Individual Consultancy: Early Childhood Development (Nationals of Guyana only)

Georgetown

Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
Location: Georgetown
Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Children's rights (health and protection)
- Early Childhood Development
Closing Date: Closed

To support the Lifelong Learning Programme and contribute to a well-planned and integrated culturally appropriate Early Childhood Development ECD programme and Parenting Education programme in migrant and host communities in Guyana’s hinterland and selected coastal areas in Guyana.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, learning and development

Background:

UNICEF takes a lifecycle-based approach, recognizing the particular importance of early childhood development and adolescence. ECD is the best start to provide a solid foundation for learning and develop social skills across primary and secondary grades. UNICEF programmes focus on the most disadvantaged children, including those living in fragile contexts, those with disabilities, those who are affected by migration and those affected by environmental degradation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the important role of childcare services in the sustainability of any economy; thereby identifying Childcare Service as among the top “Essential Services” around the world because of the support it provides to working families especially, front-line workers.

The proposed integrated ECD programming in Centre and Community Based settings in the hinterland and selected coastal communities, and WASH interventions in the dormitories of secondary school offer the necessary space for knowledge dissemination and prototype facilities to demonstrate and encourage behavior changes for combatting the risks posed by COVID-19. Equally important are the educational and Psycho-social gains to be had from early stimulation, parent education and continued learning across the life cycle.

Targeting the <4 years age group in local and migrant communities in the hinterland will contribute to the SDG 4: by 2030, ensure that all girls/boys under 5 years have access to quality early childhood development, so that they are ready for primary education. It is based on the belief that a window of opportunity for proven interventions can unlock children’s full potential as inadequate childcare has irreversible effects for future development; this will contribute to Guyana’s transformative “Vision-2040”, with a priority for human capital development.

Focusing on nurturing care from birth to age 4 cohort in host and migrant communities, it will address children’s vulnerability to harmful practices, with limited skills from low stimulation, inadequate nutrition, or inadequate parenting. It will also address the challenge of poor water and sanitation practices. Ultimately, it will strive to make child-care services - community based and day care centres, and practitioners ready for children. The project partnership between the Canada High Commission and UNICEF will focus on integrating ECD emergency preparedness and response, with special attention to the young child’s nutritional needs, psycho-social support for mothers and greater attention to the young child’s wellbeing for security and protection.

How can you make a difference?

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of the Project Coordinator:

• Plan and monitor all ECD interventions for project areas. These interventions include innovative strategies and sound technical support for conceptualizing, implementing, and monitoring   ECD interventions for migrant and host communities in the hinterland and selected coastal areas in the project such as capacity building; programmed development.
• Lead the assessment of ECD facilities in communities including child and maternal health facilities in the identified locations and make recommendations.
• Support the development of supply plan for the ECD components of the Project.
• Support the development of all data collection tools and training   relating to ECD programming.
• Develop and implement ECD training programmes and parent education programmes for the various target groups - data collectors; ECD monitors   including for CHWs: CBM; parents
• Coordinate with ECD partners and stakeholders for planning, implementation, and reporting.
• Provide data/evidence for ECD inputs for major donor reports.
• Conduct regular filed monitoring visits to project sites and share findings.
• Prepare monthly update and share with supervisor.
• Accomplish any other related task assigned by supervisor.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• A good understanding of equity issues in ECD interventions and experience in Integrated approach in ECD
• Experience in planning and management for programmes and services for nurturing care
• Experience working with a Development Agency
• Knowledge of the workings of the decentralized system in Guyana
• Good communication skills and ability to work with all partners with minimum supervision
• Must be a Guyanese national living in the country.

Please access the complete ToR here: Download File Terms of Reference for ECD Consultant.pdf

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.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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:

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

This vacancy is now closed.
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