Consultancy: Project and administrative support for the Age with Rights campaign and GAROP Secretariat

Role: Project and administrative support

Type of engagement: Consultancy contract

Reports to: GAROP Secretariat Coordinator

Duration: June to September 2023

Expected Start date: As soon as possible

About GAROP

Established in 2011, the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP) was born out of the need to strengthen the rights and voice of older people globally and to unite in our work to secure a new United Nations (UN) convention on the rights of older people. It was founded in response to the establishment of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWG), which has been mandated by the UN General Assembly to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older persons by considering the existing international framework of the human rights of older persons and identifying possible gaps and how best to address them. The OEWG meets once a year for a four-day session at the UN in New York.

Since its establishment, GAROP amplifies older people’s voices through campaign and human rights training; supports older activists to attend the OEWG sessions; and produces consultation reports and online video statements. Our work has vastly contributed to increasing the number of OEWG-accredited NGOs and the number and quality of NGO written submissions to the OEWG. We strengthen the participation and coordination of NGOs in the OEWG sessions with capacity-building workshops, briefings and joint statements. We support members to deliver year-round national campaigns, more recently as part of our growing Age With Rights movement, some of which have directly contributed to their governments openly supporting the call for a new UN convention. Today, GAROP is a network of over 400 members worldwide.

The GAROP Steering Group (GAROP’s governing body) provides the strategic direction for GAROP’s work and is supported by a Secretariat Coordinator.

You can read about GAROP’s Vision, Mission and Values here. You can read about our Steering Group and the Secretariat here.

About our campaign and advocacy

The Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP) launched the ‘Age With Rights’ campaign in February 2021 to present a unified, visible presence and amplify the voices of older people and civil society organisations in the virtual 11th session of the OEWG held in April 2021.

The second annual Global Rally from 27th February to 5th March 2023 is a key part of the Age With Rights campaign. It was an opportunity for people around the world who support the stronger protection and promotion of older people’s human rights to unite and call on governments to take action. The second Global Rally took place several weeks ahead of the 13th OEWG session at the United Nations (UN) in New York in April 2023. The main goal of the Rally was to urge governments to participate actively in the OEWG and to support a new UN convention on the rights of older people. The Rally comprised at least 30 campaign initiatives across at least 23 countries around the world. The campaign reached an estimated 2.8 million users on social media with more than 10,000 interacting directly with the campaign.

At the 13th OEWG session, a cross-regional core group proposed by Argentina and led by Chile presented a draft decision to governments at this meeting to agree further intersessional work to be undertaken in the run-up to the 14th OEWG session which will take place in 2024 laying the foundations for a new UN convention. GAROP is now working closely with the NGO Committees on Ageing in New York, Geneva and Vienna to plan how we will support civil society engagement in the intersessional work.

Approach
GAROP urgently requires additional project and administrative capacity to join the GAROP Secretariat over the next few months to support the Age With Rights campaign work and provide assistance with the day-to-day functioning of the Secretariat. Given the urgency, we would like to contract a consultant or freelancer on a short-term basis.

Key project and Secretariat support tasks and deliverables

Age With Rights campaign

• Grow the impact of the 2023 online video campaign through outreach to GAROP members, older campaigners, and partners in all regions for the production of engaging and diverse campaign video statements for our YouTube channel.
• Analyse grantee reports and survey responses from campaign organisers for the Global Rally 2023 and compile a report of the total online and in-person reach and the impact and outcomes of the Rally overall to support our project reporting, monitoring, evaluation and 2024 Global Rally planning.
• Work with key stakeholders in gathering the strategic and technical requirements for a global ePetition to gather signatures of support for a UN convention, coordinate with external contractor in implementing the defined requirements, and implement testing in one or two countries.

Membership

• Assess new GAROP membership applications and induct new members following usual Secretariat practice and guidance.
• Assist the implementation of the GAROP membership fee and related communication with members, including following up with members with reminders and information about payment, and preparing personalised invoices where necessary.
• Prepare a summary report of the two member debrief and consultation meetings held post-OEWG on 9th and 11th May 2023, based on the recordings of the virtual meetings.
• Support the segmentation of our membership mailing list by region and other criteria to support more targeted member communications.
• Review and compare paid subscriber plans and features for different email marketing platforms to inform our communications planning.
• Conducting analysis of our membership database and supporting the preparation of a new GAROP membership policy.

Communications and event support

• Help to maintain and update the GAROP website content using our existing WordPress guidance, including our online calendar and Home and News pages in particular.
• Supporting the Age With Rights campaign by uploading video statements to our online platforms and supporting promotion via social media posts.
• Preparing emails for the GAROP membership with various updates and information.
• Support with the organization of members’ meetings or other events.

Steering Group, Subgroups and working groups

• Support the broader work of the Secretariat and the Steering Group by setting up Zoom links, hosting meetings, and taking and circulating notes.
• Provide support to the successful functioning of the GAROP Steering Group in its strategic leadership role and its various Subgroups and Taskgroups as well as member working groups and technical groups, including the management of meetings, preparation and dissemination of agendas and minutes.
• Help to manage online member consultations around any joint statements and positions, in preparation for key UN or other intersessional meetings.

Person specification

Essential

• Excellent administrative skills and attention to detail
• Strong organisational, prioritisation and project management skills, ability to juggle multiple tasks while delivering excellent results
• Strong verbal and written English communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively to global and multi-lingual stakeholders and audiences
• Existing experience in, or aspiring to gain experience in, the non-for-profit sector.
• Proven track record in handling external and internal communications with specific experience in events, campaigns, editing, and social media
• Experience of setting up, managing, recording and live streaming larger Zoom events
• A passion and interest in the human rights of older people

Desirable

• Proficiency in French and/or Spanish
• Video editing and design skills
• Experience working with WordPress or similar web design platforms
• Work experience or knowledge of key debates, policy processes (particularly the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing) and actors related to older people’s human rights and global advocacy for a UN convention on older people’s rights.

Hours and duration

The ideal candidate is expected to commence as soon as possible and will be on a part-time basis from June 2023 to end of September 2023. The number of days to be worked will be agreed upon depending on the consultant’s daily rate and availability but is likely to average to three days per week.

Management and reporting

• For the duration of the appointment, the appointee/consultant will report directly to and work closely with the GAROP Secretariat Coordinator and will be accountable to the GAROP Steering Group. As the host of the GAROP Secretariat, HelpAge International acts as the contracting organisation for consultants.