Social and Behavior Change Officer

Volunteering Communications & PR Teaching & Training

Overview

Support the design and implementation of inclusive education interventions.

You have:

• Demonstrated interest and/or experience in development, implementation and coordination of programs in communication for social and behavior change.
• Previous experience as a volunteer or exposure to another culture (i.e., studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.

Contract

This is a UNV International Youth contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Youth contracts.

In 2024, the Ministry of Education and Research and UNICEF Moldova launched the communication campaign for social and behaviour change regarding educational inclusion of children with disabilities, "Learning Together". The campaign aims to address stigma and discrimination faced by children with disabilities and special educational needs, refugees, and ethnic minorities while promoting their right to education. Additionally, it supports the implementation of the National Program for Inclusive Education 2023–2027, fostering a more inclusive and equitable educational environment.

While the campaign’s interventions, such as community engagement, school-based activities, and social media outreach, have contributed to noticeable improvements in attitudes and behaviours toward inclusion, challenges remain. An encouraging 97.6% of participants expressed openness to supporting intersectoral efforts for inclusive education, and 96.7% of children agreed to actively promote inclusion within their schools. However, a portion of parents continue to hold concerns, believing that the presence of children with disabilities in mainstream classrooms may negatively affect the learning of others. Some still believe that children with SEN should be placed in home or segregated institutional settings, rather than included in mainstream education.

Thus, to address these challenges, alongside systemic interventions aimed at removing physical, communication, and informational barriers, as well as policy reforms, efforts are increasingly focused on changing harmful attitudes, beliefs, and norms through Social and Behaviour Change interventions.

Under the direct supervision of Deputy Representative and in close coordination with the Social and Behaviour Change Officer, the UN Youth Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Support in the designing and implementation of interventions and activities related to raising awareness, changing the attitudes and promotion of Inclusive Education.
• Support to the development and implementation of the Social and Behaviour Change Plan on Inclusiveness of children with disabilities and special educational needs.
• Support the implementation of information and raising awareness initiatives to promote the social inclusion and integration of refugee children into local schools.
• Assist the programme sections in the organization and implementation of SBC interventions related to education, additionally in health (immunization and nutrition).
• Support data collection, tracking, monitoring, and reporting SBC results and prepare syntheses of results. 
• Participate in all the coordination meetings with the Public Authorities, partners and other stakeholders involved in the SBC programs interventions.
• Contribute to UNICEF reports, strategy, studies, on Social and Behaviour Change in Education, and beyond.

​​Accountability Adaptability and Flexibility ​Commitment and Motivation ​Commitment to Continuous Learning Communication ​Creativity Empowering Others Ethics and Values ​Integrity ​Knowledge Sharing ​Planning and Organizing Professionalism Respect for Diversity Self-Management ​Technological Awareness Working in Teams

Demonstrated interest and/or experience (ideally one year) in: - Development, implementation and coordination of programs in communication for social and behavior change. - Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.

Moldova is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Romania and Ukraine. The capital, Chișinău, is where most UN agencies are based and serves as the political, economic, and cultural hub of the country. Living conditions in Chișinău are generally good, with access to housing, healthcare facilities, public transport, and basic services. The city has a relatively low cost of living compared to other European capitals, although the availability of certain specialized services and goods may be limited.

Moldova experiences four distinct seasons, with cold winters and hot summers. Reliable internet and mobile connectivity are widely available, and working conditions are generally stable. Romanian is the official language, but Russian is also widely spoken. English is used in international and professional contexts, though less common in everyday interactions.

Security conditions in Moldova are stable, but volunteers are expected to follow UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) guidance.

Visa process: Swiss nationals can enter Moldova and stay within the country for 90 days without a visa. For the duration of the assignment, UNICEF Moldova will support the volunteer in obtaining a temporary residence permit for volunteer activities through the General Inspectorate for Migration. The process usually takes 4-6 weeks, during which time the volunteer may commence their assignment.

Conditions of Service

The Conditions of Service outline the policies and rules governing UN Volunteer assignments. These, along with other resources, are available on the Unified Volunteer Platform (UVP) at https://app.unv.org/explore. You can also access the entitlement calculator here: https://app.unv.org/calculator.

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Potential interview questions

Added 8 months ago - Updated 8 months ago - Source: unv.org