Community Volunteer

Contract

This is a UNV Community Volunteer contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV Community Volunteer contracts.

Many Venezuelans arrive in the country through regular and irregular entry points in Guyana’s interior regions, coming by boat or land from the border areas with Venezuela and Brazil. The profiles of persons of concern are various and include vulnerable individuals with severe protection needs and members of indigenous groups. UNHCR provides counseling and accompaniment for access to governmental services, as well as identifies the most vulnerable individuals and families to be targeted with other responses, including the provision of some material assistance.

Many refugee and migrant children, including adolescents are not enrolled in schools either as a result of lack of information amongst parents not knowing that their children are eligible for enrolment, and language difficulties in seeking help with enrolment. Although the government is allowing all children to access free education irrespective of their legal status in Guyana, some children or adolescents do not attend school because of the lack of space or resources to accommodate more children in their community. Those who have secured a place in the school system are challenged by language barriers, since they are taught entirely in English, in the absence of linguistic support. This affects their integration, learning and academic achievement, and further contribute to social isolation, absenteeism and early drop-out.

UNHCR collaborates closely with the Ministry of Education, and Community leaders, for rolling out after-school ESL classes to support children enrolled in formal education, and community-based classes in hinterland communities. This effort is to address the challenge of language barriers and to foster the integration of Venezuelan and Warao-speaking children into the Guyanese society.

Under the direct supervision of the Assistant Education Officer, the Community Volunteer will perform the following duties to support Venezuelans and returning Guyanese children in Wauna, Region 1:

• Respond to the educational needs of out-of-school children by teaching ESL community-classes. • Plan lessons suitable to the developmental level and ability of the children. • Account for the children’s learning progress through a reporting system. • Maintain a clean and safe classroom environment for all children. • Prepare student attendance record. • Communicate to parents on children’s challenges in the classroom and how parents can provide support. • Liaise with local schools and education authorities to organize activities between children in community-based classes and those enrolled in schools, fostering social cohesion. • Promote the progressive transition of children from community-based classes to formal schooling by coordinating their enrolment in local schools.
• Support the families with school enrolment and translation services for helping children to access government school. • Collect and report data to identify risks and measures to respond to the children’s educational needs. • Participate in training activities organized by UNHCR and its partners, as well as in support of community-based protection actions in the communities where they teach. • Inform supervisor on protection concerns of Persons of Concern to UNHCR reported to them by members of the community, including GBV and child protection cases.
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Results/Expected Outputs:

• Out-of-school children supported through community classes for smooth transition into formal education. • Increased access to formal education. • Improved learning and academic performance of at-risk children. • Increased data on children’s access to education. • Access to UNHCR through reporting to the Community Volunteer on protection challenges.

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNHCR; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNHCR procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNHCR in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority; • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues.

and / or demonstrated interest in Childhood Pedagogy / Education; • Experience working with children is an asset; • Experience working in a hinterland/ riverain community is an asset; • Voluntary service and community engagement is an asset.

• 2+ years of experience working with children in a classroom setting or voluntary service and community engagement can be accepted in lieu of secondary education / any formal education.

Other desirable qualifications and/or skills:

• Ability to plan/ alter learning activities/materials to teach children of different age groups in one classroom. • Can provide pastoral care to children in the classroom setting. • Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, as well as the ability to integrate a gender perspective into classroom tasks and activities. • Ability to relate to parents, local officials, and community leaders on education and welfare matters of refugee and migrant refugee as well as host community children. • Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and can function in the local community.

Incumbents will be located in in Wauna, Region 1, Guyana. UN Community Volunteers are expected to be recruited locally and work within their community, they are therefore not expected to travel to the duty station and are not eligible for a settling in grant. In addition, UN Community Volunteers should not require reintegration back into their locales upon completion of their service. Therefore, there is no entitlement to a resettlement allowance.

The applicable volunteer living allowance is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Life, health and permanent disability insurance are included. This is a non-family assignment.