Back NUN Community Volunteer - Community Mobilizer (Dakshina Kannada)

THIS POSITION IS OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER TO BE BASED IN DAKSHINA KANNADA
 

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.

In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. In this context, UN Volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local communities.

In all assignments, UN Volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make the time they spend as UN Volunteers even more rewarding and productive.

Organizational Context & Project Description

Empowering Youth and Women for Future Employability Skills and Entrepreneurship is a multi-year partnership project between United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV), supported by SAP India CSR titled Project Code Unnati. The project aims to improve access to entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for 20,000 young people and women, while also empowering them to make informed decisions. Across the two proposed target groups (young people and women), the interventions would work towards increased awareness, enhancing employability and business skills capacity, facilitation of linkages, mentorship support and nurturing the innovation potential of youth and women of rural and urban areas.

The project activities will be implemented across 3 districts in the state of Karnataka viz. Bangalore Rural, Dakshin Kannada and Udupi/ Raichur.  The proposed project builds on UNDP’s experiences on youth and women empowerment globally and specifically in India, its deep engagement with the state government of Karnataka and leverages United Nations Volunteers (UNV)’s strong on-the-ground presence with 58 volunteers present across the country.  It also incorporates the essence of SAP’s CSR strategies to make a meaningful contribution to communities, emphasising on the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 1, No poverty: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
• SDG 5, Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• SDG 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

The key objectives and outcomes of Project Unnati is as follows:

• Improved local support system to facilitate start of women owned enterprises through creating a pool of community-based business women mentors (Unnati Sakhis).
• Women have improved self-confidence and capacity to start and run enterprise through conducting entrepreneurship awareness and entrepreneurship development training programs (EAP & EDP) with continued mentorship and facilitation through Unnati Sakhis to start women owned microenterprises

The Project would be implemented by a joint team of UNDP and UNV consisting of highly qualified experienced professionals. Core project team would be lean and technical partners would be engaged for specific programme activities.

Considering the project has a marked emphasis on entrepreneurship development and mentorship for rural based women-owned microenterprises, it is pivotal to engage Community Mobilizers at each identified district. The Community mobilizers will play a key role in building relationships with rural communities to ensure project interventions for supporting women-based microentrepreneurs is effective and sustainable. They would ensure the identification and mobilizations of SHG groups, prospective Unnati Sakhis, aspiring/ existing women microentrepreneurs for training and mentorship programs, and also facilitate in identifying locations, logistical support and local institutional linkages to conduct the programs.

Thus, Project is seeking the services of 9 Community Mobilizers with 3 community mobilizers for each identified district to implement the above-mentioned initiatives.

Living Conditions

Dakshina Kannada is a district in the state of Karnataka in India. It is sheltered by the Western Ghats on the east and surrounded by the Arabian Sea on the west, Dakshina Kannada receives abundant rainfall during the monsoon. The district comprisesseven talukas: Mangalore, Bantwal, Puttur, Sullia, Belthangady, Kadaba and Moodabidri. Dakshina Kannada features a Tropical Monsoon climate. The average annual rainfall in Dakshina Kannada is 4,030 millimetres (159 in).[28] The rainfall varies from 3,796.9 millimetres (149 in) at the Mangalore coast, 4,530 millimetres (178 in) at Moodabidri and 4,329 millimetres (170 in) at Puttur near the Western Ghats. The average humidity is 75% and peaks in July at 89%.

Conditions of Service

A 12-month contract; with subsequent contract extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance.

A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) of Rs. 20,726.75 (Rupees Twenty-Thousand Seven-Hundred Twenty-Six and Paise Seventy-Five only) will be provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Further, one-time payment of Rs. 6,800 (Rupees Six Thousand Eight Hundred only) will be paid for buying health insurance which must have a minimum coverage of INR 500,000 (annual). In addition to the above, life insurance and medical evacuation of the candidate will be covered by UNV.

Interested candidates should submit their applications at  http://www.in.undp.org/content/india/en/home/operations/careers/.

Under the overall supervision of Programme Manager, UNDP and direct guidance of the District Coordinator/State Project Head, Project Unnati, the Community mobilizers will undertake the following:

Support the Project Team in co-ordination and documentation of the following:

• Conduct the stakeholder mapping and Baseline survey of the identified locations for project interventions.
• Conduct community orientation and awareness sessions on project interventions to mobilize SHG groups, aspiring and existing women microentrepreneurs.
• Support in identifying locations and logistical support to conduct master training to create a cadre of Unnati Sakhis and also conduct EAP/EDP/mentorship programs and initiatives.
• Support in conducting training programs for faculty in schools, and also support to conduct employability skill, digital skill and entrepreneurship training programs in schools
• Facilitate to conduct sessions and programs to provide Business Support services for continued support and mentorship to women microentrepreneurs and youth entrepreneurs.
• Facilitate to build institutional linkages at local level with banks, incubator/accelerator programs, retail stores, e-commerce platforms etc for financial and marketing linkages to women-owned microenterprises and youth entrepreneurs.
• Coordinate with government departments including Karnataka livelihood missions, Disha Entrepreneurship Guidance cells, Yes Centres for convergence and linkages.
• Support in Monitoring & Evaluation of the project as per the Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) defined for project interventions and validating the same.
• Support in implementation of district workshops, programs and initiatives including policy advocacy workshops, Youth networking summits, innovation challenges, design thinking workshops, Digital skills championships, scholarships etc.
• Support in corporate volunteering and industry connect for enhanced entrepreneurship support and also support to develop a technology platform.
• Facilitate and conduct potential dropout mapping and support in other M&E activities including Midline and end-of-project assessments.
• Facilitating and ensuring Knowledge Management, documentation and communication of ongoing interventions in the field.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build 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 submit them for UNV publications/ websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/Expected Outputs

• Stakeholder Mapping and Baseline survey completed
• Identify, networking and coordination with multiple stakeholders to effectively deliver the program
• Mobilize potential/interested women entrepreneur to be trained as Unnati Sakhis
• Locations and logistical support for conducting master training to create a cadre of Unnati Sakhis.
• Mobilize women to participate in EAP, EDP, Mentorship and handholding support program  
• Knowledge Management, documentation and communication products developed
• Any other work assigned by the District coordinator

Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.

Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations.

Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.

Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.

Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender;

Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff, but objective, without showing personal interest; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;

Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere, remote and potentially hazardous environments for protracted periods, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the area of operations; willingness to transfer to other duty stations within area of operations as may be necessary;

Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

Bachelors’ degree in the field of Management/ Economics/Rural development/Social sciences and related discipline or equivalent.

At least 1-year experience in community mobilization, community outreach & training, documentation and coordination in development sector- based projects/ initiatives. Experience in rural community development activities and initiatives with multiple  stakeholders and partners

Proficiency in Computer operations

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.

United Nations Volunteers reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this opening for other openings with United Nations Volunteers with similar assignment description, experience and educational requirements.

Contract Duration: One year with possibility of extension