UN VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT

Preamble:

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.

In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. In this context, UN Youth Volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local communities.

In all assignments, UN Youth Volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make the time they spend as UN Youth Volunteers even more rewarding and productive.

1. UNV Assignment Title:UN Youth Volunteer inVolunteerism and Growth of Civil Society

2. Type of Assignment:InternationalUN YouthVolunteer

UNV Strategic Framework – This assignment refers to Outcome 1, 4 and 5 of the UNV Strategic Framework 2014-2017; and to Youth Global Programme:Outcome 1: Increased recognition of the contribution of youth to global peace and sustainable human development through volunteerism, and inclusion of youth voices in the development discourse; and Outcome 2: Improved capacity of relevant stakeholders to support an enabling environment for regional, national and community youth volunteering for global peace and sustainable human development.

4. Project Title:Strengthening Civil Society and Volunteerism for Development in Vietnam

5. Duration:12 months

6. Location, Country:Ha Noi, Vietnam

7. Expected Starting Date:February/ March 2016

8. Brief Project Description:

Under the direct supervision of the UNV Programme Officer in Vietnam, within the UNV Field Unit and UNDP Country Office, the UN Youth Volunteer will be in charge of conducting research, project development and project coordination activities to enable the UNV Field Unit in Vietnam to better respond to the identified needs of strengthening Youth, Civil Society and Volunteerism for Development in Vietnam, in line with the UN Youth Volunteers Global Programme.

It is widely recognized that Civil Society plays a crucial role in the sustainable and equitable development of a country, and so does Volunteerism for Development in building a more cohesive and inclusive society. In order to promote and contribute to accomplish the vision of a thriving and well-functioning Civil Society, UNV in Vietnam aims at strengthening its basis in research, mapping and project development with a view to carry out evidence-based policy advocacy, demonstrate the contribution of volunteerism to development and foster an enabling environment for Civil Society Organizations and volunteers. This is in line with UNDP’s strategy of supporting the growth of Civil Society as well as with UNV’s vision as in the UNV Strategic Framework (SF) 2014-2017 and the Youth Global Programme.

9. Host Agency/Host Institute:UNDP Country Office/UNV Field Unit

10. Organizational Context:

Since 1990, in Vietnam, UNV has collaborated with a number of partners including the Government; political, social, professional & mass organizations; United Nations agencies; international and local non-governmental organizations for volunteerism. More than 500 UN volunteers, both national and international, have since served in the country.

Viet Nam is one of eight pilot countries under the One UN (Delivering as One) initiative. The initiative regards one plan, one budget, one leader, one management practice and one house for the participating agencies. In the current UN One Plan, covering the period 2012-2016, the UN works with the government and the people of Viet Nam to ensure a balance between economic, human and sustainable development objectives, to achieve inclusive, equitable and sustainable growth, access to quality essential services and social protection, and enhanced governance and participation.UNV has actively contributed to the UN One Plans in Vietnam by deploying national and International UN Volunteers to support UN agencies and Joint Programming Groups in implementing their plans.

UNV helps in ensuring that the power of volunteerism is recognized and properly harnessed as a force for development. International Volunteer Day on 5 December provides a rallying point for organizations and individual volunteers to express their support for the Millennium Development Goals/Sustainable Development Goals and to consider ways to help achieve the targets. UNV organizes activities such as searching for most outstanding volunteers or Volunteer Awards, Volunteer Story Competition, volunteer conferences, symposium on volunteerism for different target groups, communication campaigns, etc.

UNV also has an ongoing cooperation with the Vietnamese Youth Union to strengthen the volunteer infrastructure, under which the Vietnam Volunteer Center (VVC) was established in Hanoi in 2009. Subsequently the Center branched out in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City in order to cover all three regions of the country (North, Center, South). The UNV Field Unit will continue collaborating closely with the three VVCs beyond the existing project, also thanks to the presence of national and international UN Volunteers at the centers.

UNV in Vietnam is planning to intensify its efforts in project development as well as in policy advocacy, in support of UNDP, the UN in Vietnam’s One Plan and UNV’s global objectives. The UN Youth Volunteer will play a key role in this regard.

11. Type of Assignment Place: Assignment without family

11. Description of tasks:

Under the direct supervision of the UNV Programme Officer (PO), in coordination with the RBM and Communications Officer at the UNV Field Unit and relevant colleagues at UNDP and other UN agencies, the Programme Assistant in Volunteerism and Growth of Civil Society will undertake the following tasks

