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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, education
As of 8 January 2024, more than 114,000 refugees from Ukraine are recorded in Slovakia. Approximately 37,061 are children aged 0-17. As of 31 October 2023, 11,990 Ukrainian children are enrolled in schools and kindergartens across Slovakia (1,887 in kindergartens; 7,779 in primary schools; 2,324 in secondary schools, including special schools). This means that about two-thirds of children are not in school.
Based on data from the November 2023 Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA) conducted by UNHCR, in the academic year 2022/2023, 68% of school-age children reported having been enrolled and attending school in Slovakia. 75% of children reported accessing distance learning in Ukraine, while overall 48% of children reported attending both in-person schooling and online education. Furthermore, the State School Inspectorate’s report of 2023 highlights a few challenges to the integration of Ukrainian children: language learning is still priority, schools need professional (psychological, special-educational and socio-pedagogical) support in the Ukrainian language, teaching assistants in Ukrainian language are needed, learning support for Ukrainian pupils needs to be strengthened, schools needs to provide students with appropriate learning materials, provide teachers with quality professional development and support in working with foreign pupils.
As the uncertainties of the war in Ukraine persist and given that sustained periods of online education may lead to social isolation, mental health issues and learning difficulties, it is important to continue efforts to enrol children in schools while at the same time strengthening the quality of education offered to enrolled children. In addition, adolescents and young people need opportunities for quality, inclusive non-formal learning and skills development.
UNICEF is working with national systems and institutions in the Slovak Republic to welcome and integrate Ukrainian children in education, through (1) ensuring supportive school environments in pre-primary, primary and secondary education (including provision of learning supplies; capacity building of teachers around inclusive, safe and intercultural learning environments; capacity building aimed at psychosocial support to students and teachers; acquisition of Slovak language; learning support, etc.); (2) improvement of social inclusion and peer relations through organisation of summer camps, buddy programmes and non-formal learning, etc.; (3) increasing institutional capacities to plan, implement and monitor the integration of Ukrainian learners in education systems; and (4) supporting the expansion of preschool capacities and introduction of diversified early learning provisions in affected/selected municipalities.
UNICEF Slovakia Ukraine Refugee Response is seeking a Junior Education Consultant to support the implementation of the Education, Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP) refugee responses in the Slovak Republic. The consultant will report to the ECD Specialist of the UNICEF Slovakia Ukraine Refugee Response. The consultant will work in close coordination with the Education team as well as with colleagues in child protection, health, youth and social policy.
How can you make a difference?
Under the supervision of the ECD Specialist, and in close collaboration with Education and ECD colleagues of the Slovakia team, as well as with other colleagues in child protection, health, youth and social policy, the consultant will support the implementation of the Education, ECD and ADAP refugee responses in Slovakia. More specifically, the consultant will:
- Provide technical support: Contribute to technical aspects of the Education, ECD and ADAP refugee responses, including implementation of programmes and work plans with national, local and CSO partners; research and development of briefs on key topics; monitoring and reporting; supporting capacity building initiatives in Education, ECD and ADAP; support the integration of Ukrainian “Youth Advisors” into the Youth Ambassador Programme of UNICEF Slovensko NatCom. As part of this work stream, the consultant will in particular:
- Conduct programmatic and field monitoring visits with partners to ensure progress of activities (with guidance and support from EDU, ADAP and ECD colleagues);
- Develop concept notes, briefs or PowerPoint presentations on key education, ECD and/or ADAP topics (for example, on inclusive education, on early childhood education, on parenting support, etc.);
- Support the planning and organization of Youth Network Meetings (series of regular meetings of key stakeholders, including national, regional, local governments as well as NGOs that work with and for adolescents and young people) led by the National Institute for Education and Youth (NIVAM);
- Support the dialogue with UNICEF Slovensko National Committee (NatCom) to agree on a way forward for the integration of UNICEF’s Ukrainian “Youth Advisors” into the NatCom’s Youth Ambassador Programme.
- Support communications: Provide support for communications-related activities for the Education, ECD and ADAP responses, including for workshops, meetings and events; support the development and launch of the second series of Parenting Academy sessions for parents of adolescents; development of assets and other communications materials. As part of this workstream, the consultant will in particular:
- Develop the concept note for the second series of Parenting Academy sessions for parents of adolescents (on topics related to adolescents’ development and well-being), and support its implementation;
- Develop communication materials (ex. flyers, invitation cards, etc.) for workshops and events related to the Education, ECD and ADAP refugee responses;
- Develop communications assets (social media posts, blogs, human interest stories, etc.) related to the Education, ECD and ADAP responses.
- Provide support for overall logistics arrangement and documentation: Support the Education team in organising meetings and trainings, as well as documentation of good practices from the responses. As part of this workstream, the consultant will inparticular:
- Support the logistical arrangements (ex. checking and coordinating interpretation, catering, venue needs with the office’s operations team) and the delivery of workshops and trainings (ex. developing the agenda for the training; supporting facilitation as needed);
- Develop short case studies to capture good practices and examples from the Education, ECD and ADAP responses;
- Support the logistics arrangements of the Education Working Group (co-led by the Ministry of Education and UNICEF).
| Area | Deliverables / Outputs | Timeline / Deadline |
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Provide technical support (27 days) |
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| Support communications (22 days) |
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| Provide support for overall logistics arrangement and documentation (21 days) |
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Estimated Duration of the Contract
70 working days between April and October 2024.
Consultant’s Work Place and Official Travel
The Consultant will be home-based.
As part of this assignment, several travels to Slovakia are foreseen. The consultant will arrange their travel as and when they take place, and related costs will be reimbursed per UNICEF travel policy.
Travel Clause
- All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants apply.
- All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
- The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSAFE certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.
Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule
Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.
Please propose a lumpsum professional fee (in USD) based on 70 working days to undertake this assignment. Please do not include travel fees as this will be reimbursed as and when they take place.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Required:
- A first university degree in Education, Early Childhood Development, Early Childhood Education, Psychology, Social Sciences, Communications, or other related field
- Minimum of 1 year of relevant work experience in communications, media relations, advocacy, or project implementation in Education, ECD/ECE or ADAP, or a similar field
- Fluency in English is required.
- Fluency in Slovak is required.
Desired:
- Experience working with or in UN organization is an asset.
- Experience working within refugee setting is an asset.
- Experience working with state and NGO partners is an asset.
- Fluency in Ukrainian and/or Russian is an asset.
- Experience working in high-income countries is desirable.
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 here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.
Remarks:
Please include a full CV and a Financial Proposal in your application by indicating your availability and professional fee (in USD) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a proposed professional fee will not be considered. 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.
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