Mission and objectivesUNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEFโs mandate, mission and unique attributes provide a strategic advantage in promoting and supporting transformational change to achieve sustainable coverage at scale. After more than 45 years in Lao PDR, UNICEF Lao PDR UNICEF is one of the longest-serving international organizations in the country plays an important role in supporting the government, advocating for reform and leading coordination to scale-up results.
ContextAs integral part of the Country Programme 2022-2026, Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and UNICEF in Lao PDR have agreed on MoES-UNICEF Education Programme 2022-2026, which aims that by 2026, more children, including adolescents, especially the most disadvantaged, are better prepared for school and have improved learning outcomes and skills to achieve their full potential. UNICEF support both upstream work (policies, curriculum, standards development, system strengthening and evidence generation) as well as the downstream work at sub-national and school/community level (capacity development, service delivery, demand creation), strengthening the linkage of the two. For the implementation of the Education programme, UNICEF jointly works with the Government of Lao PDR, particularly the MoES, both at national and sub-national (provincial and district) level. In addition, UNICEF partners with the Lao Womenโs Union (LWU), a mass organization, for the parenting education activities in selected communities. The direct beneficiaries include school-aged children, their teachers and school administrators, parents and care-givers in the pre-primary, primary and secondary schools as well as community-based ECE centers in target districts. The UNV will be placed in the Education Section of UNICEF Lao PDR. The section works closely with other sections, such as Health, Nutrition, Child Protection, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Social Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME), Communication as well as Operation team.
Task DescriptionUnder the direct supervision of Chief of Education and in coordination with other relevant UNICEF staff, the UN University Volunteer will provide general assistance to the following key areas, but not be limited to: โข Support for Communication - Support communication and documentation of the progress and impact of Education Programmeโs interventions, including those for donor reporting, fundraising and advocacy purposes. โข Support in M&E & Knowledge Management in Education - contribute to the Government/MoES and in-house capacity improvement in M&E, and knowledge generation and management. This includes (not limited to) general assistance to education research, studies and evaluations. โข Support for (Sub) Sector Coordination โ Provide general assistance to the enhanced coordination and effectiveness of the Education Sector Working Group (ESWG) mechanism, including Basic Education Focal Group (Focal Group 1), Global Partnership for Education (GPE), and the UN Education Result Group, etc โข Other Tasks - Contribute to other Programme related tasks as appropriate, including (not limited to) inputs to annual reviews, MoES-UNICEF Rolling Work Plans, development of funding proposals, donor visits, annual reports, etc. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to: โข 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 International Volunteer Day); โข Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; โข Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities; โข Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; โข Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; โข 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.
Competencies and valuesโ Accountability โ Adaptability and Flexibility โ Building Trust โ Commitment and Motivation โ Commitment to Continuous Learning โ Communication โ Creativity โ Ethics and Values โ Integrity โ Knowledge Sharing โ Planning and Organizing โ Professionalism โ Respect for Diversity โ Self-Management โ Technological Awareness โ Working in Teams
Living conditions and remarksLocation of the workplace: The workplace is located by the side of the Mekong River, 3km from the center of Vientiane Capital and easy to reach. Commute is either done by private car, taxis or bicycles. The UN University Volunteer will be based within the Education Section of the UNICEF Lao PDR Office in the Capital City of Vientiane. The assignment will also require travels to support programme implementation, monitoring missions and facilitate child protection activities in the provinces. All work-related travel supports to sub-national level, including air tickets, car rentals, security clearance and will be supported by UNICEF as per UNICEF rules. The UNICEF Lao PDR Office is a multi-cultural working environment with around 100 staff working to protect and advance the rights of children. Lao PDR is a family duty station and is relatively safe but special cautions must be aware when walking alone during the dark. As part of the appointment process, the UNV is required to complete the B-SAFE training and submit the certificate. Laos lies in the monsoon belt of South-East Asia and has a well-defined dry and wet season. The dry season from October to April begins with the winter (November to January), the coolest part of the year (57-84ยฐF, or 14-30ยฐC). In the mountainous areas the weather can be rather chilly. Winter gradually fades to the hot season (February - May), a dusty period with temperatures averaging 80-105ยฐF (27-40ยฐC) but sometimes can reach as high as 115ยฐF (47ยฐC) in the heat of the day. Often there are explosive thunderstorms with rain and wind at this time of the year. At the end of May the monsoon begins in earnest. Temperatures ease considerably (80-95ยฐF, 27-36ยฐC), particularly when it is actually raining and humidity increases. The monsoon gradually stops by the end of September. The average annual rainfall in the Vientiane area is about 1500mm. Before Lao New Year, in mid of April, temperatures can soar to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) with high humidity in the capital. Generally, the climate is humid tropical with a rainy season from May to October. December and January are cool in Vientiane, but Northern provinces can get quite chilly. There is a wide range options for accommodation, including apartments and individual houses. Rents vary from approximately USD500 per month for a small house or one bedroom apartment to USD1,500 per month for larger properties. Most of international staffโs children attend international schools with an academic system that is widely recognized abroad. International schools often include a kindergarten and pre-school classes (sometimes even a nursery) for younger kids. It is advisable to ask your embassy in Vientiane which schools your compatriots prefer for their kids.