International Internship to support Behavioral Insights Intervention for use of Child Allowance for Early Childhood Development Outcomes

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UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Tuesday 23 Aug 2022 at 21:55 UTC

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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, results.

UNICEF Country Office in Montenegro supports the Government of Montenegro in social and child protection reform for progressive realization of the rights of children in Montenegro, with a special focus on children affected by poverty, adversity, and exclusion. The system aims to ensure “improvement of life quality and strengthening of an individual and the family for independent and productive life” (Government of Montenegro 2013).

In 2021, amendments to the Law on Social and Child Protection governing non-contributory cash social assistance were adopted by which the universal child allowance programme for all children from birth until their 6th birthday was introduced. The amendment further increased monthly payout for earlier beneficiary categories of the most vulnerable children qualifying for the child allowance (with disabilities, without parental care, or in families facing material deprivations), and increased eligibility of children per a single family from three to five.

UNICEF Montenegro supports the Government of Montenegro – Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare to strengthen the child allowance scheme (programme) and to promote positive effect on children thus maximizing the return on national investment.

UNICEF Montenegro is supporting the project to apply the behavioral insights (BI science) approach to stimulate best use of child allowance by parents and caregivers so to promote early childhood development (ECD) outcomes.

The interventions designed through a behavioral strategy aim to reduce barriers that hamper prioritization of optimal ECD-relevant investments for their children an facilitate parents' decision making, specific to families'- and Montenegro- context.

Within the initial phase, the project will aim to develop most promising behavioral insights interventions and develop a behavioural map with intervention touchpoints – with recommendations for the most promissing and most feasible interventions, as an input into the interventions testing and implementation.

In the second phase, the project will develop BI interventions testing methodology, test feasible interventions, and develop a case study based on key findings from the project. The Case Study with include recommendations that serve to inform approach to policy and programme design and scaled-up implementation for supporting child outomes for dissemination and presentation to responsible institutions and partners.

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of Social Policy Officer, the intern will support UNICEF Montenegro by providing inputs and participating in the following:

  • literature and evidence review
  • ideate and prototype preliminary and final BI interventions
  • develop research hypotheses and draft survey questionnaires (related to behavioral motivations and barriers)
  • develop key metrics to assess and measure effectiveness of interventions
  • develop data analysis methodology and interpretation of results based on data analysis
  • conceptualize and participate in two workshops to discuss preliminary and final BI interventions with partners
  • provide inputs and support drafting of the expenditure survey and final case study
  • communication with key stakeholders to present behavioral insight interventions and support discussion around their introduction

Internship conditions:

Modality: Part-Time | Remote, with Travel to Montenegro

Tentative start date: 15 September 2022

Duration: 6.5 months

Travel: Travel to duty station is required to participate in two face-to-face workshops

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

Education:

  • Be enrolled in an advanced university degree (PHD) in the area of applied psychology or field relevant to the behavioral science, or have graduated within the past two years.
  • Have good academic performance as demonstrated by recent university/education records;

Experience:

  • A minimum of one year of experience pertaining to behavioral science, i.e. developing context-appropriate behavioral insights interventions based on, writing up and presentation of findings
  • Previous exposure to areas of work relevant to UNICEF programmes’ – primarily social protection and early childhood development, or other fields such as health, education and child protection is considered an asset.
  • Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
  • Familiarity with Montenegro context is considered an asset.

Language:

  • Proficiency in English is required;

Other:

  • Have no immediate relatives (e.g. mother, father, sister, brother) working with UNICEF;
  • Strong willingness to learn on the job is required.
  • Have proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel);
  • Be able to work individually and as part of a team.

How to apply:

If you recognize yourself from the above and wish to make a difference for every child; you are requested to apply through online. Only completed online applications will be eligible for further review. When you apply, please attach the following:

  • Your CV and a cover letter in English to state the majors/areas of your study and the reason for application;
  • Include two letters of recommendation (can be from employers, internships, university professor, etc.);
  • Attach a proof of excellent academic performance/transcript through recent university or institution records;
  • Please further note that the successful candidate will require to further provide proof of having medical insurance at the time of communicating for the job offer.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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 offers reasonable accommodation for personnel 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 recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

NOTE: 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 selected candidates 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 contracts.

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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