Cultural Coordinator (community outreach)

Contract

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

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was created in 1950, during the aftermath of the Second World War, to help millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes. We had three years to complete our work and then disband.

Today, over 70 years later, our organization is still hard at work, protecting and assisting refugees around the world.

Since 24 February 2022, Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic have received nearly 900,000 refugees fleeing directly from Ukraine. While many refugees are passing through Hungary on their way to Poland, Germany, Czechia, Italy, or other countries, a growing number are remaining in Hungary, and either seeking temporary protection or applying for work visas. Hungary’s status as both a transit and a destination country necessitate a response premised on two key directions: first, providing immediate, urgently needed protection and assistance to arrivals to Hungary; and second, ensuring information about and access to legal statuses to which arrivals to Hungary may apply, alongside nondiscriminatory access to rights and services provided by the government and humanitarian actors.

Within the delegated authority and under the overall supervision of the Senior Protection Officer or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Refugee Cultural Coordinator (community outreach) will:

• Promote and support community mobilization for organizing social, cultural and recreational events among refugee and host communities • Together with UNHCR staff, shaping the creative direction of all visual arts programs, including but not limited to exhibitions and public engagement programming • The candidate would be responsible for engaging with persons of concern, the local and Ukrainian community through art • Works closely with UNHCR staff on planning, organizing, and coordinating the community center activities and all aspects of the cultural programs • Assist UNHCR in organizing info and awareness-raising sessions • Creating a weekly and monthly program calendar and participate in its dissemination through various information channels. • Actively researches and evaluates new opportunities for programming and requests from prospective artists and partners • Monitoring the cultural program and partners to oversee program implementation and provide inputs for further planning • Regularly update and share information related to areas of work • As an active UNHCR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNHCR and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions. Information provided to refugees include, information about available services for refugees in Hungary, information about temporary protection status, information on referral pathways, etc. • Supports activities of the community center, including activities with children and older people. • Translates/interprets when needed, to facilitate communication with all relevant stakeholders and refugees. • Contribute age, gender and diversity mainstreaming in all of UNHCR Hungary’s activities. • Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• 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 and utilize the UNV Online Volunteering service providing themselves and their organizations with flexible, free of charge, Online Volunteer capacity to support their efforts. Information and promotional material can be found in the onsite kit.

Results/expected outputs:

• As an active UNHCR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNHCR and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:

o Develop network with refugee groups o Establish communication protocol including feedback loops o Link refugees to services o Act as liaison between Refugee groups/Refugee lead NGOs/Refugee association and UNHCR and other service providers

• Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to; 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; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNHCR’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

in a relevant area. Application to this assignment is exclusively open to individuals residing in Hungary (or residing in a European Union Member State and planning to relocate to Hungary prior to the signature of the contract), with stateless, refugee or similar protective status, including Temporary Protection Applications of Ukrainian nationals (with no other nationalities) is highly encouraged.

• Links to the Ukrainian artist community who is currently residing in Hungary

• Knowledge of contemporary visual, performing, and literary arts and artistic communities in Budapest

• Knowledge of Ukrainian contemporary visual, performing, and literary art scene

• Ability to produce visual and performing arts projects

Desired experience, competencies and interpersonal skills:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Vocational Studies in Visual or Performing Arts or related fields

• Excellent organizational, written and verbal skills

• Have affinity with or interest in enabling access to services to vulnerable refugees with constant aim to assist in providing durable solutions, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System;

• Knowledge in dealing with disabled people, and people with mental illness

• Experience in taking care of children, and engaging them in learning activities.

• Strong Interpersonal and communication skills to work efficiently with different cultures and nationalities.

• Flexibility to work over the weekends and beyond working hours

• Strong Interpersonal and communication skills to work efficiently with different cultures and nationalities.

Hungary is located in a temperate climate zone having 4 seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter). Winters are becoming milder with average temperatures around -5 centigrade on average during the daytime. Summers are hot, occasionally reaching around 35 centigrade, especially in July and August.

Budapest currently hosts the Global Service Centre (GSC) as well as the UNHCR Representation for Central Europe This Multi-Country Office covers Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Belarus. No specific security conditions pertain to Hungary. Budapest is a safe metropolitan city, however as in any other city caution shall be exercised when using public transport to avoid pickpocketing.

Accommodation is easy to find; short-, mid- and long-term. The city offers a wide range of hotels, Airbnb, long term rents, etc. Accommodation can be fixed using the services of property agencies but online solutions are also numerous.

As this is a Refugee UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.

“UN Volunteer entitlements and allowances: The purpose of the allowances and entitlements paid to UN Volunteers is to enable UN Volunteers to sustain a secure standard of living at the duty stations in line with United Nations standards without incurring personal costs. The allowances are in no way to be understood as compensation, reward, or salary in exchange for the UN Volunteer’s service. Contingent on specific eligibility criteria, location of the volunteer assignment and contractual type and category, the payment of allowances will begin from the date of Commencement of Service For more information on entitlements please read the Condition of Service (https://explore.unv.org/cos). For information specific to your assignment please see below:

Monthly Living Allowance (Per month) HUF: 416,000.00 Entry lump sum (one time payment) USD: 400 Travel Ticket when moving to duty station USD: 200 Exit allowance (for each month served, paid on completion of contract) HUF: 34,666.67 Medical and life insurance: Cigna Private Insurance

Leave entitlements: Annual leave: 2.5 days accrued per calendar month Certified sick leave: 30 days Uncertified sick leave: 7 days Learning leave: 10 working days per consecutive 12 months Maternity Leave: 16 weeks Paternity Leave: 10 days

Important Note:

This UNV assignment is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19 with WHO approved vaccine in accordance with UNHCR’s Administrative Instruction on Covid-19 Vaccination and related Safety Measures. Exceptions may be granted on medical grounds. In exceptional circumstances, the recruitment may be completed on the condition that vaccination is obtained within a specified time.