Programme Associate - Social and Behaviour Change
Organizational Context
UNICEF's core mission is to promote the rights of every child, focusing on equity for the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families. In Algeria, the Tindouf Field Office supports Sahrawi refugee children and families within the Health, Nutrition, and Early Childhood Development (ECD) program. This role contributes to improving child survival and well-being through integrated ECD, nurturing care, and Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) interventions in a humanitarian setting.
Job Purpose
This UN Volunteer assignment aims to strengthen community-level delivery of Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) interventions in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf. The role will support the implementation of integrated programs focusing on nurturing care, positive parenting, early stimulation, and optimal infant/young child feeding practices. The volunteer will engage caregivers, strengthen frontline worker capacity, conduct field monitoring, and document progress to translate program priorities into measurable behavior change. This position complements existing health and nutrition activities, supporting UNICEF's goal to ensure children from conception to five years thrive and reach their full developmental potential.
Responsibilities
The Programme Associate will support the implementation of Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) interventions for community-based Early Childhood Development (ECD), focusing on parenting, caregiver engagement, maternal and child nutrition, and promoting healthy child development within the Sahrawi refugee camps. Key tasks include supporting ECD and nurturing care interventions for children aged 0-6 years, facilitating parenting groups and community dialogues, promoting positive parenting and responsive caregiving, and adapting counselling materials. The role also involves supporting SBC activities for maternal and child nutrition, promoting breastfeeding and healthy feeding practices, and engaging community health workers. Additionally, the volunteer will promote gender-responsive and inclusive caregiving, support the capacity building of frontline workers and partners through training and mentoring, and assist in monitoring, learning, and documentation, including collecting data, conducting assessments, and documenting lessons learned and success stories.
Work Experience
A minimum of one month of required experience and one year of relevant professional, internship, or volunteer experience in ECD, parenting, community engagement, SBC, health promotion, nutrition, or education is necessary. Experience in facilitating participatory sessions, supporting community-based programs, or working in humanitarian settings is desirable. Familiarity with UN agencies or civil society organizations is an asset.
Skills
Core values include Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability. Key competencies involve self-awareness, ethical awareness, collaboration, partnership building, strategic thinking, results-driven achievement, and managing ambiguity. Desired skills include understanding of ECD, nurturing care, positive parenting, maternal and child health, SBC principles, community engagement, interpersonal communication, and disability inclusion. Good observation, organization, documentation, and report-writing skills are essential.