Home based : Adolescent and Youth Policy and Research Consultant - 20 working days between 15 September 2023 and 30 June 2024 - Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO)

Consultant Programme & Policy

Overview

Support youth policy and research for UNICEF ECARO.

You have:

• Advanced university degree (Master's) in education, social sciences, international development or another relevant subject.
• Extensive previous experience in international research and analysis of data related to youth issues is required.
• Knowledge, understanding and experience of working in countries and the youth sector in Europe and Central Asia.
• At least 8 years of experience in the youth sector, and of policy debates around youth employment, education, mobility and participation is required.
• Fluency in English is required and High level of written English is essential.
• Demonstrated experience with editing and proofreading UN documents is an asset.
• Be familiar with EU policies in the area of youth, as well as EU Youth Programmes such as Erasmus + and European Solidarity Corps would be an asset.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s work around adolescent development and participation is desired.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to present information in a clear and concise way.
• Knowledge of youth work in Europe and Central Asia is an asset.
• Knowledge of Russian or other languages of the ECA Region is an asset.

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, an advocate

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

To support the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO) on work related to policies and programming for adolescents and young people. The ECARO Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP) team works to strengthen youth engagement, participation and policies and programming in Europe and Central Asia. This work comes in the context of ECA countries responding to the need to support adolescents and young people in their development and wellbeing, their Learning-to-Earning transitions, as well as an increased call from national governments, EU institutions, and the UN system for greater youth engagement and participation in responding to crises and supporting their communities, including support in the medium- to long-term in the face of various shocks and crises (including the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing violent conflicts, economic impacts, energy crisis and their consequences) that are impacting adolescents and youth throughout the region. The consultant is expected to prepare briefing documents, analytical reports and guidance documents, including proposed intervention packages to address various issues related to adolescent and youth policies and programming in the Region. The consultant is also expected to organise and facilitate capacity building and high visibility activities for young people, including but not limited to such areas as Learning-to-earning, digital and green transitions, as well as research.

Scope of Work:

In many countries in the Region, adolescents and young people are facing multiple obstacles to their development - their health and wellbeing, education and learning, employment, possibilities for entrepreneurship, mobility and participation, etc., posing challenges to their individual transitions to adulthood, but also to the human capital development of their communities and countries. The medium- to long-term socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 as well as the war in Ukraine and other ongoing crises has magnified these challenges, while at the same time, demonstrated how young people persistently seek ways to contribute to the policies and actions of their national and local authorities on topics such as climate, jobs, social inclusion, innovations, gender equity, reducing the digital divide, mental health, etc. The humanitarian crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine has also demonstrated to governments and communities the potential of young people to engage in responding to the crisis, including through volunteering, building social cohesion and solidarity among populations in complex humanitarian settings.

This work also contributes towards initiatives by the European Commission, which has increased its focus on youth following 2022 as the European Year of Youth and 2023 as the European Year of Skills, such as with the newly adopted DG INTPA Youth Action Plan, tied closely to the Next Generation EU recovery plan, the green and digital transitions, and programmes including Erasmus+, European Solidarity Corps, EU4Youth, and the Youth Guarantee, that are targeted towards youth within the EU as well as in neighbouring regions, including the Western Balkans. The work also contributes to the increasing demands with the UN system for meaningful adolescent and youth participation throughout its various agencies system-wide, including through the development of the UN Youth Office, and the further achievement of Youth2030. Working with young people as active and engaged citizens and actors of change, using participatory methods to co-create and co-implement programmes and policies, is at the forefront of approaches with and for adolescent and youth development.

In this context, the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia is developing a series of initiatives to enhance and support youth activation, participation and engagement as part of the increased attention to adolescents and youth within the European policy sphere, to consult and listen to youth views in the development of policies and programmes in important key areas of youth development, and engage with and for youth as leaders in their communities. UNICEF is also engaging with a number of regional partners in policy and programming discussions to develop position papers on the directions and future of programming with and for adolescents and youth.

