DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT

Transcription

1 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 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 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 Volunteers even more rewarding and productive. 1. Type of Assignment: International UN University Volunteer 2. Type of Assignment Place: Family Duty Station UN University Volunteer assignments are always without family. 3. Assignment Title: UN University Volunteer in Communications 4. Link with UNV Strategic Framework: Youth 5. Duty Station, Country: Suva, Fiji 6. Duration (in months): 5 months 7. Expected Starting Date: end of September/early October Host Agency/Host Institute: UNV Field Unit 9. Organizational Context/Project: The UN Volunteers programme is the UN organization which contributes to peace and development through volunteerism. Established by the UN General Assembly in 1970, UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for recognition of volunteers, working with partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and

2 mobilizing an increasing number and diversity to UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes. UNV programme is administered by UNDP, but acts as a development partner for the entire UN system. The UNV Field Unit (FU) in Fiji is based in the UNDP Multi-Country Office (MCO) in Suva. The UNDP MCO and the UNV field unit provide knowledge, experience and resources to 14 countries in the Pacific: Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, Samoa, Tokelau, Niue and Cook Islands. UNV field unit consist currently of a Programme Assistant, responsible for the all the UNV activities in the region. Over 600 international and national UN Volunteers have provided support to UN agencies in the region since 1981, in the areas such as health, agriculture, communication, youth, disaster risk reduction, environment, education and many others. UNV FU administers all the UNV assignments, and provides support and advice to all serving UN Volunteers in the region. Furthermore, UNV advocates for the recognition of volunteerism in the Pacific by working together with local and regional civil society organizations, UN agencies and government counterparts. UNV FU supports and facilitates activities of the National Volunteer Steering Committee (Fiji), which objective is to advocate and to promote volunteerism in Fiji. It has currently approximately 20 volunteer involving organizations as its members. Furthermore, UNV participates in a network of international volunteer sending organizations. Annually, UNV celebrates the International Volunteer Day (IVD) that takes place in December, in collaboration with local and national partners. As a member of a small UNV Field Unit, the UN University Volunteer will have an opportunity to explore the field of volunteerism in the Pacific, to get insight into how the UN works at the country level, and to interact with a diverse network of partners. While receiving close guidance and mentoring through-out the assignment, the UNV Communication Assistant will also have an opportunity to implement his/her own initiative or a small project based on his/her own interests. 10. Description of tasks: Under the direct supervision of the UNV Programme Assistant with technical support from the UNDP Communications Analyst, the UN University Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: Assists UNV field unit in strengthening its communication and visibility, including development of programme communication materials with UNV common branding. Support the timely management and production of internal and external communication material and knowledge products (brochures, t-shirts, banners, reports, information sheets, feature articles, radio spots etc.); coordinates a development of at least one UNV Pacific Newsletter through write-ups, collaboration with the designer, editing and dissemination of the newsletter. Creates content, and coordinates content generation for the UNV website and social media channels;

3 Support the UNV Field Unit advocacy activities by collecting stories and other materials (photos, video stories etc.) of volunteering and uses them to create advocacy and communication materials. Monitors and analyses current events and trends on volunteerism in the region. Liaises with print and electronic media representatives to generate timely, proactive and positive news coverage. Undertakes activities to promote media coverage on priority issues and major events, including International Volunteer Day in December Disseminates information to external and internal stakeholders. Collaborates with key stakeholders such as National Volunteer Steering Committee, and provides communication support to the Committee in common advocacy initiatives such as the International Volunteer Day Organize and/or attend meetings, and events as needed. Provide backstopping support to the UNV Programme Assistant when and as required. In the beginning of the assignment, UNV Communication Assistant will create a learning plan, reflecting this DoE, expected results and personal interests, which will help her/him to have a fulfilling assignment and a learning experience that meaningfully supports his/her professional development. Furthermore, UN University Volunteers are required 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 International Volunteer Day); 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 University 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. 11. Results/Expected Outputs: Advocacy and communication materials are developed, published and disseminated. UNV social media presence is enhanced and strengthened. Communication products are developed and the events covered in the media. The key results have an impact on creation of effective communications and dissemination of information on the CO. In particular, the key results have an impact on implementation of the CO s communication strategies and multimedia materials production as well as reaching visibility and resource mobilization targets

