uSupport Script writer consultant with Regional office for Europe and Central Asia (remote consultancy)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, every right

In recent years UNICEF has increased its focus on young people. The UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022−2025 recognizes the whole spectrum of young people, including young adults or youth over 18. It includes in its Change Strategies: “adolescent development with priority to their mental health”

Adolescents today are facing a compounding mental health crisis: more young people than ever are struggling with anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions. Fifty percent of all mental health conditions start by age 14 and 75% by age 24. Most cases are undetected and untreated. uSupport initiative aims to make mental health and psycho-social support services more affordable, inclusive, and accessible to all adolescents.

Many young people turn online seeking information, care and services for their mental health needs. uSupport can be a confidential, secure and trusted platform to provide support to youth where they are: online.

In 2022, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) developed an innovative on-demand digital mental health (MH) solution to address the growing mental health concerns for youth in the Europe and Central Asia Region. ECARO’s uSupport platform has been designed to address an important bottleneck in MH care in the region, which is the significant gap in access to MH support and services for young people.

As of April 2025, uSupport successfully tested the minimum value product and 64 articles developed for the platform, with young people and psychologists and preparations are ongoing for piloting in a number of countries (Kazakhstan, Poland) in Ukrainian, Polish, Russian and English. Feedback from young people outlined the need for youth friendly, visually appealing and engaging articles for young people.

How can you make a difference? 

Background
FOR EVERY CHILD, EVERY RIGHT
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.

In recent years UNICEF has increased its focus on young people. The UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022−2025 recognizes the whole spectrum of young people, including young adults or youth over 18. It includes in its Change Strategies: “adolescent development with priority to their mental health”

Adolescents today are facing a compounding mental health crisis: more young people than ever are struggling with anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions. Fifty percent of all mental health conditions start by age 14 and 75% by age 24. Most cases are undetected and untreated. uSupport initiative aims to make mental health and psycho-social support services more affordable, inclusive, and accessible to all adolescents.

Many young people turn online seeking information, care and services for their mental health needs. uSupport can be a confidential, secure and trusted platform to provide support to youth where they are: online.

In 2022, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) developed an innovative on-demand digital mental health (MH) solution to address the growing mental health concerns for youth in the Europe and Central Asia Region. ECARO’s uSupport platform has been designed to address an important bottleneck in MH care in the region, which is the significant gap in access to MH support and services for young people.

As of April 2025, uSupport successfully tested the minimum value product and 64 articles developed for the platform, with young people and psychologists and preparations are ongoing for piloting in a number of countries (Kazakhstan, Poland) in Ukrainian, Polish, Russian and English. Feedback from young people outlined the need for youth friendly, visually appealing and engaging articles for young people.

Scope of Work
The purpose of this contract is to ensure that all articles developed for uSupport follow a clear guideline that will produce appealing articles to adolescents
1. Development of Article Guideline for uSupport.
• Review existing articles to identify inconsistencies and areas for improvement.
• Develop a style guide covering:
o Ideal article length
o Writing style
o Structure, including recommended placement of illustrations
o Tone
o Formatting rules
o Etc
o Include examples in each section
• Submit the draft guidance for review and incorporate feedback.

2. Rewriting of Existing Articles.
• Rewrite all 64 existing articles to align with the new guidance.
• Review/rewrite all articles in the other translations available.
• Ensure clarity, accuracy, and consistency across all content.
• Apply best practices for readability and user experience.
• Include and note the placement of existing or designed graphics for the article
• Provide edited versions in an agreed format (e.g., Word, Markdown, and/ or directly in the CMS as required).

Working Modality: home-based. 24 working days between June and July 2025 (over 40 days). Work Assignment Overview Deliverables/Output Delivery deadline 1. Development of Article Guidance

Draft youth-friendly article guidance

Finalized guidance (after feedback)

7 working days (within 10 days after start of the contract)

2 working days (within 3 days after feedback)

2. Rewriting of Existing Articles

First batch of rewritten articles (20)

Finalize after feedback

3 working days (within 5 days after completion of deliverable 1)

2 working days (within 4 days after feedback)

Second batch of rewritten articles (20)

Finalize after feedback

3 working days (within 5 days after completion of first batch)

2 working days (within 4 days after feedback)

Final batch of rewritten articles (23)

Finalize after feedback

3 working days (within 5 days after completion of second batch)

2 working days (within 4 days after feedback)

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.