Working with EU and international partners, including European Training Foundation (ETF), Eurofund, the UN Regional Issue Based Coalition on Youth, as well as with other regional partners such as the EU, CoE, OECD, the European Youth Forum as well as partners in countries, UNICEF is working on providing guidance and support on how best to direct policies and programming that are affecting youth as well as how to engage with youth as advocates for the need to invest in young people. In this context, UNICEF is particularly looking at aspects such as health and wellbeing, including mental health, learning and skills, employment and entrepreneurship, mobility and social inclusion, climate and environment and overall activation, engagement, and participation of young people.

UNICEF requires the services of an individual consultant to support in the following area: a) Understand trends in the youth policy context in Europe and the region, and provide policy analysis and guidance briefs on UNICEF strategic positioning vis-a-vis partnerships with international partnerships and youth organizations b) Provide policy guidance and technical support to the Regional Office and Country Offices (as needed) c) Support youth engagement in research and policy consultations using participatory methods, co-design and co-creation d) Work within the UN system to increase and promote adolescent and youth participation in programming

Activity and Deliverables

Work Assignments OverviewDeliverables/OutputsDelivery deadlinea) Understanding trends in the youth policy context in Europe and the region, and provide policy analysis and guidance briefs on UNICEF strategic positioning vis-a-vis partnerships with international partnerships and youth organizationsPolicy analysis and guidance briefs for engagement with key European policy processes are drafted and completed, as needed, with clear, actionable, region-specific recommendations to support the development of regional ADAP approaches and strategies. (6 days)15 September through 31 December 2023b) Provide policy guidance and technical support to the Regional Office and Country Offices (as needed)Briefing documents and/or analytical and guidance documents on various issues relating to adolescents and youth policies and programming in the region are drafted and shared with the supervisor, as needed. The exact topics will be decided by the ADAP team in consultation with partners and the consultant (6 days)01 February through 31 May 2024c) Support youth engagement in research and policy consultations using participatory methods, co-design and co-creation1. Methodological approaches developed for youth engagement in research and consultations in close collaboration with the ADAP team 2. Polls, focus groups and other research methodologies in participatory ways with young people are designed for agreed topics/areas/interventions (6days)01 February through 31 May 2024d) Work within the UN system to increase and promote adolescent and youth participation in programmingclear and actionable recommendations to increase synergies and promote ADAP programming for the UN agencies, programmes and initiatives ( 2 days)01 February through 30 June 2024Performance Indicators for Evaluation of Results

Regular information updates on work progress to the supervisor, based in the UNICEF ECA Regional Office (in Geneva). Timely submission of deliverables according to the agreed schedule Demonstration of high standards of work. Performance will be closely monitored throughout the duration of the consultancy through regular conference calls and e-mails between the supervisor and relevant colleagues in the Regional Office with the consultant.

Estimated Duration of the Contract

20 working days from 15 September 2023 to 30 June 2024

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy contract with no travel.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant. Please propose a Professional Fee for 20 working days between 15 September 2023 to 30 June 2024 to undertake this assignment.

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

• Advanced university degree (Master's) in in education, social sciences, international development or another relevant subject.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required

Required experience

• Extensive previous experience in international research and analysis of data related to youth issues is required Knowledge, understanding and experience of working in countries and the youth sector in Europe and Central Asia.
• At least 8 years of experience in the youth sector, and of policy debates around youth employment, education, mobility and participation is required
• Fluency in English is required and High level of written English is essential.
• Submit samples of publications/written documents.

Desirable experience and skills

• Demonstrated experience with editing and proofreading UN documents is an asset.
• Be familiar with EU policies in the area of youth, as well as EU Youth Programmes such as Erasmus + and European Solidarity Corps would be an asset.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s work around adolescent development and participation is desired.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to present information in a clear and concise way.
• Knowledge of youth work in Europe and Central Asia is an asset
• Knowledge of Russian or other languages of the ECA Region is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

Please include a full CV, and a Financial Proposal in your application by indicating your availability and a lumpsum based on 20 working days to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a professional fee will not be considered. 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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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Potential interview questions

Added 2 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org