Youth and Climate Officer, Generation Unlimited

Contract

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

UNICEF’s operation in Sao Tome and Principe (STP) emphasizes the essential role of environmental sustainability in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Guided by its Strategic Plan for 2022–2025, the new Country Program Document focuses on multifaceted components such as access to education and life skills, violence prevention and response and direct action on climate change. Within this framework, UNICEF has actively supported the STP Government in tackling the learning crisis. Efforts include promoting capacity-building and empowerment, fostering citizenship and employability among adolescents and youth and integrating twenty first-century skills to gender equality and climate change education. Moreover, UNICEF has been working hand-in-hand with Youth Institute in STP, under the youth and adolescent development programme, to encourage youth participation in climate solutions. This collaboration emphasizes the development of adaptation and mitigation skills, especially targeting girls and marginalized communities. UNICEF also recognizes the importance of creating networks of young advocates and partnering with non-profit organizations. Through these connections, various initiatives and volunteer activities are implemented to ensure that girls remain in schools, and that children, women, and young people from the most impoverished districts have access to clean water, clean air, and a safe and sustainable environment.

Under the supervision of the Youth and Adolescent Officer, the international UNV will be responsible for the following: I) Climate Change Awareness and Solutions for Youth  Assist the National Youth Institute with UNICEF’s support to enhance the understanding of climate change among adolescents and young people, fostering innovative solutions.  Coordinate across Youth platforms to amplify entrepreneurial and job opportunities relat-ed to climate change, contributing to economic growth and social progress.  Increase comprehension of climate change impacts through research, data collection, and knowledge dissemination.  Amplify the voices of adolescents and young people to actively influence local climate poli-cies and decision-making processes, ensuring their meaningful inclusion and participation in climate action and planning initiatives.

II) Support Innovation  Identify and implement innovative, scalable solutions within the thematic area.  Introduce and strengthen innovative approaches to improve career guidance and promote 21st century skills, especially focusing on entrepreneurial abilities, to ensure the delivery of sustainable large-scale results.  Research and recommend best international practices, with a focus on digital solutions, to engage marginalized audiences and consider their adaption in Sao Tome and Principe. This effort will also support the enhancement of the national digital program at the youth inter-action centres. III) Knowledge Management  Contribute to development and dissemination of newsletters and meeting documentation.  Compile and develop case studies and human-interest stories for partner engagement.  Maintain regular weekly and monthly updates on current activities  Contribute to regional and global communications as needed.

IV) Advocacy and Communications - report and proposal writing  Participate in the design and monitoring of annual youth and adolescent annual work plans, aligning with strategic and programme related documents.  Support in the creation of public advocacy materials and reports on programme and pro-ject status.  Provide support in drafting briefing notes, talking points, funding proposals, presentations and donor-related reports. Perform additional tasks as required or assigned by the supervisor.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:  Enhance understanding of volunteerism through reading and participation in UNV.  Familiarized with and foster local volunteerism traditions in country.  Reflect on their volunteer experiences and participate in ongoing reflective activities;  Share experiences through articles and write-ups for UNV publications.  Support the UNV Buddy Programme for new volunteers.  Facilitate or promote the use of online volunteering among local individuals and organiza-tions.  Integrate the UN Volunteers program mandate within their work.  Engage with communities to promote voluntary action.  Provide annual and end-of-assignment self-reports.  Assist with online volunteering as technically feasible

RESULTS/EXPECTED OUTPUTS: As an engaged member of the UNICEF STP team, the volunteer is expected to provide efficient and high-quality support to UNICEF STP and its beneficiaries, with an emphasis on responsiveness and positive work environment. Key expectations include:  Development of Solutions: crafting innovative and scalable solutions for investments and expansion in the climate change domain.  Monitoring and advocacy: Enhancing monitoring systems and advocacy for Youth and Ado-lescent Programmes, focusing on climate change. Creating a robust database with relevant indicators, recommendations, and insights into implementation challenges.  Evidence-based practices: Generating data, case studies and human-interest stories to showcase evidence-based best practices in youth and climate change integration.  Policy Influence: Providing evidence to influence policy to strengthen youth’s role in climate change’s initiatives.  Education and Awareness: Training adolescents and young people on local and national climate plans to increase understanding and awareness, and mapping the climate change impacts in their communities for better adaptation and preparation.  Skill Development: Assisting adolescents and young people in developing skills to prepare and adapt to climate change impacts through community-based adaptation strategies.  Youth Participation: Ensuring that the voices of adolescents and young people shape local climate policies and engaging them in meaningful decision-making processes.  Entrepreneurship and Employment: Promoting and developing youth-led entrepreneurial initiatives to address climate change and providing job opportunities for young people  Integration of Best practices: Embedding climate change best practices into annual work plans, reports, fundraising proposals and monitoring and evaluation efforts.  Diversity Consideration: Applying, integrating and documenting Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective systematically throughout the assignment.

