Hi Everyone!!!
Thanks for reading my post. This week we were asked to research international organizations that work towards positive changes in families and children. The following is a summary of what I found.
At least three international organizations or communities of practice that appealed to you and why you chose them
The first organization is;
The Amala Foundation unites people from all walks of life and inspires them to grow as individuals and as leaders in service to humanity.
“Amala” means many things in many languages. In Hindi, it means “pure”; in Arabic, “hope”; and in Hebrew, “work”. Amala offers safe, supportive and inspiring experiences where people from all backgrounds come together to learn and grow. From retreats to camps to leadership training, Amala’s programs promote personal growth, clear communication, deep listening, compassion and an ethos of service.
Most of Amala’s programs are focused on young people, including refugee and immigrant youth. Our youth come from many countries, ethnicities, religions, races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Some have grown up in refugee camps and are struggling to adjust to life in a new country, while others have been raised in middle and upper class families. Many have experienced war, abuse, neglect, extreme poverty, child labor, and gang violence. Yet no matter where we’re from or what hardships we’ve faced, we ultimately want the same things: love, acceptance, human connection and peace. Amala offers these young people a place to connect with a diverse community, build lasting friendships, and develop the skills needed to rise up as leaders in their communities.
Founded in 2001, Amala has grown to offer programs in 5 countries and 4 states, serving over 3,500 youth from 50 countries and creating meaningful volunteer opportunities for over 3,000 people.
Our programs are open to all youth, regardless of their ability to pay. We rely on the generous support of our community to ensure that no one is turned away who wishes to attend. About 80% of our participants receive some type of scholarship."
The second Organization that I researched was;
Terre des Hommes’ (TDH) mission is to work for the rights of the child and for equitable development, without racial, religious, political, cultural or gender-based discrimination. To this end, TDH supports and implements development and humanitarian aid projects designed to improve the living conditions of disadvantaged children, and of their families and communities. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the conceptual framework guiding the activities of TDH.
At TDH, we believe that children are entitled to the rights set forth in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is the responsibility of the international community to make these rights a reality, and to create an enabling environment, through the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights.
At TDH, we believe that children are the main participants in their own development, having inherent rights and vital social, economic and cultural roles. TDH helps them realise their full potential in an ever-changing world.
(www.terredeshommes.org)
The third organization is;
OUR VISION FOR EVERY CHILD, LIFE IN ALL ITS FULLNESS, OUR PRAYER FOR EVERY HEART, THE WILL TO MAKE IT SO.
OUR FUTURE
We look forward to a world where every child experiences Jesus’ promise of life in all its fullness.
Where they are protected, cared for and given the opportunities to become all God meant them to be.
Where they grow strong in communities free of need and full of promise.
Where families are valued, creation preserved and the most vulnerable live in security and confidence. Where they become responsible citizens of well-led nations.
Where peace and justice reign and all have the right to contribute.
Where they flourish in a world where the treasure of our hearts and the measure of our wealth is the happiness and well-being of all children. In such a world, we all taste the joy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
(http://www.wvi.org/vision-and-values-0)
These organizations stood out to me because of their relentless passion for advocating, and their love for children and their well-being (educationally, socially, and spiritually).
Job opportunities (currently available or not) that interest you
I would love to travel the world advocating for the importance of Early Childhood education. UNICEF had a job that I am very interested in
Education Specialist (Quality Education), P-4, Nairobi, Kenya
Vacancy No: E-VN-2015-000262
Duty Station: Nairobi
Country: Kenya
Region: ESARO
Job Level: P-4
Position#: 00043545
Application Close: 24-Feb-15
Contract Type: Long-term Staff (FT)
Purpose of the Position
Under the general supervision of the Regional Education Adviser, the incumbent is expected to provide solid technical assistance, quality assurance and knowledge building/management services to ESAR countries to support the improvement of education quality, including learning outcomes and equitable access to quality education in the region.
