Internship: Climate and Environment, LACRO, Panama

Contract

This is a Internship contract. It usually requires 0 years of experience, depending on education. More about Internship 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, a calling

How can you make a difference?

BACKGROUND

Climate change and environmental degradation are some of the biggest threats affecting the world’s children which has the potential to undermine many of the gains achieved in child survival and development. Children are the least responsible for climate change and environmental degradation, yet they stand to bear the greatest burden of its impact. UNICEF is committed to achieving societal transformation necessary so that children can live in a sustainable, clean and safe environment to children. UNICEF’s climate and environmental sustainability strategy is structured around four main pillars to ensure the rights of children in a changing climate. The strategy stresses the need for ambitious programming to protect children from the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation by increasing the resilience of the basic services, and by reducing emissions and pollution. It recognizes that children are not merely passive victims, but right holders and active agents of change and that our only hope is empowering future generations to choose an environmentally sustainable path.

PURPOSE & OBJECTIVES

As part of the organizational priority to mainstream Climate, Energy, Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (CEED) into UNICEF’s core programming, UNICEF is committed to making children and young people a focus of environmental strategies and empowering children and young people to participate in climate and environmental action. Building on previous researches conducted in this area, and ongoing programming toward supporting child and youth participation in climate and environmental policy and action, UNICEF is scaling up this area of work within the Country Offices and programme areas. This internship role shall provide support towards achieving this.

The purpose of this Internship is to support the CEED team to mainstream climate and environment into UNICEF’s core programming, to support UNICEF's efforts to make children and young people a focus of environmental strategies, and to empower children and young people to participate in climate and environmental action.

MAIN TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

More specifically the purpose of this internship includes:

• Support the development of case studies on youth engagement in climate advocacy at national and regional level. It includes coordinating with country offices, collecting inputs and feedback, mapping stakeholders, key actions and interventions developed by UNICEF to engage adolescents, and, developing good practices and lessons learned reports to motivate other adolescents and youth to act for the climate and improve their advocacy capacity.
• Support the development of knowledge products on climate, energy, environment, and disaster risk reduction as required.
• Support the participation of youth in the Climate Change Conference in Chile 2021, including the identification of young people and youth organization, support on the preparation and capacity building of young people prior the conference, elaboration of a youth call for action / declaration, and other task related to the conference.
• Support with the review of climate and environment learning materials, conducting focal groups, collecting comments and suggestions, providing recommend options for roll-out it across the region and organizations, and developing training sessions to strengthen adolescent and youth capacity to engage in climate actions.
• Support in the development of funding proposals, investment cases and concept notes on climate, environment, energy and DRR, including complementing the concept framework for climate-smart schools.
• Support with the review of national and regional research and studies.
• Support the climate and communication divisions in identifying key environmental dates and developing key messages and communication materials.
• Other tasks that may arise related to the daily activities of the team and CEED agenda.

Benefits to Intern:

• In depth knowledge about Global Climate, Energy, Environment, and Disaster Risk Reduction (CEED) challenges, how they are impacting children, and how UNICEF is programming in response.
• Develop writing and editing skills through developing key resources.
• Gaining experience working with an expert group of climate and environment professionals, as well as colleagues working across other UNICEF sectors and other UN agencies.
• Strengthened communication skills by consulting with various professionals across the organization and preparing relevant materials for these exchanges.
• Gather insight on UNICEF programming across all sector.

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

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS:

• Currently be enrolled in a degree program in an undergraduate or graduate school or be a recent graduate (within the last 2 years).
• Have strong academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records or, if not available, a reference letter from an academic supervisor.
• Demonstrated advanced technical writing skills (publications).
• Fluent in both English and Spanish.
• Prior experience with climate, environment, energy and disaster risk reduction in developing country contexts would be a considerable asset.
• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother or sister) working in any UNICEF office.
• Have no other relatives in the line of authority which the intern will report to.

SUPERVISOR

The selected intern will work under the direct supervision of the CEED Specialist in UNICEF LACRO.

DURATION

From 15 June 2021 – 15 December 2021 (6 months, full time).

STIPEND:

In accordance to UNICEF’s guidelines, interns will be paid a stipend of USD 995.40 per month. There is no expectancy of employment at the end of the internship.

INSURANCE:

UNICEF will not be responsible for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during the intern’s service, whether on or off UNICEF premises. Therefore, the selected candidate must provide proof of enrolment in a health/accident plan prior to start the internship with the Education Section.

LIVING CONDITIONS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

The intern will be remote based and work from home. The intern will work with the CEED Section and report to the supervisor of this internship. The intern is not expected to travel during the assignment. The intern will be expected to participate in section meetings, as well as other UNICEF meetings of interest to the intern. Guidance will be provided on a regular basis.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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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 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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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