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES: • Monitoring & Evaluation: Proven ability to monitor, evaluate, and report on programs in the areas mentioned above. • Partnership Development: Ability to cultivate partnerships and network in education, skills, youth engagement, and employment. • Current Knowledge: Interest in the latest developments and technology in education and skilling fields. • Analytical Ability: Strong analytical skills with a preference for data analytical expertise. • Communication: Good oral and written skills, with an emphasis on drafting, formulation, and reporting. • Interpersonal Skills: Excellent abilities in working inclusively and collaboratively with diverse partners, including grassroots communities, religious and youth organizations, and different levels of authorities. Familiarity with communications tools and development approaches. • Adaptability: Professional and effective adaptation to a dynamic, start-up-like environment. • Computer Literacy: Solid overall skills, including proficiency in MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.), email/internet, and database management. Familiarity with office technology equipment. • Self-motivation: Ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines.

Competencies and Values • Diversity and inclusion: Treats all people with dignity and respect; shows respect and sensitivity towards gender, cultural and religious differences; challenges prejudice, biases and intolerance in the workplace; encourages diversity wherever possible. • Integrity: Maintains high ethical standards; takes clear ethical stands; keeps promises; immediately addresses untrustworthy or dishonest behaviour; resists pressure in decision-making from internal and external sources; does not abuse power or authority. • Commitment: Demonstrates commitment to UNICEF’s mission and to the wider UN system; demonstrates the values of UNICEF in daily activities and behaviours; seeks out new challenges, assignments and responsibilities; promotes UNICEF’s cause. • Communication: Speaks fluently; expresses opinions, information and key points of an argument clearly; presents information with skill and confidence; responds quickly to the needs of an audience and to their reactions and feedback; projects credibility; structures information to meet the needs and understanding of the intended audience; presents information in a well-structured and logical way. • Working with people: Shows respect for the views and contributions of other team members; shows empathy; listens, supports and cares for others; consults others and shares information and expertise with them; builds team spirit and reconciles conflict; adapts to the team and fits in well. • Drive for results: Sets high standards for quality of work; monitors and maintains quality of work; works in a systematic, methodical and orderly way; consistently achieves project goals; focuses on the needs and satisfaction of internal and external partners; accepts and tackles demanding goals with enthusiasm.

Program/project planning and implementation, with a specific focus on education, skilling/training, and equity at national and/or international levels. • Practical experience in research, with a preference for expertise in gender equity. • Experience in creating creative and professional photography, videos and other multimedia products for digital platforms

Officially, the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe is a Portuguese-speaking island country located in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two archipelagos around the two main islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about 140 kilometers (87 miles) from each other and about 250 and 225 kilometers (155 and 140 miles), respectively, at off the northwest coast of Gabon. Since the 19th century, the economy of São Tomé and Príncipe has been based on plantation agriculture. At the time of independence, Portuguese plantations occupied 90% of the cultivated area. After independence, control of these plantations was transferred to various state agricultural enterprises. The main crop in São Tomé is cocoa, which accounts for about 95% of agricultural exports. Other export crops include copra, palm kernel and coffee. The islands of São Tomé and Principe are the second smallest country in Africa. Both are part of Cameroon's volcanic mountain line, which also includes the Annobón islands in the southwest, Bioko in the northeast (both part of Equatorial Guinea), and Mount Cameroon on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. At sea level, the climate is tropical, hot and humid with average annual temperatures of about 27 ° C (80.6 ° F) and small daily variations. The temperature rarely exceeds 32 ° C (89.6 ° F). At higher altitudes in the interior, the average annual temperature is 20 ° C (68 ° F), and the nights are generally cool. Annual precipitation ranges from 5,000 mm (196.9 in.) On the southwest slopes to 1,000 mm (39.4 in.) In the northern lowlands. The rainy season runs from October to May. The total population of São Tomé and Principe is approximately 194,000 and the majority live on Sao Tome Island. About São Tomé, the city and capital, the population is about 53,300 inhabitants. The inhabitants of Sao Tome and Principe descend from various ethnic groups who have migrated to the islands since 1485. Sao Tome and Principe is a country in the same time zone as GMT and a duty station with family. The Dobra (STD) is the local currency and according to the UN exchange rate system, 1 USD equals 21.52 STD and 1 Euro at 24.50 STD in August 2019. Some commercial banks are active in the country and Visa cards are accepted in a very limited number of hotels.