Key strategies for achieving this purpose are as follows:
a) Strengthening of evidence generation and evidence-based advocacy and by: enhancing the evidence base on education quality and factors affecting it, including statistical data (e.g. from Education Management Information System (EMIS) and Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ))and research and evaluation evidence on issues affecting quality, ensuring that such data and documentation is readily available; also supporting the generation and dissemination of evidence on cost-effective approaches to education improvement (including Technology For Development (T4D) initiatives);
b) Development of regional and support for Country Office strategy/ies to promote minimum quality standards of education for all children in the region, building on past experience with Child-Friendly Schools (CFS), Schools for Africa (SFA) and other initiatives focussed on quality improvement,
c) Enhanced support for the development of national systems to enhance quality education, including: assessment, standards, quality assurance, school governance, teacher education and management, curriculum and school design in collaboration with external partners and institutions
d) Working closely with the other sectors and programmes that support quality improvement, including health, nutrition, and WASH, social and child protection, olicy to provide guidance to COs on strategic multi-sectoral approaches to enhancing education quality and with Basic education and gender equality (BEGE_ colleagues supporting Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED), Education in Emergency and Basic Education to ensure synergies and coherence.
e) Strengthening partnerships in the region focused on enhancing the quality of education, including acting as the ESARO Focal Point for quality education with the Global Partnership for Education and regional focal point for the Schools forFor Africa partnership, also strengthening resource mobilization for quality education initiatives.
It is critical that UNICEF ESARO continues to exercise a strong leadership and coordination role in these technical areas within the overall UNICEF Basic Education strategy and national education sector policies and strategies to achieve the Education for All targets and The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2 and 3 in the region. The Regional Management Team requested additional support to enhance education quality in the region as a key priority.
Key Expected Results
1. To lead the development of regional analysis/es on education quality issues (including Bottleneck Analyses) and the development of strategies to address the quality of education in the region, with a focus on systemic national approaches (e.g. national assessment, national standards, national teacher education and management, school governance and EMIS) and the scaling up of innovations, including those Technology For Development initiatives (T4D) as Focal Point for BEGE.
2. To co-ordinate the multi-country School for Africa (SFA)initiative, ensuring timely submission of high-quality donor reports and updates from member countries and providing a regional analysis (consolidated) report on SFA, and any other programme status reports, whilst also developing other partnerships focussed on enhancing education quality, including support for COs engaged in the Global Partnership for Education and close collaboration with UNESCO and SACMEQ.
3. To provide guidance to all Country Offices on how UNICEF can support governments in enhancing education quality through undertaking country visits or providing electronic support on issues around the quality of education, including support to SFA initiatives and the identification of experts (in for example curriculum, QA, teacher education, management and governance) who can assist at the CO level.
4. To enhance knowledge management on quality education in the region through facilitating and/or promoting the analysis and documentation of good practices and lessons learned in the promotion of quality education; ensuring that such information is readily accessed through the internet, intranet and other channels.
5. Organise and facilitate or participate in meetings and workshops/seminars related to promoting quality education and support resource mobilisation efforts by partners, donors, and NatComs.
6. Contribute to the situation analysis, planning, and monitoring/review processes of BEGE in the region, including support for more rigorous analysis of analysis of interventions (including cost-effectiveness analysis) in collaboration with other BEGE colleagues and other programmes.
7. Support to regional office management processes and for other section duties, as agreed with the supervisor.
Qualifications of Successful Candidate
- Advanced university degree in one or more of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Education; Primary Education, or Social Sciences fields relevant to international development assistance.
- Some demonstrative capacity to identify and monitor gender inequalities, as well as develop and implement gender mainstreaming in programmes.
- Eight years of relevant work experience at national and/or international levels in fields relevant to Education programmes.
- Experience working in the UN or other international development organization an asset.
- Background/familiarity with Emergency an asset.
- Fluency in English and another UN language. Knowledge of the local working language of the duty station would be an asset.
Competencies of Successful Candidate
- Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.
- Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
- Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
- Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.
- Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.
- Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources.
- Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.
- Identifies urgent and potentially difficult decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities.
- Demonstrates, applies and shares expert technical knowledge across the organization.
What skills and experience you would need to competently fulfill each of these roles
This position requires these skills and experience(s)
Qualifications of Successful Candidate
- Advanced university degree in one or more of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Education; Primary Education, or Social Sciences fields relevant to international development assistance.
- Some demonstrative capacity to identify and monitor gender inequalities, as well as develop and implement gender mainstreaming in programmes.
- Eight years of relevant work experience at national and/or international levels in fields relevant to Education programmes.
- Experience working in the UN or other international development organization an asset.
- Background/familiarity with Emergency an asset.
- Fluency in English and another UN language. Knowledge of the local working language of the duty station would be an asset.
I have most of the experience needed except I do not speak another language or than English.
Ashley Wilkins-Miller
References
www.terredeshommes.org
http://www.wvi.org/vision-and-values
http://www.unicef.org/about/employ
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