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. Type of Assignment: International UN University Volunteer 2. Type of Assignment Place: Family Duty Station UN University Volunteer assignments are always without family. 3. Assignment Title: UN University Volunteer in Advocacy and Mobilization on Youth 4. Link with UNV Strategic Framework: Youth 5. Duty Station, Country: Phnom Penh, Cambodia 6. Duration (in months): 5 months 7. Expected Starting Date: end of September/early October 2017 8. Host Agency/Host Institute: UNV Field Unit 9. Organizational Context/Project: The UN Volunteers programme was established by the UN General Assembly in 1970 and its mandate is to recruit, place and administer qualified volunteers, providing professional support to UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes. UNV programme is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) but it acts as a development partner for the entire UN system. In the Kingdom of Cambodia, UN Volunteers have made a considerable contribution to the post-conflict recovery and development of the country. Since 1992, over 1,400 UN Volunteers have served in Cambodia and supported its development activities.
One of the biggest catalysts for volunteerism are young people, who in Cambodia represent a significant portion of the population: 61% are below 25 years old and 30% are aged between 10-24 years. As the total population in the country grows in the coming years, the country will continue to have a large proportion of young and dynamic people. Therefore, youth remains a key focus in UNV Cambodia s work. In Cambodia, UNV has provided support in integrating volunteerism into development strategies and national policies, for example with integrating volunteerism into the National Policy on Youth Development in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MOEYS). UNV is working closely with the MOEYS to support the implementation of the National Youth Policy and the Youth Action Plan, where volunteerism has been included as one of the four priority areas. Beginning in 2017, UNV will also implement together with the MOEYS a project Youth Volunteerism skills development for increased employability in Cambodia that will further strengthen the cooperation on youth and other programmatic aspects of UNV s work. More information can be found on www.unvcambodia.org. UNV has also facilitated the establishment of a network of international and national volunteer involving organizations in Cambodia, the VolCam (www.volcam.net). UNV works actively in cooperation with the VolCam, and continues to act as the convener of the network. In addition, UNV facilitates and supports the work of the National Committee for Promoting Volunteerism in Cambodia, established under the chairmanship of MOEYS, incorporating the VolCam and several government agencies, CSOs and private sector partners. Together with relevant stakeholders, UNV conducts advocacy e.g. by organizing events such as the International Volunteer Day, and social mobilization such as the Community Action Challenge 2016 where local groups were invited to address issues they are facing in their communities through volunteerism, showcasing their work to raise awareness on the potential of volunteerism as a tool for peace and development. The United Nations in Cambodia recognizes that with the economic growth, today s young people are facing a distinct range of obstacles. The country is going through a tremendous and rapid social change, but young people are still struggling to complete their primary and secondary education, have access to health care or to enjoy their reproductive health rights. Migration of young people from rural to urban areas in search of jobs, or in search of a better education increases their vulnerability, and can expose them to risk behaviour, drug abuse or gender-related violence and exploitation. The United Nations in Cambodia has been a key partner of the Royal Government in youth affairs, and youth is a cross-cutting theme in the UNDAF 2016-2018. In support of youthspecific priorities the UN Country Team (UNCT) has established an interagency network of youth focal points (the UN Youth Task Force, UNYTF) and a UN Youth Advisory Panel consisting of young people representing a cross section of national youth organizations in Cambodia, in order to drive momentum within the UN to achieve a set of specific priority outputs and to maintain a focus on programming for young people in Cambodia. UNFPA acts as the coordinator for the above-mentioned networks, and UNV as an active member will continue taking active role in all UN joint initiatives on youth as well as in efforts to support the Government strategy for youth development. 10. Description of tasks: Under the direct supervision of the UNV Programme Officer, the UN University Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
Support the UNV Field Unit team with collecting stories of volunteers working in sustainable development and peace. Transmit these to UNV on an ongoing basis for use in newsletters, website, social media, and print publications. Gather information and draft news items, blog posts, social media posts, and other items about especially youth volunteerism and about youth volunteers working in the field. Share communications and youth-related material with local stakeholders, through the VolCam website, Facebook page and other channels to promote volunteerism in Cambodia. In particular, gather photos and video of youth volunteerism, youth-related community activities, and youth engagement in policy processes to specifications outlined by UNV and, where possible, make his/her own photos and videos. Support UNV s facilitation role of the VolCam and the National Committee for Promotion of Volunteerism. Identify opportunities for events, meetings, workshops that could add value to the networks by liaising with the members, in particular with different youth groups. Support the UNV Field Unit with the organization of the National Forum on Volunteerism and the International Volunteer Day (IVD), and in particular engage in the organizing of the Community Action Challenge to attract local groups to engage their communities through volunteerism, visit and support the ongoing projects and showcase their work as examples. Support documenting the above activities to raise awareness on the potential of volunteerism as a tool for peace and development, as well as the awareness of the work of UNV and the VolCam network. Support the UNV FU project Youth Volunteerism skills development for increased employability in Cambodia, as well as perform other tasks according to the needs of the UNV Field Unit. Furthermore, UN University Volunteers are required 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 the International Volunteer Day); 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 University 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. 11. Results/Expected Outputs: Youth volunteerism networks in Cambodia are strengthened, and significant and useful knowledge gathered on youth volunteerism.
