Inclusive Education Programme Specialist (Reserved for Person with Disabilities)

Mission and objectives

UNICEF works across 190 countries and territories to reach the children and young people who are most at risk and most in need. We work to save their lives. To protect their rights. To keep them safe from harm. To give them a childhood in which they are protected, healthy, and educated. To give them a fair chance to fulfil their potential, so that someday, they can build a better world. UNICEF is supporting health, nutrition, HIV prevention, education, access to safe drinking water, sanitation and protection for children and families caught in the conflict.

Context

Ukraine has been facing significant challenges due to ongoing conflict, which has severely impacted the education system. Inclusive education, which aims to provide equitable access to education for all children, including those with disabilities, is a crucial area of focus. Despite efforts to enhance inclusivity, many children with disabilities still encounter barriers to education, including lack of adapted infrastructure, insufficient teacher training, and limited access to appropriate learning materials.

The Ukrainian government, in collaboration with UNICEF and other international partners, has been working towards the implementation of inclusive education policies and programmes. These initiatives are designed to ensure that children with disabilities receive the support they need to participate fully in the educational process. However, the scale and complexity of these challenges necessitate additional support to design and implement effective strategies.

This UNV assignment is part of UNICEF’s inclusive education initiative. UNICEF is seeking for a volunteer to enhance the design and implementation of inclusive education policies and programmes. The volunteer’s insights and contributions will be invaluable in developing strategies for the effective engagement and participation of children and adolescents in both current and future education programmes. This support is essential to ensure that inclusive education initiatives are comprehensive, sustainable, and impactful, thereby improving educational outcomes for children with disabilities in Ukraine.

In addition to duty station specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Task description

Under the overall guidance by the Chief Education and the direct supervision by the Education Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Provide technical support in the design and implementation of inclusive education policies and programmes.

• Develop recommendations on strategies for effective engagement and participation of children and adolescents in education programmes.

• Assist in the development of training materials and resources for educators to support inclusive education.

• Conduct research and analysis on best practices in inclusive education from global and local perspectives.

• Support the development of measurement approaches to assess the effectiveness of education programmes in reaching and supporting children and adolescents with disabilities in Ukraine.

• Assist in capacity-building initiatives in the area of inclusive education.

• Collaborate with stakeholders, including government officials, educators, and community organizations, to promote inclusive education initiatives.

• Assist in monitoring and evaluating activities to assess the impact of inclusive education initiatives.

• Support the development of staff capabilities in the area of inclusive education and participation. • Prepare reports, presentations, and other documentation related to inclusive education activities. • Perform other tasks as required.

Nationality

Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment

Required experience

3 years of experience in Education, Sociology, Psychology, or a related field.

• Knowledge of education, especially inclusive education, youth participation, and project management.

• Strong research and analytical skills.

• Internet proficiency and proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) is required.

• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.

• Proficiency in Ukrainian and preferably good command of the English language.

Languages

Ukrainian, Level: Fluent, Required English, Level: Working knowledge, Required

Required education level

Master degree or equivalent in Education, Sociology, Psychology, Economics, or a related field.

Living conditions and remarks

As it is a national UN Volunteer’s assignment, the UN volunteer shall organize his/her accommodation by themselves.

Entitlements of National UN Volunteer

The contract lasts for the period indicated in the vacancy with the possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity, and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment. This is a full-time contract.

Allowances:

• Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) USD 1587 (equivalent in UAH) is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities, and normal cost of living expenses. This includes Well-Being Differentials for the period while the ICSC applies hardship classification to duty stations in Ukraine as “E”.

• USD 400 entry lump sum, one-time payment.

Medical and life insurance:

• Medical insurance: The UN Volunteer and eligible PFU dependents will receive UNV provided medical insurance coverage. Coverage for UN Volunteers begins from the Commencement of Service and normally ceases one month after the last day of the UN Volunteer Contract date.

• Life Insurance: UN Volunteers are covered by life insurance for the duration of the UN Volunteer assignment. If a UN Volunteer dies during the UN Volunteer assignment, the eligible designated beneficiaries will be entitled to receive a life insurance lump sum.

Leave entitlements:

• Annual leave: UN Volunteers accrue an entitlement to 2.5 days of Annual Leave per completed month of the UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave up to a maximum of 30 days is carried over in case of a contract extension within the same UN Volunteer assignment. Unused accrued Annual Leave may not be carried over in case of reassignment or a new assignment.

• Learning leave: Subject to supervisor approval and exigencies of service, UN Volunteers may request up to ten working days of Learning Leave per consecutive 12 months of the UN Volunteer assignment, starting with the Commencement of Service date, provided the Learning Leave is used within the contract period.

• Certified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers are entitled to up to 30 days of certified sick leave based on a 12-month cycle. This amount is reset every 12-month cycle.

• Uncertified Sick Leave: UN Volunteers receive seven days of uncertified sick leave working days in a calendar year. This amount will be reset at the established interval period.