4 Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment; 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. 12. Qualifications/Requirements (including competencies, values and skills): Currently studying towards a degree in Communications, journalism, media studies, graphic design or other relevant field; Motivated to contribute towards peace and development and to serve others; Good interpersonal, networking and communication skills; Willingness to contribute and work as part of a team; Flexible and open to learning and new experiences; Respect for diversity and adaptability to other cultures, environments and living conditions; Fluency in spoken and written English is required; Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded; Computer skills (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, social media, and others). 13. Learning expectations Learning and development are a central part of the UN University 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 University Volunteer include the development of: Professional skills: including specific competencies and reflection on assignmentrelated 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, the host agency will support knowledge and capacity development in the technical areas that are relevant to the UN University Volunteer s assignment. The host agency will provide, at its expense, UN University Volunteers with equal opportunity to participate in training courses and workshops offered to its personnel. 14. Living Conditions:

5 Fiji, one of the larger countries of the South Pacific region, has a relatively high level of human development and is one of the most developed economics in the region. After nearly a century as British colony, Fiji became independent in Its multi-ethnic population, which numbers approximately 900,000, is growing slowly due to a moderately low level of fertility and a high level of emigration. The economy rests primarily on sugar production and tourism, but is becoming more diverse, with manufacturing now an important sector of employment. The unit of currency is Fiji Dollar. Fiji comprises of approximately 330 islands, approximately third of which are inhabited. Fiji covers about 1.3 million square kilometers of the South Pacific Ocean. The two major islands are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. The capital city is Suva and is located on the South Eastern side of the main island of Viti Levu. Fiji's population is made up of a mixture of native Melanesian and Polynesian islanders, and a blend of Indian, European, Chinese, Rotuman and Rabi islanders making it a rich and vibrant mix of cultures, sights, sounds and exotic island delicacies. English is spoken widely on the Island and it is the common language of communication although the native indigenous Fijian language is spoken by many as is the Hindi language. Fiji enjoys a mild and stable climate most of the year, due to the large expanses of open water that surround its islands. The wet season extends from November to April, but rain falls throughout the year. Tropical cyclones can blow up between November and April, although they are rarely dangerous. Fiji enjoys year round tropical temperatures of between degrees with generally high humidity, making it a perfect location for sun-lovers. Suva, the capital of Fiji, has a population of approximately 141,000, and it is a multiracial and multicultural city. Suva is the largest city in the whole of the region, but remains easy-going and friendly. It has reasonably modern facilities including two large hospitals, sporting facilities, restaurants and supermarkets. Modest accommodation is readily available in Suva, but availability of small apartments is limited; an open mind and flexibility come in handy when looking for housing in Suva. The public transport is quite good: local busses run every day of the week, and taxis are affordable. Public transport is available also for exploring and visiting other parts of the country, which provides plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities and tropical nature. Fiji along with many other Pacific islands is known for being one of the friendliest nations in the world. However, security precautions should be taken at all times. Suva is a safe city, where common sense takes a long way in avoiding risks such as pick pockets and house burglaries. The UN Volunteer will work as part of the UNV field unit, which is integrated into the UNDP Fiji Multi-Country Office, located close to the city centre in Suva. The UN Volunteer will adhere to and observe all UNDP Fiji MCO working hours and conditions, holidays and human resource and security procedures at all times. 15. Conditions of Service International UN University Volunteer The duration of your assignment is five months. A volunteer receives a Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) per month and is paid at the end of each month to cover housing, utilities, transportation, communications and other basic needs.

6 The VLA can be computed by applying the Post-Adjustment Multiplier (PAM) to the VLA base rate of US$952.The VLA base rate is a global rate, while the PAM is country-specific and fluctuates on a monthly basis according to the cost of living. This method ensures that international UN University Volunteers have comparable purchasing power at all duty stations irrespective of varying costs of living. The PAM is established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and is published at the beginning of every month on the ICSC website ( For example, if the PAM for the current month is 54.6%, then the VLA for that month will be US$952X1.546=$1,472. Furthermore, UN University Volunteers are provided a settling-in-grant (SIG) at the start of the assignment (if the volunteer did not reside in the duty station for at least 6 months prior to taking up the assignment) and also in the event of a permanent reassignment to another duty station. UNV provides life, health, permanent disability insurances as well as assignment travel, annual leave, full integration in the UN security framework (including residential security reimbursements). UN University Volunteers are paid Daily Subsistence Allowance at the UN rate for official travels, flight tickets for the final repatriation travel (if applicable). UNV will provide, together with the offer of assignment, a copy of the Conditions of Service, including Code of conduct, to the successful candidate. Description of Assignment prepared by the UNV Field Unit/UN Agency: Alesi Ali, UNV Programme Assistant, UNV Field Unit/UNDP Pacific Office, Suva, FIJI 2 February, 2017 Description of Assignment approved by UNDP/RR/CD or UNV Field Unit: Rafael Martinez, UNV Portfolio Manager, UNV HQs. 2 February 2017 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.