International Consultant: Education-to-Employment Pathways for Refugee Youth - Documenting Integrated Career Guidance in Poland and Youth Guarantee Outreach in Slovakia, Education Section, Remote work

Organizational Context

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. We are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling. UNICEF is a place where careers are built, offering diverse opportunities for professional and personal development.

Job Purpose

The purpose of this consultancy is to document and analyze integrated career guidance and youth guarantee outreach initiatives for refugee youth in Poland and Slovakia. This role supports UNICEF's PATHWAYS initiative, which aims to enhance education-to-employment transitions for Ukrainian adolescents in the Europe and Central Asia region. The consultant will focus on documenting a piloted integrated career pathway model in Poland, which connects digital career guidance, youth-led skills development, and mentored internships. The goal is to generate evidence on the effectiveness of continuous career guidance as a strategy to prevent school dropout, informal work, and disengagement from long-term career paths. This documentation will inform future programming and policy recommendations for supporting refugee youth's integration into the labour market.

Responsibilities

Document the integrated career pathway model piloted by UNICEF's Refugee Response Office (RRO) in Poland, focusing on its implementation from career orientation through skills acquisition to first work experience. Analyze the effectiveness of this integrated approach in supporting sustainable transitions from secondary education to decent work for refugee youth. Collect and synthesize qualitative and quantitative data on the experiences of young people navigating education-to-employment pathways, considering factors such as language barriers and economic pressures. Research and document youth guarantee outreach strategies in Slovakia, assessing their relevance and potential for integration with existing education and employment support systems. Identify best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from both Poland and Slovakia regarding career guidance and employment support for refugee youth. Develop comprehensive reports and case studies detailing the findings, providing evidence-based recommendations for UNICEF and its partners. Facilitate knowledge sharing sessions to disseminate findings and promote cross-country learning within the PATHWAYS initiative. Ensure the documentation reflects the lived journeys of young people and highlights their perspectives on career development and employment opportunities.

Work Experience

Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in education, youth employment, refugee support, or international development. Experience in research, documentation, and report writing is essential. Prior experience with UNICEF or similar UN agencies is an asset.

Skills

Research and Analysis, Report Writing, Project Documentation, Youth Employment Programs, Refugee Support, Career Guidance, Stakeholder Engagement, Data Collection and Synthesis, Cross-cultural Communication, Problem-Solving, Knowledge Management, UNICEF Programmatic Frameworks

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