Communications Advisor

Assignment Type:

South-South International Volunteer

Eligibility Requirements:

Open to individuals who hold citizenship of a low or middle income country other than the country where the assignment is based

Assignment ID:

VA-106364

Assignment Title:

Communications Advisor

Partner:

Sevalanka Foundation

Country:

Sri Lanka

Duration:

7 months

Time Commitment:

Full-time

Assignment Context

Are you passionate about improving opportunities for women empowerment globally? Do you have strong communication skills to share?

Join Sevalanka as a Communications Officer in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where you’ll capture compelling photos, videos, and stories of youth and women entrepreneurs, helping to create high-quality communication materials that amplify their impact.

Apply today to make a difference in advancing women’s development in Sri Lanka!

Roles and Responsibilities

• Capture high quality photos, videos and stories on youth and women entrepreneurs
• Support partner staff to improve engagement on social media and develop communication materials for projects
• Provide training to partner staff in communications
• Work with the partner to not only mitigate environmental risk, but also identify opportunities to engage in greener programming
• Collect and document gender sensitive data, lessons learned, good practices and stories of change from projects, particularly from female participants
• Support partners to reduce their environmental footprint by transitioning out of paper-heavy communications products
• Participate in pre-assignment training
• Participate in at least 3 public engagement initiatives before, during, or after the assignment. Volunteers will be equipped with the tools, training, and support to achieve these goals. Volunteers will also have one virtual check-in with the Public Engagement Officer throughout the course of their assignment
• Submit reports as required by the partner organization and by WUSC.

Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or training in Journalism, Communications, or a related field
• Proven experience in digital media communications, with strong writing and presentation skills
• At least two (2) years of relevant professional experience in communications or a related area
• A commitment to gender equality, youth inclusion, and international volunteering
• Flexibility, adaptability, excellent interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity
• Experience with group facilitation and trainings, including content development considered an asset
• Experience living and working internationally considered an asset
• Written and oral fluency in English.

Project Description

Volunteering for development is one of the important ways in which WUSC pursues its mission. The IGNI+E project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, supports over 70 partner organizations to advance gender equality and the economic empowerment of 1.2 million youth around the world. IGNI+E harnesses the knowledge, capacity and expertise of skilled Canadians through volunteer assignments and public engagement activities to assist partners in improving their performance, advocating for gender equality, and implementing more sustainable, innovative and inclusive initiatives and services for poor and marginalised youth, particularly young women. Overseas, our volunteers collaborate with a wide variety of partners, including enterprise and social enterprise development incubators, skills training centres, women’s organizations, and youth groups. In Canada, WUSC works with institutions and individuals to identify, prepare, and support volunteers who travel overseas to support our partners. Our network in Canada also works with WUSC to raise awareness among Canadians to inspire greater action on global development issues. Our collective focus is on sustainable and inclusive changes to create a better world for youth.

Partner Description

The Seva Lanka Foundation is an NGO which was established 31 years ago. They have worked primarily with the most marginalized communities and have operations in 22 of the 25 districts in Sri Lanka. Their main focus is development aid and through its partners and associated stakeholders, Sevalanka gained its vast expertise and experience from conducting humanitarian operations in the field of poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, nutrition and food security, agriculture and fisheries support services, psychosocial support, revival of dying culture traditions, micro credit, supporting social enterprises and market linkages for community products.

Support Package

• Support and guidance from the WUSC Volunteer Mobilization Team prior to departure and from WUSC Country Team while on assignment
• Pre-departure training to learn about the volunteering for development program, gain practical skills for living and working in an intercultural context and network with other volunteers
• In-country orientation upon arrival in country of assignment
• Language training in country of assignment, where required
• Modest monthly living and accommodation allowance
• Airfare to and from the assignment country
• Visa/work permit
• Pre-departure medical exam
• Health insurance
• Vaccinations and antimalarial medication
• Criminal record verification
• Vacation leave entitlement
• Debriefing after completion of assignment
• An incredible opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to global development, enhance your professional skills and participate in an experience of a lifetime!

WUSC’s Safeguarding Policy

WUSC’s activities seek to balance inequities and create sustainable development around the globe; the work ethic of our staff, volunteers, representatives and partners shall correspond to the values and mission of the organization. WUSC promotes responsibility, respect, honesty, and professional excellence and we will not tolerate harassment, coercion and sexual exploitation and abuse of any form. Successful applicants will be required to sign off on the WUSC Code of Conduct and the Self-Disclosure Form. International and national volunteers will also be required to submit a criminal record verification.

WUSC is a signatory to the Cooperation Canada Leaders’ Pledge on Preventing and Addressing Sexual Misconduct. The pledge represents the shared commitment as Canada’s global development and humanitarian leaders to ensure the full implementation of practices and policies that will protect and respond to our own staff, volunteers and the communities we serve. We are committed to creating safe and respectful workplaces and programs that promote gender equality and are free from gender-based violence, including by addressing and responding to all abuse of power, holding people to account, and protecting the vulnerable. Read the full pledge.