Communications and Advocacy Officer

Assignment Type:

National Volunteer

Eligibility Requirements:

Open to citizens of the assignment country only

Assignment ID:

VA-106455

Assignment Title:

Communications and Advocacy Officer

Partner:

Windle International Uganda

Country:

Uganda

Duration:

4 to 6 months (flexible)

Time Commitment:

Full Time

Assignment Context

Are you passionate about girls’ empowerment? Do you have storytelling skills to share? 

As the Communications and Advocacy Officer with Windle International Uganda, you will support access to education for girls and create opportunities for a more inclusive world! 

Apply today to help share the project’s learnings and impact on the lives of adolescent girls and female youth in Moyo and Obongi Districts of Uganda!

Roles and Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development, coordination, and implementation of the AGENCI Communications Plan in consultation with WUSC and project partners
• Develop communications products such as stories of change, blog posts, social media posts, lessons learned and evidence briefs
• Support identifying opportunities and implementing communications activities to increase awareness and visibility of the project’s work including  for public events and campaigns on international days of celebrations
• Collaborate with AGENCI’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Learning (MERL) team and project partners on documentation and content development.
• 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
• Set up a personalized volunteer fundraising page on the WUSC fundraising platform and share it in your networks. Volunteers will be supported with the tools, training and support to achieve the fundraising goal
• Ensure that a gender equality lens is consistently applied in the execution of all activities
• Support partners to empower young women and promote a culture of gender sensitive representation in all activities and program benefits
• Submit reports as required by the partner organization and by WUSC

Experience and Qualifications

• Degree and/or formal training in communications, marketing, media, public relations, international development, and/or related field
• Demonstrated experience in communications or media outreach, preferably for a non-profit organization
• Proven ability to work productively with a variety of stakeholders to run participatory processes and meet tight deadlines with an emphasis on producing quality products
• 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
• Written and oral fluency in English.

Project Description

The Adolescent Girls’ Education in Crisis Initiative (AGENCI) is a four-year project (2020-2025) that will enhance the empowerment of Adolescent Girls and Female Youth (AGFY) pursuing educational pathways in crisis affected areas of South Sudan, Uganda and Syria. AGENCI is being implemented by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and Aga Khan Foundation Canada. This initiative will improve the education and empowerment outcomes of 143,782 direct and intermediary beneficiaries, including, 123,768 direct beneficiaries comprising of girls, female youth and women between the ages of 10-24 in the target areas of Uganda, South Sudan and Syria. The AGENCI project focuses on the empowerment of AGFY through two key interventions: i) reducing social, cultural and economic barriers to accessing safe, secure, gender equitable and quality education by AGFY, including barriers such as SGBV and SRHR that are exacerbated during crisis; and ii) improving equitable learning outcomes for AGFY benefitting from quality, gender responsive, innovative and inclusive formal and non-formal educational opportunities in crisis situations.

Partner Description

Windle International Uganda is an International Non-Governmental Organization that started operating in Uganda in 1996. The organization has its headquarters in Oxford, United Kingdom. WIU mission is “to promote peace and development in communities through provision and coordination of education and training for refugees and people affected by conflict”. WIU achieves this through advocacy and direct implementation. In Uganda, Windle International Uganda manages education in 13 refugee settlements hosted in 12 districts. WIU provides education across all levels; ECD, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, University Scholarships, Youths programs, and UK Masters Scholarship. WIU core values are: Respect for Individuals: WIU values and upholds with dignity the potential and worth of every individual, including beneficiaries, staff, partners and other stakeholders.Equity: WIU promotes fairness through equitable treatment and nurturing of staff and beneficiaries.Honesty and Transparency: WIU operates with honesty and transparency with donors, beneficiaries, stakeholders and within the organization.Professional Conduct: WIU adheres to the highest professional standards in the management of its programmes.Excellence: WIU strives for the best quality from its work.Stewardship: WIU practices responsible stewardship of resources by ensuring efficient and prudent use of funds and equipment and by always seeking value for money.Child Protection and SafeguardingWindle International Uganda upholds to the highest standard possible the protection and safeguarding of all children, and even adults; whether this be staff, stakeholders or the members of the community they work with. For that matter, WIU has a strong Child Protection and Safeguarding policy (CPSP) that guides and regulates our programming and the actions of our staff. All employees, interns, volunteers, consultants or contractors that work with WIU are obliged to sign, observe and abide by WIU Child Protection and Safeguarding policy.In addition, the volunteer that shall work with WIU shall be expected to observe and live the core values of WIU.

Support Package

• Support and guidance from the WUSC Volunteer Mobilization Team prior to assignment and from WUSC Country Team while on assignment
• Pre-assignment 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
• WUSC country orientation
• Modest monthly living allowance
• Pre-assignment medical exam
• Health insurance
• 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.