Outreach Community Volunteer at UNDP

Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Grade: GP
Contract Duration: 6 months

Background

• 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.

Organizational Context/Project

• UNDP has been in Nigeria since the country became independent in 1960 providing capacity building and policy development support to the Federal Government of Nigeria in areas of Governance & Peace Building, Inclusive growth and Sustainable Development. 
• The crises in Nigeria are closely linked to conflict, fragility, and insecurity. The United Nations is leading efforts by humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding partners, delivering urgent aid and building resilience among vulnerable people over the longer term.
• Swift delivery of aid, combined with early recovery and emergency development work, can address and prevent famine and ensure durable peace. Building resilience to future shocks is vital. This means creating opportunities for people to quickly earn an income to support their families and ensuring basic services are restored.
• Some 5.1 million people urgently need food and livelihoods assistance resulting from long-term social, political and economic exclusion, along with violent conflict. Nearly seven out of 10 people were living below the extreme poverty line before the current crisis, and farmers have been unable to plant food crops for the third consecutive year after losing tools, seeds and livestock.
• To revive the local economy in north-east Nigeria, UNDP is supporting livelihoods and businesses with small grants, skills training and trade assistance. Priorities include repairing or rebuilding community infrastructure such as schools, water and sanitation, and government buildings, which also creates emergency jobs; and revival of agriculture with new seeds, tools, fertilizer and livestock.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Area Coordinator the national UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Promote programme intervention within community, especially integrating community leaders and decision makers;
• Identify and select suitable Community mobilizers and volunteers 
• Assists in developing ways in which community involvement can be increased and community groups strengthened;
• Liaise closely with local actors and other local stakeholders to raise the awareness, sensitize and engage them at grassroot level.
• Work closely with Areas coordinators and projects coordinators: helping with action plan, strategic planning etc.
• Contribute to effective information management on UNDP projects and programmes through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems;
• Support mapping trends, tracking and analysing data related to UNDP projects and programmes;
• Strengthen existing reporting formats to ensure that meet UNDP/donor requirements;
• Write weekly and monthly reports on community mobilization activities according to UNDP’s standards;
• Relationship building, negotiation and problem solving with authorities, communities and Mobilizers/Volunteers;
• Participate in community activities aimed at providing services to IDPs and other persons of concern, especially for disabled and marginalized persons;
• Provision of linkages to community based structures relevant for project implementation

Furthermore, UN Community 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 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.

Results/Expected Output:

• Programme-related data from the field is captured, documented, analysed and reported in a results-based and timely manner;
• Change in conditions in the local communities is timely and accurately measured;
• Communities are supported through capacity building activities to better respond to social needs;
• 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.

Competencies
Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Functional Competencies
Knowledge Management and Learning:

• Shares knowledge and experience
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

• Ability to perform a variety of standard tasks related to Results Management, including screening and collecting of programme/ projects documentation, projects data entering, preparation of revisions, filing, provision of information
• Ability to provide input to business processes re-engineering, implementation of new system, including new IT based systems
• Good knowledge of Results Management Guide and Toolkit

Leadership and Self-Management:

• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure

Required Skills and Experience
Qualifications/Requirements:

• Senior Secondary Certificate in Education/Or equivalent
• 1 year working experience
• Experience in participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation 
• Familiarity with networking / alliance building and advocacy 
• Experience volunteering in rural communities is an added advantage
• Fluency in the local languages
• Experience working with communities in North East Nigeria is an added advantage
• Strong interpersonal and social skills
• Facilitation and organization of events and meetings desired

Conditions of Service for Community National UN Volunteers

• The contract lasts for a period of 6 months with possibility of extension subject to satisfactory performance.
• A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) shall be provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses.