UN VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT
Preamble:
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism tosupport peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature ofdevelopment and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peaceand 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 andsupport 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 involunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, aswell as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make thetime they spend as UN Volunteers even more rewarding and productive.
1. UNV Assignment Title:

Volunteer Development Officer

2. Type of Assignment:International UN Volunteer

3. UNV Programme Strategy Outcome:

Youth, women and marginalized groups (Outcome 7)

4. Project Title:

Eastern Caribbean Volunteer Development

5. Duration:

2 years

6. Location, Country:

Bridgetown, Barbados

7. Expected Starting Date:

October 2013

8. Brief Project Description:
The UNDP Barbados Subregional Office is well positioned to promote innovative programme approaches
that support inclusive governance through its governance portfolio of projects and initiatives. Theseprojects support youth and governance, volunteer development, citizen security, democratic dialogue,governance trends analysis and research as well as, state and non-state capacity development. These
existing inclusive governance initiatives support significant contributions to the implementation of therecent approved UNV Youth Volunteering Strategy.
The overall aim of UNV Youth Volunteering Strategy is to facilitate enhanced youth participation and voicein peace and sustainable development programmes. UNV and UNDP volunteer development assistance
supports the realization of youth social, economic and human potential as stated in the following outcomes:
 Outcome 1: Increased recognition of the contribution of youth volunteering to development andpeace, as well as to youth empowerment.
 Outcome 2: Improved capacity of relevant stakeholders (governments, youth-led organizations,private sector and civil society) to support an enabling environment for regional, national andcommunity youth volunteering for peace and development.
 Outcome 3: Increased and diversified opportunities for youth volunteers to contribute and learn asdevelopment actors during their United Nations Youth Volunteer assignment.
The UNDP Youth-IN Project which is a part of the UNDP Barbados Governance programme provides aplatform of assistance that supports Caribbean youth development and volunteerism initiatives. Theseinitiatives include Caribbean Youth Think Tank, a proposed Eastern Caribbean Volunteer Development
Support Platform (ECVSP) and the UNDO/DGTTF Project - Caribbean Youth: Actioning the UNDP Citizen
Security Human Development Report.

Youth-IN project components link and support UNV Youth Volunteering Strategy outcomes as follows: Youth Think Tank (Outcome 1): The Caribbean Youth Think Tank (YTT) supports Outcome 1 asthe assistance has created new spaces for youth voice and enhanced sharing of Caribbean youth
perspectives in national, regional and global policy discussions and dialogues. This is a youth-led
initiative facilitated by UNDP. UNDP supports Caribbean youth contributions to build ‘The Future
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They Want through youth innovation and capacity building, empowerment and leadershipdevelopment. The Caribbean YTT team access and engage with regional, national and global
youth to expand Caribbean youth contributions to UN Post-2015 agendas for sustainable SIDS
development.
 Volunteer Support Platform (Outcome 2): The Eastern Caribbean Volunteer Development
Support Platform (ECVSP) will facilitate enhanced partnership with global and regional volunteer
programmes. This link with Outcome 2 through the establishment and strengthening of linkages
between Caribbean national and regional youth volunteer schemes and UNV global volunteer
programmes. The UNDP Barbados and the OECS funded and hosted 2011 'Regional Volunteer
Networking Consultation' and the 2012.'Volunteerism in the Eastern Caribbean: A Desk Review on
Existing Programs' contributed data, research analysis and in-depth profile of volunteerism inCaribbean. The ECVSP design will support new network development and a volunteer framework
to promote and support Eastern Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) development
activities through new partnerships with volunteer organizations e.g. CUSO, VSO, AVID, JICA to
support coordination forums that increase information sharing and regional collaboration.
 Citizen Security (Outcome 3): UNDP Barbados and OECS supported the formulation of the 2012
2Caribbean Human Development Report (CHDR) on Citizen Security' , which links with Outcome 3
support engaging volunteers to strengthen the promotion of citizen security, crime prevention,peace and conflict resolution, human rights through in-country networks and civic contributions.
The UNDP 2012 CHDR defines citizen security as “the social situation in which all persons arefree to enjoy their fundamental rights and public institutions have sufficient capacity against a
backdrop of the rule of law, to guarantee the exercise of those rights and respond efficiently when
they are violated.”
The report recommended reform programmes to support change agendas vis-à-vis state/citizen
relationships, empowerment of vulnerable population groups – women and youth to reduce riskand build resilience and develop sustainable Caribbean societies. The CHDR highlights analarming increase in armed violence in Caribbean countries and its impact on the lives and wellbeing of Caribbean populations. The CHDR states that "Caribbean youth worry about child abuse,rape, robbery, guns and shoot-outs, police abuse, unemployment, drugs, and lack of road safety."
The central recommendation from this UNDP report is that the Caribbean countries need tosupport the shift from state security to citizens’ security, with enhanced support to strengthen: Responsive and accountable institutions
 Inclusive governance through social cohesion, active citizen involvement and enhanced
public awareness