  • Support research and/or coordinate research on Youth, Civil Society and volunteerism in Vietnam to support policy advocacy
  • In close collaboration with the PO, develop project proposals under the UNV Global Programmes and any other programme which can further UNV’s objectives (regional or global)
  • Participate in relevant Joint Programming Groups (e.g. Governance), the UN Youth Working Group and act as focal point for other UN joint initiatives on Youth/Civil Society or volunteerism strengthening UNV’s role in the UN system
  • Act as leading focal point for the Greening the UN Campaign in Vietnam (behavioural change component)
  • Facilitate capacity building activities for university students, volunteer involving organisations and CSOs to support their growth while better promoting and demonstrating tvolunteerism for development
  • Support mapping and liaising with national and international volunteer involving organisations (VIOs), Youth Union, NGOs, grass roots organisations, academia and the broader civil society to facilitate information exchange and coordination
  • Contribute to the UNV Vietnam Website and Facebook Page and to UNV media outreach through articles, interviews and other communications features
  • Perform various tasks as requested to help organize and generate public support for special events and activities to promote UNV and One UN in Viet Nam (e.g. UN Day, UNV Youth Employment Skills Development Program, UN Volunteers – led projects)

Furthermore, UN Youth Volunteers are encouraged to:

  • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD);
  • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
  • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
  • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
  • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Youth Volunteers;
  • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

13. Results/Expected Output:

  • Research summarized in regular briefing papers and reports based on programmatic needs and broader research on Youth/Civil Society/Volunteerism coordinated and finalized in collaboration with external parties
  • UNV presence in various UN working groups and UN-wide initiatives (e.g. Greening the UN Campaign) strengthened, with the PO properly briefed and her inputs regularly fed back to the groups
  • Project proposals developed under the UN Youth Volunteers Global Programme, other UNV Global Programmes and further regional and global programmes
  • Capacity building activities facilitated for different target groups (university volunteers, volunteer involving organizations)
  • News feeds produced for UNV Vietnam website and Facebook page andUNV visibility among media increased through articles and other communications features
  • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.

14. Qualifications/Requirements:

  • University degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Communications or equivalent professional work experience;
  • Up to 2 years relevant work or volunteer experience in project development and coordination;
  • Experience in Research/Capacity Building/Communications;
  • Fluency in written and oral English;
  • Proven ability to work as part of a team;
  • Excellent organizational skills;
  • Ability to plan and work in a high-pressure situation under tight deadlines.

Note: UN Youth Volunteers must be between 18 and 29 years for the whole duration of their assignment

15. Learning expectations

Learning and development are a central part of the UN Youth Volunteer’s assignment and take place before, during and after his or her assignment in the field. Ideally, offering diverse opportunities for learning and development aim to strengthen the volunteer’s skills and competences, improve the quality of the assignment and keep the volunteer’s motivation high.

Learning elements for the UN Youth Volunteer include the development of:

  • Professional skills: including specific competencies and reflection on assignment-related abilities; and on-the-job skills such as time management, problem solving, team building; and career preparedness such as interview skills, CV preparation, job searching.
  • Inter-personal skills: including communication and listening skills; multi-cultural awareness and cultural competency; and conflict and stress management.
  • Volunteering-related skills: including leadership; civic responsibility; and engagement and active participation.

Beyond the learning opportunities provided by UNV, UNDP will support knowledge and capacity development in the technical areas that are relevant to the UN Youth Volunteer’s assignment.

16. Living Conditions:

Viet Nam is a middle income country which has witnessed rapid economic growth with impressive results in poverty reduction over the past twenty five years. The country has deepened its integration into global and regional institutions such as the WTO, the UN institutions and ASEAN. Its current path of development is guided by the Socio Economic Development Strategy from 2011-2020 which was endorsed at the 11th Communist Party Congress in 2011. The incumbent will live in Ha Noi which has most of the economic and social amenities at a reasonable cost. Depending on living arrangements, housing can be expensive. Security is good. Ha Noi has a humid, tropical climate and monsoons. Summers, between May and September, are very hot with plenty of rain, while winters, from November to March, are cold and relatively dry. Living conditions in Hanoi are relatively good by developing country standards. In line with further improvements in the availability of goods and services, health facilities, and housing, the level of hardship in the duty station has recently been upgraded from C to B. Security is also reasonably good relative to other developing country large cities. Viet Nam was recently ranked as one of the more secure and stable places to live and do business by outside research groups.

17. Conditions of Service:

A 12- month contract; monthly living allowance (MLA) base intended to cover housing, basic needs and utilities, with a base rate of US$ 1,243, which is adjusted monthly according to the movement (upwards or downwards) of the Post Adjustment Multiplier (PAM), which is established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) to ensure that international UN Volunteers have comparable purchasing power at all duty stations despite varying costs of living. The applicable MLA is calculated as follows: MLA = (MLA base rate x PAM) + MLA base rate. See ICSC website for more information on the applicable PAM rates.

In addition, UN Volunteers are provided a one-time settling-in-grant (if applicable); Well-Being Differential (applicable only in hardship non-family duty stations); a life, health, and permanent disability insurance; return airfares (if applicable); resettlement allowance for satisfactory service.

Description of Assignment prepared by the UNV Field Unit:

Fiammetta Mancini, UNV Programme Officer

Date: 26/05/2015

Description of Assignment approved by UNV Portfolio Manager:

Rafael Martinez, UNV Portfolio Manager

Date: 26/05/2015

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.