Volunteer role: Youth Engagement Advisor

VSO is the world’s leading international development charity that works through volunteers to create a fair world for everyone. At VSO we pride ourselves on doing development differently. We fight poverty not by sending aid, but by working through volunteers and partners to create long-lasting change in some of the world’s poorest regions. We bring key stakeholders together to co-ordinate collective action, from local organisations to national governments. Our programmes in Africa and Asia focus on health, education and livelihoods, with an increasing emphasis on resilience, peace building, social accountability, gender and social inclusion. We’re not about delivering quick fixes, but instead we focus on long-lasting, sustainable change that will improve the lives of generations to come.

Role overview

In this role, you will support with implementing a project focused on promoting employment opportunities, increasing employability, entrepreneurship skills, and financial capability among adolescents and young people.

Skills, qualifications and experience

•A Bachelor’s degree in development, business, economics, or related field required. A Master’s degree in the relevant field would be a plus
•Experience with other sectoral youth development strategies
•Experience in delivery of Village Savings & Loans projects, particularly, for youth audiences
•Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) skills and experience.

Competencies and Behaviour

At VSO we believe progress is only possible by working together. Whether you want to join us as an employee, or as a volunteer working in your own country, overseas or online, our selection process includes an assessment based on these core competencies:

• Ability to be open minded and respectful
• Ability to be resilient and adaptive to new situations
• Ability to facilitate positive change and build sustainable working relationships
• Ability to seek and share knowledge

Equal Opportunities

VSO promotes equal opportunities and values a diverse workforce.

Allowance

As a VSO volunteer, you will be sharing your skills with local communities on a full time basis. VSO will cover your travel, vaccinations, accommodation, and medical insurance costs, along with a local living allowance which will be paid in local currency. This allowance meets reasonable living expenses in country, but will not be enough to send money home. You will also receive some financial support to contribute to your on-going expenses at home.

Accommodation

VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.

Some background about VSO

In the last 60 years, we have worked in over 90 countries and supported over 50 million people. We’ve gone from being a UK charity to a truly global development organisation.
Our proven approach works with volunteers of different skillsets, from overseas consultants to youth. These volunteers work alongside community organisations, local and national governments, and global partners. Right now, VSO is bringing justice to rape survivors in Pakistan, building resilient disaster prevention and relief in Mozambique, ending stigma against children with disabilities in Ethiopia and tackling the youth skills gap in Uganda and Bangladesh.
Today over 50% of our people are recruited from within the country in which they work, and we continue to grow the share of community and national volunteers involved in our programmes. We also send increasing numbers of volunteers from one developing country to another. However, our vision has remained the same: create a fair world for everyone.

If you’re interested in applying for this role, please download the job description for more information.