grants.

Recognizing the immense potential for innovation to promote development goals, but with the proviso that proper prototyping – conducting small and low-cost experiments before investing time and money in substantial projects is conducted, UNDP Albania has become an adopter of innovation for development. Past efforts have focused on three main areas: 1) improving the outreach, quality and effectiveness of public services; 2) addressing the main social challenges faced by citizens; and 3) tackling youth unemployment through skills development and support to entrepreneurship. This position aims to support the SD4E programme in integrating innovation in its employment and skills development related interventions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the SD4E Programme coordinator the intern will:

• Research issues which could bring new ideas and approaches to activity implementation;
• Support the documentation (videos, podcasts, brief, blogs posts0 of all the innovative approaches tested;
• Prepare lessons learned from innotegrating innovative approaches to employment and skills development related interventions;
• Support the team with communication related matters;
• Assist with the organization of workshops, training events and meetings. This includes preparing background materials, working papers, drafting related correspondence and reports;
• Get acquainted with the self-employment initiative implemented by the SD4E in the previous phase of the programme – the process and its beneficiaries;
• Run an activity check at the National Business Centre to get the latest activity update on the beneficiaries of SEP;
• Review the assessment template to capture experiences, progress, challenges and lessons learnt to be completed with interviews with beneficiaries;
• Organize assessment visits to the beneficiaries in several towns of Albania (logistic support will be provided). Details, schedule and approach will be jointly agreed with SD4E. Attention will also be paid to those that have suspended or closed their activity;
• Prepare decriptions for all visited beneficiaries as per the format agreed with the SD4E team.
• Additional requests originating from the SD4E Programme.

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Innovation:Ability to make new and useful ideas work
• Coordination:Ability to engage in inter-agency processes and ensure UNDP positioning.
• Partnerships:Ability to engage with other agencies and forge productive working relationships
• Communication:Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
• Delivery:Ability to get things done

Functional Competencies

• Data analysis:Knowledge of crisis response and early recovery policies and inter-agency mechanisms
• Data visualization:Ability to implement methods and tools for crisis situations
• Internal Reporting and Accountability:Ability to create internal reporting and accountability processes and standards

?Other 

• Have a keen interest in the work of the UN and the UNDP and demonstrate a commitment to its statement of purpose and to the ideals of the UN
• Understanding of the Albanian system of social care services and service delivery at local level is an asset
• Ability and desire to work in a team
• Prepared to travel and work in the field
• Strong academic record required
• Sound judgement and discretion
• Computer literacy in standard office software applications

Required Skills and Experience