Given the focus and priority of UNV/HQ on programmes that target crime prevention, reduction of armed
violence and the current high levels of insecurity, the UNDP Barbados Governance Unit will link with thenew UNV citizen security volunteer placement programme, proposed for UNDP country offices that
actively support youth and citizen security project development.
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http://futurewewant.org/
http://www.regionalcentrelac-undp.org/en/hdr-caribbean

9. Host Agency/Host Institute: UNDP Barbados and the OECS
10. Organizational Context:
UNDP Barbados and the OECS is a sub-regional, multi-country office which provides assistance to 10
middle-income Eastern Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS), both independent and British
Overseas Territories (BOTs). The UNDP Barbados Subregional Office in collaboration with United Nations
Volunteers (UNV) is promoting the revitalization of volunteerism in Barbados and the OECS. UNDP
Barbados provides assistance that promotes consensus-building through improved between governments,
civil society, and private sector dialogues to facilitate governance reforms and change agenda action with
global regional and national partnerships.
The Barbados Office supports regional, national and sub-national people-centred development projects toachieve MDGs targets, SIDS-specific programme results in thematic areas of: Democratic Governance,
Poverty Reduction and Social Development, Disaster Risk Reduction, Environment, Energy and Climate
Change. The UNDP Barbados and OECS Governance Unit supports:i.
Inclusive governance and sustainable human development in Caribbean SIDS strengthenssustainable and equitable growth development frameworks;ii.
Global and regional cooperation; capacity-building of key governance institutions and peoplecentred development; youth participatory governance, citizen security, communities outreach,promoting volunteer development and strengthening of national and sub-national organizations.
11. Type of Assignment Place: Family duty station
12. Description of tasks:
Under the direct supervision of and the overall supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative, theUNV will support the Governance Unit Programme and related programme outputs - Caribbean YouthThink Tank, Volunteer Support Platform and Citizen Security to support effective implementation of UNV
Youth Volunteering Strategy through the following outputs and tasks:Youth Think Tank (YTT) Implementation Support334

Building on CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (CCYD) Report , supports YTT group toinitiate data analysis and research to support youth participation in planning and policy development
Provides assistance to YTT members to formulate and define research to support evidence-based
human development policies and supports research dissemination
Assist the development of communications To promote inclusion of youth issues in Caribbean regionaland national policy agendas, support YTT public awareness and development of youth-friendly
communications, which would include the development of a logo and slogan to brand the Caribbean
YTT youth initiatives
UNDP Governance Unit Programme and youth-related projects
Liaises and mentors YTT group to address identified issues that reflect improved YTT members’
capabilities and capacities and to emerge as an independent grouping that bridges formal and informal
Caribbean youth governance structures that address issues identified in the CARICOM Commission
on Youth Development (CCYD) research

