UNV Asociado(a) Participación y Empoderamiento para la Acción Climática

Organizational Context

UNICEF Colombia is dedicated to protecting the rights of children and adolescents, addressing complex rights violations, and promoting sustainable development. The Country Programme aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, focusing on peacebuilding, migration as a development factor, and accelerating SDGs. Despite progress, significant inequalities persist, particularly affecting rural, indigenous, and Afro-descendant children. The program prioritizes early childhood development, mental health, child marriage prevention, youth participation, and climate action, employing strategies in health, nutrition, inclusive education, child protection, WASH, and social policy.

Job Purpose

The UNV Associate for Participation and Empowerment for Climate Action will provide technical assistance to UNICEF, implementing partners, and local authorities to ensure the participation, leadership, and empowerment of adolescents and youth in climate action, environmental education, and biodiversity initiatives. This role involves facilitating learning spaces to strengthen socio-environmental skills and leadership among young people, and promoting their engagement in territorial and national decision-making processes related to climate and education. The position also focuses on identifying and mapping partnerships to enhance youth participation in climate action, promoting community empowerment, and supporting capacity-building activities. The volunteer will contribute to monitoring project indicators and reporting on performance, ensuring efficient management and accountability for the "Generation Green" project.

Responsibilities

Provide technical assistance to UNICEF, implementing partners, and local authorities to ensure adolescent and youth participation, leadership, and empowerment in climate action, environmental education, and biodiversity. Facilitate learning spaces for adolescents and youth to strengthen their socio-environmental skills and leadership. Promote youth participation in territorial and national decision-making processes related to education and climate action. Identify and map partnerships with governmental entities, grassroots organizations, and the private sector to enhance youth participation in climate action, ensuring scalability and sustainability. Promote community and youth empowerment regarding the right to participation, leadership protection, and climate action. Support capacity-building activities in socio-environmental skills, climate action, participation, and empowerment through material preparation and implementation support. Assist in monitoring and tracking indicators and targets for the "Generation Green" project. Verify compliance with indicators, objectives, and activities, reporting promptly on risks or deviations. Support the development of programmatic cooperation agreements (PCAs) by providing inputs and contributing to relevant sections. Prepare monitoring inputs and performance indicator reports for the supervisor and team, promoting efficient management and accountability.

Work Experience

Requires 1 month of experience, with 1 year of relevant experience preferred. Experience in direct work with communities and adolescents, projects/programs for children's rights, and facilitating non-formal education with youth is essential. Experience in participation strategies, climate action, or education at local/national levels, and knowledge of participation, climate action, and environmental education approaches are also required. Experience in classrooms, with a gender focus, sexual exploitation prevention, and with the UN system are desirable.

Skills

Core values include Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability. Professional competencies include teamwork, commitment to continuous learning, planning and organization, communication, and flexibility. A genuine commitment to volunteerism principles (solidarity, compassion, reciprocity, autonomy) is essential. Specific areas of expertise include Agriculture, Communication, and Community Development.

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