Local individual contractor (home-based): UPSHIFT Programme Consultant, Italy ( 11.5 months)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, results

Since 2016, UNICEF is responding to the unique needs of adolescents and young people who are seeking asylum in Europe, on the move, stranded or pushed back. The operation established in Italy aims to provide support to the Government of Italy on children and young migrants and refugees, to ensure timely, equal and appropriate care, protection and support for social inclusion, as part of the Regional Migrant and Refugee Response. Initially the Italy Response focused mainly on child protection and adolescent development, while since 2019 a GBV component has been integrated.     

The Youth & Adolescent Development programme focuses on participation and skills building activities to guarantee Unaccompanied Minors (UAMs) and young migrants and refugees have access to key information, have their voices heard and are empowered to take the lead and have the skills and competencies needed for their social inclusion in Italy.

UPSHIFT is at the heart of UNICEF’s skills building programme in Italy. UPSHIFT is UNICEF’s flagship initiative, combining some of the leading approaches to youth and adolescent development, social innovation and entrepreneurship, to empower marginalized youth and adolescents to become social innovators and entrepreneurs. Using cutting-edge experiential learning techniques, UPSHIFT teaches youth and adolescents how to understand community challenges and design and build impactful solutions in the form of products or services.

UPSHIFT in Italy responds to the lack of opportunities and chances for refugee, migrant but also Italian adolescents from marginalized communities to develop XXI century skills and their full potential. Launched in October 2018, UPSHIFT has so far gone through 2 cycles of implementation: a first pilot in Sicily in 2018-19 and a second replication in Latium region. For each cycle a different model was tested, from implementation in secondary schools, catch up schools and out of school to roll out of different learning packages (Basic Entrepreneurship Education, Ideas in Action, Innovation & Creativity Camps, Incubation). A third cycle is planned for 2020-21 featuring a scale up with implementation of the different models in Lombardy, Latium and Sicily.   Rigorous monitoring and evaluation of each cycle feeds into ongoing efforts to ensure scaling up and sustainability of the UPSHIFT model in Italy with key government stakeholders (Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour and Social Policies). The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and shift to digital learning mode has also highlighted the need to strengthen and scaled up the e-learning component of UPSHIFT for the 3^rd cycle and beyond

How can you make a difference?

Under the direct supervision of the Youth and Adolescent Development Specialist, P4, in Rome, Italy, the individual contractor is primarily responsible for supporting the implementation of UPSHIFT for unaccompanied and separated children, young migrants and refugees and Italian youth in marginalized communities.

Key responsibilities include:

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

• Create, update UPSHIFT folder in the internal shared drive containing documents, tools, creative assets and sharing both internally via the shared drive and externally with partners and stakeholders via email and other shared platforms;
• Follow-up on information requests and other requests related to UPSHIFT from the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia and HQ Innovation Division;
• Attend weekly coordination calls and other meetings, conferences and webinars, trainings and assist in preparing background material and taking minutes, as needed.

MONITORING AND REPORTING:

• Review regularly monthly reports of implementing partners and support to programmatic reviews and visits;
• Monitor regularly  indicators and budgets of partners and against the annual Work Plan
• Draft donor reports and support to organization of donor visits and involvement in UPSHIFT events;
• Support drafting of monthly and quarterly reports, annual planning, mid-year and annual reviews of the Migrant and Refugee Response (UPSHIFT component).

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

• Advise on and quality assurance of learning material by UNICEF’s implementing partner(s), including e-learning platforms and tools;
• Summarize available evidence (reports, reviews etc.) and drafting of briefs, articles and other UPSHIFT related documentation for internal use and external dissemination

DELIVERABLES & TIMELINE

The work will be reported through monthly progress reports, with tasks agreed ahead of time with the supervisor. Recurrent deliverables include:

Contractual arrangements:

• Duration: The contract duration will be 11.5 months.
• Supervisor: The contractor will report to the Youth and Adolescent Specialist in the UNICEF Refugee and Migrant Response team based in Rome, Italy.
• Duty Station: Home-based in Italy. Conditions permitting, the individual contractor will be expected to come daily to the office in Rome. Otherwise the person will be working from home.
• Travel: The individual contractor is expected to travel to field locations (Sicily, Lombardia): 1 trip every 2 months for 3 days each is foreseen.  
  • All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants/ Individual Contractors apply.
  • All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
  • The eligible maximum amount for travel is specified in the contract.
  • The consultant is responsible for his/her for travel arrangements. The most economic and direct route is authorized.
  • Travel costs will be reimbursed after the completion of mission. UNICEF will pay the applicable DSA rate and other travel related expenses upon submission of the invoice together with the supporting documentation.
• Payments:  The consultant will be paid monthly upon satisfactory completion of monthly tasks. Each request for payment must be supported by the supervisor’s written certification of the assignment performed (deliverable provided and/or days worked). Final payment is made only upon certification of the satisfactory completion of the assignment as a whole, and completion by the supervisor of the evaluation.
• Nature of Penalty Clause in Contract: If the final reports and documents are not submitted according to the deliverables stated in this TOR, the payments will be withheld.UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines (fees reduced due to late submission: 20 days – 10%; 1 month -20%; 2 months -30%; more 2 months – payment withhold). All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

REQUIRED

• University degree in social sciences, international development, education or related field;
• At least 1 year of professional experience in report writing, drafting of minutes;
• Excellent planning & organizational skills
• Strong communication skills – both oral and written;
• Fluency in Italian and English are required.

DESIRED

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, international development, education or related field;
• Previous experience with UNICEF and or the UN;
• Experience in UPSHIFT or other 21^st century skills building programme
• Experience in working with vulnerable groups of children (e.g. children with a migration background, Roma children, children with low socio-economic background, etc.).

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.

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

To apply:

Interested candidates must submit:

1. complete their UNICEF profile 
2. attach latest P-11 History Form, CV and Motivation Letter (http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.htm)
3. Indicate a consultancy monthly fee (for ease of reference you may want to consul the UN salary scale for GS/Professional.  This ToR falls under the bandwith of GS6/P1   – travel not included;
4. Indicate a lump sum for expected travel expenditures.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.