Relevant stakeholders are identified and opportunities identified for partnerships. Quality photos and communications material (blog posts, web articles, etc.) are gathered/ produced for the Field Unit and shared with UNV HQ in a timely fashion. The capacity of the UN University Volunteer is development through coaching, mentoring and on-the-job learning, when working with national and international staff, national and international volunteers and (non-)governmental counterpart; Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment; A 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. 12. Qualifications/Requirements (including competencies, values and skills): Currently studying towards a university degree in the area of Social Sciences, International Development/Relations, Social Work, Journalism, Communications or other relevant field; Demonstrated interest and/or experience (up to 2 years) in advocacy and/or mobilization of youth; Experience in training, capacity-building and/or project management is an asset; Knowledge and practical experience in youth development issues, volunteerism, and/or international development in general is an asset; Photography, photo editing and/or videography experience is an asset; Motivated to contribute towards peace and development and to serve others; Good interpersonal, networking and communication skills; Willingness to contribute and work as part of a team; Flexible and open to learning and new experiences; Respect for diversity and adaptability to other cultures, different environments and living conditions; Fluency in spoken and written English is required; knowledge of the main communication language of the country of assignment (Khmer) is an asset; Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded; Computer skills: Experienced user skills in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and at least some social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, blog platforms) required; previous experience in video editing and/or graphic design software is an advantage. 13. Learning expectations Learning and development are a central part of the UN University Volunteer s assignment and take place before, during and after his or her assignment in the field. Ideally, offering diverse opportunities for learning and development aim to strengthen the volunteer s skills and competences, improve the quality of the assignment and keep the volunteer s motivation high.
Learning elements for the UN University Volunteer include the development of: Professional skills: including specific competencies and reflection on assignmentrelated abilities; and on-the-job skills such as time management, problem solving, team building; and career preparedness such as interview skills, CV preparation, job searching. Inter-personal skills: including communication and listening skills; multi-cultural awareness and cultural competency; and conflict and stress management. Volunteering-related skills: including leadership; civic responsibility; and engagement and active participation. Beyond the learning opportunities provided by UNV, the host agency will support knowledge and capacity development in the technical areas that are relevant to the UN University Volunteer s assignment. The host agency will provide, at its expense, UN University Volunteers with equal opportunity to participate in training courses and workshops offered to its personnel. 14. Living Conditions: The climate of Cambodia is tropical, monsoonal and is characterized by heat and humidity. The rainy season lasts from May to October and the hot, dry season from November until April. Houses and apartments are available to suit most budgets and preferences. House hunting is not difficult in Phnom Penh. The usual means of locating suitable accommodation is through estate agents/realtors. International UN Volunteers are required to follow the UN residential security requirements as per the local MORSS when choosing their accommodation. There are few taxi operators in Phnom Penh, so for daily transportation the cheapest, fastest and most frequent mode of travel is by motodup (you sit behind a driver of a motorbike) or by tuktuk. Some UN volunteers chose to purchase their own mode of transportation, be it a car, a motorbike or a pushbike. They are strictly recommended by UN security to wear seatbelts in cars and helmets when traveling on motorbikes, motodups or bicycling. In terms of health, common diseases in Cambodia are those which exist in other tropical countries like diarrhoea, malaria, dengue and HIV/AIDS. Most of the serious cases have been reported contracted in hilly, rural and densely forested areas. City dwellers like in Phnom Penh can also be at risk due to poor disposal of waste. Generally, in cities, people use purified water for drinking and cooking. The recommended vaccinations are those against typhoid, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis and Japanese Encephalitis. While medical facilities in Cambodia are sufficient for the treatment of most routine ailments and minor accidents, illnesses and accidents of more serious nature require medical evacuation, usually to Bangkok or Singapore. 15. Conditions of Service International UN University Volunteer The duration of your assignment is five (5) months. A volunteer receives a Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) per month and is paid at the end of each month to cover housing, utilities, transportation, communications and other basic needs. The VLA can be computed by applying the Post-Adjustment
Multiplier (PAM) to the VLA base rate of US$952.The VLA base rate is a global rate, while the PAM is country-specific and fluctuates on a monthly basis according to the cost of living. This method ensures that international UN University Volunteers have comparable purchasing power at all duty stations irrespective of varying costs of living. The PAM is established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and is published at the beginning of every month on the ICSC website (http://icsc.un.org). For example, if the PAM for the current month is 54.6%, then the VLA for that month will be US$952X1.546=$1,472. The actual VLA for a UN University Volunteer, for the month of January 2017 in Cambodia, was US$ 1,199.52. Furthermore, UN University Volunteers are provided a settling-in-grant (SIG) at the start of the assignment (if the volunteer did not reside in the duty station for at least 6 months prior to taking up the assignment) and also in the event of a permanent reassignment to another duty station. UNV provides life, health, permanent disability insurances as well as assignment travel, annual leave, full integration in the UN security framework (including residential security reimbursements). UN University Volunteers are paid Daily Subsistence Allowance at the UN rate for official travels, flight tickets for the final repatriation travel (if applicable). UNV will provide, together with the offer of assignment, a copy of the Conditions of Service, including Code of conduct, to the successful candidate. Description of Assignment prepared by the UNV Field Unit: Name: Seija Anttonen, UNV Programme Officer, Cambodia Date: 30.01.2017 Description of Assignment approved by UNV HQ: Name: Rafael Martinez, Portfolio Manager, East Asia and Pacific Date: 30.01.2017 United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.