Youth Engagement & Advocacy Consultant, ECARO outpost, Rome, Italy, 170 days (Remote)

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy 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, results

The UNICEF National Coordination Response in Italy supports the efforts of the Government of Italy and civil society organizations to ensure the protection and social inclusion of unaccompanied minors and young migrants and refugees Since 2020, UNICEF in Italy is also leading in phase III of the EU Child Guarantee, the European Commission’s initiative to address child poverty and social exclusion.

Youth engagement is a central pillar of UNICEF’s response in Italy and is implemented in support to UNICEF’s social inclusion agenda through the following online and offline actions involving young migrants and refugees and Italian adolescents:

• Online platforms: U-report on the Move (https://onthemove.ureport.in/), U-blog (https://www.ublogger.org/iblogger) and U-pod as well as mass media and social media platforms.
• Offline engagement of youth rights-holders: participation in key international and national fora and in UNICEF’s Activate Talks (https://www.activatetalksitalia.com/).

Amongst the EU Child Guarantee models being tested and replicated and in line with the EU Child Rights strategy approved in March 2021, UNICEF is leading in the establishment and piloting of a Children’s Advisory Board to ensure the participation of children throughout the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Child Guarantee action plan (https://www.unicef.it/diritti-bambini-italia/child-guarantee/). Members of the Children’s Advisory Board include representatives of the six target groups of the Child Guarantee: children with disabilities, children residing in institutions, migrant and refugee children, children with a minority racial or ethnic background (particularly Roma).

How can you make a difference?

The Youth Engagement & Advocacy Consultant will support 1) Skills building of young people’s engagement and advocacy action 2) Institutionalization of youth participation. Specifically, the consultant

• will mentor and/or prep young people’s engagement and advocacy actions
• review and quality assure creative content production by social media platforms targeting youth (Scuola Zoo)
• review and quality assure blog content produced by U-bloggers
• plan and coordinate implementation of an Activate Talk in support to the OPS! campaign
• organize meetings and consultations of the Children’s Advisory Board for the Child Guarantee

Contractual modalities:

• Duration: The consultant will be expected to work for 170 days within an 11.5 month period.
• Duty Station and travel: The consultant will be home-based but will be expected to travel throughout Italy, depending on COVID-19 travel restrictions. The Consultant will be responsible for organizing their travel. All travel expenses (tickets, accommodation, public transport, meals) will be reimbursed.
• Payment: The consultant will be paid monthly upon timely and satisfactory submission of deliverables as per the table above.

• Travel:

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants/ Individual Contractors apply.

• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The consultant is responsible for his/her for travel arrangements. The most economic and direct route is authorized.
• Travel costs will be reimbursed after the completion of mission upon submission of the invoice together with the supporting documentation. The maximum amount for travel is EUR 1,000.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSafe certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

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

Required:

• Advanced University Degree is required in social science, anthropology, or communication.
• A minimum of 5 years of practical professional work experience with youth or migrants and refugees of which a minimum of 3 years professional experience in youth engagement.
• Proven track record in planning and coordination of events.
• Proven track record in use of youth-based digital channels of influence.
• Strong communication skills and the aptitude to handle competing messages and priorities with multiple audiences
• Able to work independently, has sound judgment and strong organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships.
• Fluency in Italian and proficient English are required.

Desired:

• Demonstrated knowledge of programme areas pertinent for refugee, migrant, asylum seeker and internally displaced groups;
• Experience working with a web-based platforms, managing websites;
• Creative, innovative thinker who can also translate ideas into practical applications.

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 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.

To apply:

Applicants are invited to:

• Complete their UNICEF profile FULLY;
• Attach CV and Cover Letter;
• Indicate a daily fee, bearing in mind that the maximum allowed daily fee for this assignment is EUR 320. Applications without fees will not be accepted.

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.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.