Field Officer – Zero-Dose Children Immunization Support, Western Regions 1 & 2

Volunteering Communications & PR Medical & Health IT & Telecom

Overview

Support immunization efforts in the Western Regions of Gambia.

You have:

• Experience in immunization-related services, especially supporting base and outreach clinics and/or supplementary immunization activities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners.
• Ability to read and write.
• Understanding of the community the volunteers are supporting.
• Ability to speak the local language mostly spoken in that catchment area.
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural team.
• Valid national driver’s license and proven ability to drive manual gear 4x4 over rough terrain.
• Self-motivated; ability to work with minimum supervision and meet tight deadlines.
• Sound security awareness.
• Affinity with or interest in volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development and the UN system.

Contract

This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.

Immunization saves lives and is a key priority in The Gambia’s child health programme. While national vaccination coverage is usually high, some children are still being missed. An estimated 14,000 children are classified as “zero-dose,” meaning they have not received even one routine vaccine. These children are concentrated in Western region one and two, border communities, and vulnerable households, where health systems face access, equity, and data challenges. will be deployed to Western 1 & 2 health region. Volunteers will be engaged in activities for the reduction of Zero dose[FB1.1] children. They will be deployed to health facilities in the regions based on many factors including: the number of zero dose children in the facility catchment area, the facility dropout rate and area coverage etc. Volunteers will support health workers during outreach and fixed-site immunization sessions, conduct home visits and participate in community engagement activities.

Roles of Volunteers:

• Conduct home visits to encourage caregivers to take their children for immunization.

• Support health workers during outreach and fixed-site immunization sessions.

• Collect reliable, real-time data on vaccination coverage, bottlenecks, and challenges.

• Mobilize families, caregivers, and community leaders to increase demand for vaccines.

• Follow up and identify zero-dose children to ensure they are vaccinated.

• Strengthen the link between health facilities and households to ensure every child, including the most marginalized, is reached.

• Participate in other vaccination activities, including social and behavioral change communication.

• Training: Volunteers will undergo training on immunization basics, interpersonal communication, community mobilization, and data collection tools. Training will be conducted jointly by the Ministry of Health, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and partners, with United Nations Volunteers (UNV) providing administrative support.

• Data Management: Volunteers will work with health facility staff and use the same standardized registers and/or digital tools to collect data and report to the desk officer.

Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

o The candidates should have an experience in immunization-related services, especially supporting base and outreach clinics and/or supplementary immunization activities. o Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development. o Should be able to read and write. o Understanding of the community the volunteers are supporting. o Able to speak the local language mostly spoken in that catchment area. • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing; • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), email, and internet; familiarity with database management and office technology equipment; • Self-motivated; ability to work with minimum supervision and meet tight deadlines; • Desirable: valid national driver’s license and proven ability to drive manual gear 4x4 over rough terrain; • Sound security awareness; • Have affinity with or interest in volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development and the UN system.

Volunteers will be assigned to health facilities within the Western One and Two Health Regions. These regions can be described as Urban to peri urban where social services are easily accessible at a cost not different from the rest of the Country. General precautionary measures should always be observed.

You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos

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Potential interview questions

Added 4 months ago - Updated 2 months ago - Source: unv.org