Assistant Project Coordinator for Kolibiri Content & Grass Roots Development

Contract

This is a UNV Refugee contract. More about UNV Refugee contracts.

Kakuma refugee operation is home to more than 230,000 refugees and asylum seekers from 22 different nationalities; with the majority originating from South Sudan and followed by Somalia. Children and youth constitute over 70% of the registered refugee population. While in general refugees and the host community continue to live in harmony, the continued increase in refugee numbers and minimal prospects for livelihood options, and integration occasioned by the Government of Kenya (GOK) encampment policy present challenges to peaceful co-existence, social cohesion and increased competition over scarce resources. Additionally, the local host community is mostly pastoralist and with the recent cyclic droughts, many of them have lost their livestock and have limited options for alternative livelihoods such as agriculture, because the area is climatically harsh and dry. For years, refugees have been mainly dependent on humanitarian assistance with minimal livelihood and self-reliance opportunities, thereby creating a high level of dependency resulting in low refugee participation and challenges in sustaining the current assistance programs.

In line with the Joint Roadmap on Solutions developed by UNHCR and partners in collaboration with the Government of Kenya, sustaining education services for refugees is essential to achieving refugee protection and durable solutions. The Refugee Act 2021 also emphasizes the realization of the commitments made by the Government on the inclusion of refugees in national and sub-national development plans – promoting the development of accredited skills and qualifications, a key to building resilience whether for living in displacement, for reintegration in countries of origin, and/or for resettlement to a third country.

Despite the impressive progress made in the provision of education and related infrastructure to children and youth in the camp over the years, weaknesses remain in both education supply and demand. Supply problems include insufficient good quality schools and a shortage of teachers and materials. Demand weaknesses are seen in the lack of motivation in some communities to educate their children, especially girls, and low expectations of quality in service delivery.

UNHCR seeks to increase and enhance education access through leveraging technological and pedagogical advances, including expanding Connected Education programming. Since 2018, UNHCR is collaborating with Google.org, Vodafone Foundation, and Learning Equity to enhance the usability of Kolibri in Kenya. Kolibri is an educational application that will empower users to create, curate, share, and learn from diverse forms of openly licensed content, for communities that don't have Internet access. This partnership also aims at creating several public goods including mapping available digital content to 2-3 country curriculums, developing tools for automating curricular alignment, and developing digital content standards for ministries and for education in emergency contexts.

UNHCR invites applicants from qualified candidates to apply for the assignment of Assistant Project Coordinator for Kolibri Content & Grass Roots development to assist in the day-to-day implementation and monitoring of the Kolibri platform deployment and use in the Kakuma refugee camp.

The assignment will be subject to review at the end of the duration to examine the progress made and determine the way forward.

Under the direct supervision of the Associate Education Officer and the overall guidance of the Senior Development Officer, the Refugee UN Volunteer will support the day-to-day implementation and monitoring of the Kolibri project in the Kakuma refugee camp. Working closely with the Coaches who are hired by implementing partners to support the Kolibri learning centres on a daily basis in each hub, the Refugee UN Volunteer will ensure effective and efficient coordination and implementation of all activities; and will be responsible for content management and development. The RUNV will also be responsible for managing inventories for all ICT equipment in schools and community centres.

The Refugee UN Volunteer will undertake the following duties:

• Assist in increasing the availability of open, relevant learning materials suitable for alignment to curricular standards in coordination with assigned content experts • Provide pedagogical and technical guidance for incorporating Kolibri into an educational program and creating effective learning environments at the Kolibri hubs • Work with Kolibri experts and other UNHCR staff; assist in the establishment of the use of Kolibri in the digital community hubs • Support for the implementation of the Kolibri programme in accordance with approved content guidelines • Support Coaches and partners in the effective use of the Kolibri content and identify gaps in how user needs are met, make recommendations for redress by the developers • Support the creation of relevant content for users with a focus on coaches and teachers • Assist in the provision of on-the-job training, and facilitate training by others, to Coaches, partners and other stakeholders in using educational technology, ICT maintenance and other relevant areas

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking an active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities; • 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.

Accountability Adaptability and Flexibility Commitment and Motivation Communication Ethics and Values Integrity Planning and Organizing Professionalism Respect for Diversity Self-Management Technological Awareness Vision

a relevant field • Visual design / graphics / illustration / video production • Instructional content production (authoring educational videos, exercises, etc) • Familiarity with programming • Background in education and knowledge of educational technology will be an advantage • Strong organizational, interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills • Some experience in distributed ICT Systems and Networks, preferably in an education and development setting will be an added advantage • Good interpersonal skills; he/she must be able to relate well with others, dictate responsibilities, and offer support and constructive feedback. • Fluent in English and any other UN-recognized language will be desirable • Good writing and communication skills • Computer skills: good knowledge and skill with basic computer applications [Words, Excel, internet] • A recognized refugee living in Kakuma camp or Kalobeyei settlement • Basic knowledge or familiarity with UNHCR mandate

The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighbouring Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has two levels of Government; Nation-al Government and 47 sub-national Governments called Counties. Counties are further divided into sub-counties. Kenya is a multi-party state with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Kenya’s population of more than 40 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.2%. The country’s GNP per capita estimated at purchasing power parity (PPP) is $975, and the GNP is growing at an average rate of 0.1% annually. More than 26% of Kenya’s people live below the international poverty line of $1 per day. Kenya’s main food crops are “maize, wheat, pulses, roots and tubers.” (FAO).

The socio-economic and cultural background of the immediate society in the UNV would be living and working in is diverse and prevailing security conditions at the place of assignment are modest. The topographic and climatic features of the assignment location are highland cool and warm tropical climate.