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For every child, Education
Guadalcanal Province in the Solomon Islands has a multi-faceted landscape, in terms of geography, governance and political administration. Guadalcanal Province is one of Solomon Island’s nine provinces located in the southeast part of the country. It consists of the largest island of the country - Guadalcanal - as well as the capital Honiara, although the latter has been designated as a separately-administered Capital Territory and is no longer considered part of the province. Guadalcanal is mountainous and heavily forested in its interior, while its coast is lined with palms and white sandy beaches. The province has very limited infrastructure. The northern coast is the heart of the province, whereas the southern coast is host to smaller villages and is less accessible. Like other provinces in the country, Guadalcanal has a provincial assembly headed by a premier and is subdivided into wards as determined by population size. The province is sub-divided into 22 wards for administrative purposes and each ward elects a representative to the provincial assembly. The responsibility of service delivery rests with provincial governments. Most ministries do not have active personnel or representation in the provincial governments. This has affected the translation of well-meaning legislation and policy from the central level to the community level. An exception to this is the health sector, which remains highly centralized and with the bulk of the resources concentrated on the National Referral Hospital in Honiara and on health administration. Because of this, the quality of primary health care outside the capital and provincial urban centres is poor. Guadalcanal province also has eight elected members of parliament (MP), each with their own constituency development funds that they can disburse to their respective constituencies in the province.
Early childhood development (ECD) outcomes in Guadalcanal show many young children deprived of their rights to optimal development. The province has the highest rates of stunting in the country, with 36 per cent of children stunted and 14 per cent severely stunted, primarily by exposure to faecal contaminated environments. The province also has one of the lowest pre-primary enrolment rates. Only one parent in 62 per cent of households is engaged in early learning activities. Many children are exposed to and affected by domestic violence. And only about one fourth of children under the age of five have a birth certificate – the only official documentation to prove their legal existence and access to services. Moreover, Guadalcanal province accounts for the biggest share of persons living in poverty in Solomon Islands (considering absolute numbers), given that it has higher poverty risk as well as larger population size. Many are extremely poor in Guadalcanal and live substantially below the basic needs-poverty line.
UNICEF is supporting the implementation of a comprehensive ECD project in Guadalcanal Province. The project is in response to the poor young child development indicators in Guadalcanal and spurred by the overwhelming evidence of the link between ECD and the success and wellbeing of individuals and societies. Experiences during the early years matter because it affects the development of brain architecture that is the foundation for all future learning, behaviour and health. At a broader socio-economic level, early years’ investments demonstrate the highest rates of return among public investment options, with benefits accruing to society in the form of higher incomes, better health, and lower crime rates. The main objective of the project is to strengthen the sub-national ECD system of Guadalcanal province to deliver quality services that support the holistic development of young children aged 0-5 and their parents. The project promotes and reinforces multi-sectoral synergies and strategies, bringing together services that address the needs of young children on health, nutrition, hygiene, early learning, stimulation and responsive care and over-all well-being.
In 2019, through the support of UNICEF, the Guadalcanal Provincial Authority established the ECD Provincial Technical Working Group (PTWG). This ECD PTWG was identified among current members of technical heads of provincial government and charged with overseeing the strategic coordination and oversight for ECD activities in the province. The PTWG is made up of the Permanent Secretary to the province, Chief Executive of the Education Authority, the Director of Provincial Health Services and the Chief Planning Officer. The members also agreed that this ECD PTWG will have regular meetings that include the provincial ward members, given their key role in facilitating community engagement on ECD. The ECD PTWG is currently overseeing a mapping exercise for ECD, which will lay out the policies, programmes and services that currently operate in the province, with plans to conclude with a report by early 2020. Data from this mapping exercise is expected to be the basis of a provincial action plan on ECD.
How can you make a difference?
The main purpose of this consultancy is to design a simple, practical and effective ECD workforce training programme, in close collaboration with the Guadalcanal Provincial Assembly, UNICEF and other relevant partners. This will be implemented on a pilot basis in Guadalcanal Province, with a view to it being replicated nationwide and/or across the Pacific region. ECD workers are defined here as those who interact on a regular basis with young children and families, including but not limited to early childhood education teachers, community health workers, social workers, and the police. The aim will be to build core skills and understanding for a holistic approach to the development of young children, specifically on stimulation and responsive caregiving in the first 1,000 days.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education:
Advanced degree in human development, education, psychology, or a relevant field.Experience:
Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in early childhood development, including substantial experience with ECD workforce development and training; Regional expertise or experience in the Pacific is considered an asset.Demonstrable Skills:
Ability to convene different sectors and stakeholders to achieve multi-sectoral coordination; Ability to work collaboratively and respectively in cross-culturally settings, working with a range of local and international stakeholders, ministerial and others; Ability to navigate politics and identify key players and make sound judgments about influencing strategies to achieve outcomes; Ability to provide mentoring and capacity building to colleagues and government partners; Excellent written and oral communication skills.Languages:
Fluency in English (written and spoken)Competencies:
Good analytical, negotiating, communication and advocacy skills; Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships, both within and outside the work place; Versatility, judgment and maturity.For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
ToR ECD Worforce Training_2020_final version-external.docx
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
This vacancy is archived.