Caribbean Youth Think Tank (CYTT), launched on the 24 May 2012. http://www.youth-in.com/index.php/ytthome/108-ytt-news/197-youth-think-tank-workshop,
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www.caricom.org/.../cohsod_youth/eye_on_the_future_ccyd_report.pdf CARICOM Commission on YouthDevelopment (CCYD) research

Volunteer Support Platform Implementation Support

Undertakes research and consultations to identify potential volunteer involving agencies and partners
interested in participating the volunteer support platform
Assists in negotiating and drafting MoUs with identified partners to facilitate the establishment ofECVSPSupports designing the structure, format and outreach of the platform and a regional launch across theUNDP 10 country programme network
Liaises with key volunteer sending organizations to gather data on their policy and presence
Assists in information sharing and coordination of partner organizations activities and beneficiaries

Citizen Security Implementation SupportUndertakes research and consultations to identify potential partners and volunteers to re-activate
implementation of the UNDP Project: Caribbean Youth: Actioning the UNDP Citizen Security HumanDevelopment Report.
Assists in implementation of recommendations in Caribbean Human Development Report 2012 andsupport the monitoring and implementation of the Eastern Caribbean Citizen Security programme
Liaises with local partners to gather citizen security information and strengthen national databases thatbuild on the data benchmarked in the 2012 UNDP CHDR
Drafts and formulates TORs and RFPs to facilitate the recruitment of consultants for specific projecttasks

Governance Programme Support for the delivery of technical assistance
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Coordinate/conduct outreach UNP governance programme activities in partnership with development
stakeholders including civil society and the media
Facilitate the implementation of project communications in collaboration with UN Agencies and YouthIN partners i.e. CARICOM,OECS and respective Member States
Collate and provide information to support the preparation of periodic, status and ad hoc reports on
governance programme outputs and activities
Contribute to the formulation and finalizing of project documents and programme support documents(PSDs) with information updates and submissions, preparing formulation inputs and drafting relatively
routine correspondence;
Any other related support functions as may be required.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to:
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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 markIVD);
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 technicallypossible.

13. Results/Expected Outputs:Youth Think Tank, Volunteer Support Platform and Citizen Security advanced project outputs withUNV implementation support
UNV Youth Volunteering Strategy outcomes advanced with UNV implementation support
Volunteerism and Governance public awareness advanced with UNV advocacy support

14. Qualifications/Requirements:
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Master’s Degree in Development Studies, Economic Studies and/or other related field
Relevant national / international work experience in youth development.
Knowledge of youth development and sustainable livelihoods
Ability to plan community projects and work with communities;
Knowledge of project formulation, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting;
Strong analytical skills, ability to conceptualize, plan and execute innovative ideas;
Ability to formulate and manage budgets and mobilize resources;
Displays open, co-operative behaviour with other team members;
Maintains strong relationships with partners and clients;
Remains calm and in control, and good humoured even under pressure;
Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view;Sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages time efficiently.
Excellent oral and written skills;
Proficiency in Microsoft applications including Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Project;
Fluency in English.

15. Living Conditions:
In Barbados living conditions are of a high standard and enjoy long tradition of political and social stability.
Health, education and public transport services are of reasonably high quality and are readily accessible.
The cost of living is high and comparable to many developed countries. In terms of safety, the country hasa relatively low crime rate, although standard precautions must be observed. Given the sub-regional natureof the work, the selected candidate will need to travel frequently in the region.
16. Conditions of Service
A 24 month contract; monthly volunteer living allowance (VLA) intended to cover housing, basic needs andutilities, equivalent to US$ 2,362 for single person, US$ 2,612 for person with one dependent and US$
2812 for person with two or more recognized dependents; settling-in-grant (if applicable); life, health, andpermanent disability insurance; return airfares (if applicable); resettlement allowance of US$ 150 per
month of satisfactory service.

Description of Assignment prepared by:
Governance Unit, UNDP Barbados and the OECS
Date: September 2013

Description of Assignment approved by

Lara Blanco
Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Barbados and the OECS Office
Date: September 2013