Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Assistant

Volunteering

Overview

Support refugees and host communities in economic inclusion programs

You have:

• Experience in implementing livelihood approaches used in humanitarian programming including the graduation model approach, having supported with Entrepreneurship trainings and related interventions on livelihoods.
• Experience with Youth targeted programmes and human rights programmes will be an added advantage.
• Strong organizational, verbal and written communication skills.
• Basic knowledge or familiarity with UNHCR mandate.
• Experience in concept and proposal development.
• Computer skills: good knowledge and skill with basic computer applications [Words, Excel, PowerPoint, internet].
• Good interpersonal skills; able to relate well with others, offer support and constructive feedback.
• Experience in development of quality reports.

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

Kakuma refugee operation is home to more than 200,000 refugees and asylum seekers from 21 different nationalities; with the majority originating from South Sudan and followed by So-malia. Children and youth constitute approximately 70% of the registered refugee population. While in general refugees and the host community continue to live in harmony, the continued increase in refugee numbers, minimal prospects for livelihood options coupled with the Gov-ernment’s encampment policy present challenges resilience and self reliance . Additionally, the local host community (Turkana) is mostly pastoralist and with the recent cyclic droughts, many of them have not only lost their livestock but there are limited options for alternative livelihoods such as agriculture (area is climatically harsh and dry). For years, refugees have been mainly dependent on humanitarian assistance with minimal livelihood and self-reliance opportunities, also raising the refugees’ expectations that their proection needs will be taken care of by external actors. This combined has created a high level of dependency, resulting in low refugee participation and challenges in sustaining the current assistance programmes. The continuous security problems in the region might threaten smooth access to asylum and mobility for refugees. Refugees are likely to face more restrictions, hence engaging them in well-thought-out programmes livelihoods and economic inclusion.

The focus will be on supporting refugees and host communities aged 18-59 years access to decent jobs with; gaining market driven skills; engage in agriculture production; manufacturing and access af-fordable credit and financing facilities .

The position will be subject to review at the end of duration to examine the progress made and determine the way forward (renewal).

Under the direct supervision of the Assistant Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer [Re-silience and Inclusion Section ], and the overall guidance from the Development Officer , the UN Volunteer will be assigned activities in line with Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Stra-tegic Directions 2020 2024 as guided by the UNHCR Resilience and Inclusion section cover-ing Kakuma camp and Kalobeyei settlement and in close coordination with relevant sector focal points (e.g. education, legal protection among others). The UN volunteer is expected to share an equal amount of time in the field and in the office for the duties which will be as-signed and will involve field activities and reporting.

The UN Volunteer is expected to undertake the following duties:

• Monitor institutional approaches with targeted companies or orgnaisations to en-courage their loyalty in inclusive processes and guarantee job opportunities for new beneficiaries. • Update and manage the database of refugee applicants and related records on employment and training. Maintain livelihood monitoring of families that are part of the graduation model up-to-date and reports the news found in a timely manner. • Collaborate with partners to train refugee population on the methodology for the development of enterprises (My Business) including other relevant trainings (sav-ings trainings and financial education ) as will be guided. • Provide advice, follow up plans and monitoring in the development and execution of business plans and other project activities, ensuring their sustainability. • Guide and / or accompany the population of interest in the processes of opening accounts and accessing banking services. • Identify approaches with local and governmental actors that support in a sus-tained way the development of individual and associative enterprises. • Identify and facilitate with the formation and strengthening of associative groups. • Support with and provide ideas on the promotion of value chains for products and services that arise from the different entrepreneurship, innovation and associativity programs that are generated in the locality. • Identify potential market niches and possible marketing chains to strengthen UN-HCR and KKCF approved ventures. • Participate in local and national meetings and events, as requested by the supervi-sor. • Contribute to and support the supervisor with the production of quality and timely reports on program activities, as required. • Provide reports to the Assistant Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer on planned, ongoing completed project activities in the agreed format (on week-ly/monthly basis as agreed)

Results/Expected Output: • Various reports and minutes generated (e.g.reports from FGDs; minutes of monthly Pri-vate Sector , Entrerpreurship and Livelihoods Working Group meetings, monitoring re-ports, tracking and data sheets, other reports as assigned by superviror). • Increased involvement of women and girls in economic empowerment programmes and decision-making.

Team work Communication Planning and organizing

implementation of livelihood programmes working with vulnerable populations. • Experience in concept and proposal development • Experience in development of quality reports • Strong organizational, verbal and written communication skills • Good interpersonal skills; he/she must be able to relate well with others, offer support and constructive feedback. • Computer skills: good knowledge and skill with basic computer applications [Words, Ex-cel,powerpoint , internet] • Basic knowledge or familiarilty with UNHCR mandate • Experience implementing the livelihood approaches used in humanitarian programming including the graduation model approach, having supported with Entrepreneurship train-ings and related interventions on livelihoods etc will be an added advantage. • Experience with Youth targeted programmes and human rights programmes will be an added advantage.

Turkana County where Kakuma and Kalobeyei camp are, are generally characterized by high temperatures (average 35 degrees Celsius/95 Fahrenheit) and is relatively humid. Janu-ary, February and March are the hottest months, with temperatures reaching a maximum of 38 Celcius / 100.4 Fahrenheit. Some essentials during these periods are a hat/cap, sunglass-es and light (sweat absorbing) clothes. November-December is the short rainy season. Long rains start in mid-March and end in June. Movement to the camp/settlement and neighbour-ing towns becomes limited when the numerous seasonal rivers get flooded. The risk of malar-ia is high. Some of the hazards in the Kakuma operation includes dust storms, heat exhaus-tion, flooding, the presence of different insects, snakes, scorpions and high risk of malaria. Although there are no specific forecasted rains, sudden severe showers cannot be ruled out. The showers usually results in large muddy areas and overflowing of seasonal rivers. It should also be noted that overflowing seasonal rivers in Kakuma area can result from rains in highlands on the North Eastern Uganda border.

There are no medical facilities with high standards. Kakuma Mission Hospital at Kakuma town is the first point of call during medical emergency situations. There are also few medical clinics and chemist shops in Kakuma town with very basic facilities. Referrals and evacuations are primarily to Nairobi.

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Potential interview questions

Added 4 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unv.org