UN YOUTH VOLUNTEER 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. UNV Assignment Title:
UN Youth Volunteer in Child Protection
2. Type of Assignment:
International UN Youth Volunteer
3. UNV Programme Strategy Outcome:
Youth, women and marginalized groups (Outcome 7)
4. Project Title:
Prevention of violence against children
5. Duration:
12 months
6. Location, Country:
Bluefields, RAAS (Southern Atlantic Region), Nicaragua
7. Expected Starting Date:
February 2014
8. Brief Project Description:
Mapping and monitoring local child protection systems
9. Host Agency/Host Institute: UNICEF
10. Organizational Context:
a) Beside UNICEF, the UN Volunteer will be dealing and interacting with professional officers from
UNDP and UNFPA during his/her assignment.
b) The volunteer will be part of a small team headed by the Chief of UNICEF Zone Office in
Bluefields, in the Southern Atlantic Region of Nicaragua. She/he will be introduced to basic issues
related to UNICEF policies, procedures, guidelines and security in the field. At the same time
training will be given in programming issues and monitoring of projects and follow-up of activities as
on-the-job training. The volunteer will participate actively in office training activities, programme
coordination meetings, and other meetings which are deemed necessary to facilitate the
achievement of established assignments as well as enhance professional capacity.
In consultation with the Head of Sub Office, the volunteer can promote initiatives, in particular to
mobilize networks of local volunteers, and is in general encouraged to be proactive and provide
his/her opinion and recommendations.
11. Type of Assignment Place: Assignment without family
12. Description of tasks:
Under the direct supervision of the head of the UNICEF Sub office in Bluefields the UN Youth
Volunteer will contribute to the implementation and monitoring of the Child Protection Strategy within
the Prevention of Violence programme component. The role of the Volunteer will be critical in
mapping and monitoring local child protection systems to provide much needed evidence for policy
level advocacy of the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery on the ground.
The UN Youth Volunteer will undertake the following main tasks:
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Mobilize and organize a group of young volunteers, studying or recently graduated from the
Universities on the issues of Child protection in the RAAS.
Assist in the development of networks with Adolescents groups, religious organizations,
Government, NGOs, academic institutions and community based organizations to
strengthen child protection system at local and municipal level, with particular emphasis in
the Indigenous Territories.
Undertakes ongoing visits to UNICEF project sites, assesses local conditions and
resources, and monitors UNICEF inputs.
All other tasks related to Volunteerism or Child Protection, assigned by Head of UNICEF
Sub Office or the Representative of the United Nations Volunteers in Nicaragua.
Furthermore, the UN Youth Volunteer is encouraged 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 IVD);
• 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 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.
13. Results/Expected Output:
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Coordination at regional and municipal level established for the functioning of child protection
system
Efficient and effective utilization of UNICEF funds
Trip reports with specific time bound recommendations
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
14. Qualifications/Requirements:
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University degree in in social sciences, preferably applied anthropology, political sciences, law,
child protection, psychology, psychiatry or related subjects
1-2 years of relevant working experience
Ability to work in a multicultural environment
Good networking and negotiation skills (Essential)
Fluent in Spanish ((Essential)
Be aware of and committed to child-rights and gender issues
Good analytical and communication skills
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Team player, with the ability to work independently as well as in groups
Ability to interact with technical, political and community partners
Proficiency in computer applications especially in word processing, spread-sheets, graphics,
Internet-based search
15. Living Conditions:
Nicaragua has a population of approximately 5.1 million. The country is bound on the north by Honduras,
on the east by the Caribbean Sea, on the south by Costa Rica, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The
capital city, Managua, is by far the largest, most developed. About a million people live in the capital.
About 69 per cent of the population is mestizos (mixed Spanish and Native American descent). More than
75 per cent of the people are Catholic, with Protestants making up the rest. The official and dominant
language is Spanish except on the east coast where a form of English (“Creole”) and native indigenous
languages are spoken.
The Nicaraguan mountainous regions, with an average elevation of about 610m, cross Nicaragua from the
northwest to the southeast. A great big basin in the west contains two lakes, Lake Nicaragua, the largest in
Central America, and Lake Managua. A chain of volcanoes, part of the ring-of-fire, rise up between the
lakes and Pacific coast. In the east, the Caribbean coastal plain known as the Costa de Mosquitoes
(Mosquito Coast) extends some 72km inland and is partly covered with rain forest. The four principal
rivers, the San Juan (Saint John), Coco (Coconut), Grande (Big), and Escondido (Hidden), empty into the
Caribbean.
The city of Bluefields is the capital of the Southern Atlantic Autonomous region. It has a population of
40,297 inhabitants. Bluefields and the Atlantic coasts of Nicaragua have a tropical climate with an average
temperature of 25.5C and 26.5C. The rainy season is from May to October. More than 90% of Nicaragua’s
rainfall ends up on the Atlantic regions, between 2000 mm and 5000 mm annually. The climate can get hot
and humid on the coast even during the rainy seasons, which lands in November with winds and swells.
The vegetation is tropical and subtropical, producing dense rain forests along the Caribbean coast and on
the eastern slopes of the highlands.
Bluefields access to basic services, private basic education facilities for international staff, safe housing
and availability of most household products and commodities. There are daily flights to/from the capital city
of Managua. While the supply of electric power is somehow irregular, with frequent power cuts and
rationing, public utilities in general function adequately, including telecommunications (Internet, cable TV,
mobile and land-line phones).
Although the current security situation of Nicaragua is relatively calm all basic preventive measures are
recommended. Nicaragua is vulnerable to natural disasters including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions,
tsumanis, landslides, flood, hurricanes and drought.
16. Conditions of Service
The contract is issued for 12 months and is not renewable. A Settling-In-Grant is provided as well as a
monthly UN Youth Volunteer living allowance (intended to cover housing, utilities and normal cost-of-living
expenses). Life, health and permanent disability insurances are included, as well as return airfares.
Description of Assignment prepared by the UNV Field Unit/UN Agency:
Philippe Barragne-Bigot – UNICEF Representative
Date: 15/05/13
Description of Assignment approved by UNICEF/RR/CD or UNV Field Unit:
Maria Oset Serra UNV PO
Date: 16/05/13