Volunteer Role - CFYE Youth Engagement Specialist at VSO

Location: Akwa Ibom (with possibility to travel to other Project locations within and outside Akwa Ibom State)
Time commitment: Full time
Start Date: 21st March, 2022.
Mode of delivery: Working from home and at project location

Job Purpose

• Support Challenge Fund Implementing partners to develop and implement appropriate strategic approaches on Corporate Social Responsibility and Decent work.

Programme Information

• The Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE): https://fundforyouthemployment.nl/ initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), aims to create new jobs and make jobs more accessible for 200.000 youth (half of these for women) in the ministry’s priority focus countries in the Middle East, North Africa, Sahel & West Africa and the Horn of Africa.
• The fund is open to Private sector and (I)NGO applications (or mixed consortia). VSO will strengthen the work of the selected Implementing Partners through strategic VSO volunteer engagements.
• The aim of the Fund will be achieved by supporting youth employment initiatives in these regions. Initiatives will offer youth, particularly young women, opportunities for decent work that delivers better prospects for personal development, is productive, and offers a stable income, social protection and safe working conditions.
• Youth Engagement Specialist will work closely with the local CFYE team to support our Implementing Partner (IP) in identifying and recruiting youth (especially women) to participate in their training programmes and take up jobs being created by the Implementing Partner.

Expected Responsibilities (to be confirmed and refined)
As a Youth Engagement Specialist you will:

• Conduct an assessment of the Implementing Partner’s needs and requirements;
• Map out the different groups, networks, associations that are linked to young people in local communities in Akwa Ibom state.
• Develop a networking strategy for the Implementing Partner and facilitate introductions and linkages between the IP and these groups;
• Analyse and develop the most appropriate route for engagement of youth in these communities;
• Support the development of youth engagement strategy;
• Support the pilot of the strategy in the recruitment of one cohort of youth and assess the appropriateness of those networks;
• Make recommendations for improvement following the review of the pilot; revise the recruitment strategy;
• Develop knowledge products (marketing/positioning) and toolkits for improvement of youth engagement;

Deliverables:

• A high level report on the assessment of Implementing Partner’s need and requirements;
• Database of relevant associations, networks and groups in Akwa Ibom state that engage/ support youth and young women and a strategy for engaging them;
• Established connections and working relations between the Implementing Partner and these associations, networks and groups;
• Report on the pilot with recommendations for improvement;
• Reviewed recruitment strategy;

Knowledge / Qualifications
Essential criteria:

• You have a Bachelor / Master's Degree in Behavioral and Social Science, Gender, Development, International relations or related field.

Experience:

• You have extensive (5+ years' work experience) with youth engagement, recruitment, gender economic empowerment.
• You have experience and demonstrated result in strategizing recruitment in the private sector.
• A demonstrated understanding of issues and challenges related to employability, gender, and youth in Nigeria.
• You are well networked with associations, local communities, and youth networks in Akwa Ibom State
• Ability to work independently as well as take an advisory role with multiple stakeholders in a time-pressured environment.
• Cross cultural awareness and ability to work amongst a diverse group of staff, volunteer and partners.
• Good understanding of developing training modules and facilitation.
• Analytical skills and strategy development experience is essential, as well as experience in a private sector.

Skills / Abilities:

• Open minded and respectful
• Communicating and influencing
• Facilitate positive change and build sustainable working relationships
• Seek and share knowledge

Desirable:

• Planning and Organisation - Able to prioritise within restricted resources to tight deadlines. Able to anticipate and adapt to change. Strong attention to detail. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision. Self-motivated to set initiatives and self-learning.