UNV Post Title: Local Integration Assistant (Education)

Type of assignment: National UNV Volunteer

Project Title: Local Integration of refugees in Ukraine

Duration: Initially 12 months with possible extension

Location, Country: Odessa, Ukraine

Expected starting date: 1 January 2011

Brief Project Description:

UNHCR seeks to strengthen national asylum systems and safeguard asylum in the broader migration context through dynamic partnerships with the European Union, national governments and NGOs. In this context, UNHCR is implementing EU-co-funded Local Integration of Refugees project in Kharkiv, Kyiv and Odessa. The project aims at strengthening the refugee capacity to become part of Ukrainian society through language and vocational training, recognition of diplomas and job placement, as well as provision of the integration grants.

Host Agency/Host Institute: UNHCR

Organizational Context: The NUNV will work under the supervision of the Assistant Programme Officer of the Local Integration project

Type of assignment place: assignment with family

Description of Duties:

Under the supervision of the Assistant Programme Officer of the Local Integration project the incumbent will perform the following tasks involving a wide range of contacts within UNHCR, with NGOs, Government and other counterparts relevant to the project implementation:

• Implement local integration activities against established goals, objectives and agreed activities in the field of refugee language training and recognition of their diplomas on higher education, as well as cultural integration of refugees.
• Conduct regular meetings, outreach activities with refugees and refugee communities (involving other functional units of the office and UNHCR Implementing Partners (IPs) as appropriate) and ensure that they are informed of a) their rights and responsibilities; b) available initiatives to support their local integration; and c) procedures to follow for their involvement in project activities.
• Assess the current needs, plan the necessary steps, overview and monitor the language training courses for refugees, asylum-seekers and recently naturalised refugees.
• Liaise with representatives from the selected higher educational institution, relevant language teachers, and other stakeholders as deemed appropriate.
• Together with the selected higher educational institution, develop and adapt when necessary, language study plans, on different levels as appropriate, coordinate the refugee attendance and gather the information about it. Prepare and submit to UNHCR the attendance records and draft payment lists for the stipends.
• Ensure follow-up of those students who have obtained fluency in Ukrainian identifying individual ways to further develop their language knowledge.
• Develop a plan for the cultural integration activities under the project and follow up on its implementation.
• Gather necessary documentation, provide follow-up and escort to the refugees willing to nostrify their higher education diplomas with the government (subject to change of regulations).
• Contribute to the development of individual integration plans.
• Identify problems/concerns of individuals who either approach directly the office or address written requests.
• Provide individual counselling and timely follow-up including house visits in co-ordination with UNHCR IPs present in the region.
• Ensure that all individual files of the cases are complete and up to date, and coordinate with RR Kyiv Programme Assistant (Local Integration Project) in overall maintenance of files;
• Assist the project in preparing communications with refugees, sending outgoing correspondence, registering incoming correspondence on local integration;
• Assist the project in the follow-up with Government, Non Governmental, and other organizations on the collecting of additional information necessary;
• Act as the back-up for Local Integration Assistant (Self-Reliance) in case of his/her absence
• Perform other duties as required by the supervisor

Furthermore, UNV volunteers are encouraged to:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD);
• Get acquainted with and building 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 submitting them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UNV volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encouraging relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/Expected Output:

• At least 200 refugees are counseled a year
• At least 100 individual integration plans are prepared a year
• Language training is effective and functioning in Odessa region
• Identified number of cultural integration activities is conducted
• Local integration process in Odessa region is well coordinated and implemented according to the UNHCR rules and regulations.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• At least 25 years of age, University degree preferably in Law, Education, Economy or Social Studies, 2-3 years of relevant work experience.
• Computer skills: Computer literacy with good knowledge of computer application.
• Language skills: Excellent spoken and written skills in English; Fluency in Russian and Ukrainian.

Conditions of Service

A 12-months contract with possible extension; monthly volunteer living allowance (VLA) intended to cover housing, basic needs and utilities, equivalent to UAH 5000; settling-in-grant (if applicable); life, health, and permanent disability insurance; resettlement allowance for satisfactory service.

Interested applicants should uplodad their curriculum vitae in English by 14 November 2010 through the UNDP website: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?job_id=19830