UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) is looking for a dynamic intern to support and contribute to general and specific tasks related to programmatic activities supporting early childhood development and strengthening of primary health care services.

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, a champion.

The UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO) supports work in 22 countries, coordinating regional efforts and supporting the local efforts of Country Offices across the region. With a special commitment to meeting the unique rights of young children ECARO endeavors to support targeted and coordinated efforts to mainstream Early Childhood Development (ECD) principles in health, nutrition, education, child protection, and emergency planning and response. Furthermore, building on the robust corpus of evidence on early childhood development, UNICEF promotes implementation and scale-up of evidence-based, and effective innovations and multi-sectoral packages aimed at ensuring that all children, including the most vulnerable, reach their development potential.

Recognizing that different age groups of children, as well as children who develop differently, require specific packages of services and support, the ECARO approach to ECD is composed of four distinct and mutually inter-dependent and reinforcing pillars: a) Early Childhood Development in Health; b) Quality Early Childhood Education; c) Early Childhood Intervention and Detection of developmental disabilities and delay; and d) Parenting Support for caregivers of children aged 0-6 years old.

Within its health program, UNICEF supports strengthening of the primary health care as the key platform to delivery facility-based services as well as outreach services through home visiting programs. Quality primary health care services are crucial in providing support for child health including immunization, nutrition and development. UNICEF supports governments in the region to strengthen PHC systems as well as content and quality of services.

SUPERVISION

The intern will report to the Early Childhood Development Specialist working with both ECD and Health teams and will also routinely liaise with other relevant colleagues on the respective teams, in accordance with the standards, norms and procedures of UNICEF.

How can you make a difference?

The UNICEF ECD and Health Sections in the ECAR office are seeking the assistance of an intern to support and contribute to general and specific tasks related to programmatic activities supporting early childhood development and strengthening of primary health care services. This will include support for development of technical guidance and implementation of multi-country initiatives focused on strengthening of primary health care services and in particular home visiting as its outreach component. Additionally, tasks will also include support in knowledge management and facilitation of learning.

The key activities are listed below while in agreement with the supervisor other functions can be carried out. The incumber will therefore work with both teams on the complementary programming areas in the following capacity: 50% with the ECD section and 50% with the Health and Nutrition section.

1. Support institutionalization and strengthening of the home visiting programs and integration of support for child development at primary health care level in ECA region:

a. Support organization of regional meetings and events with UNICEF country office focal points and dissemination of relevant resources;
b. Support assessments of home visiting programs by facilitating exchange between technical consultants and country offices;
c. Engage in home visiting literature review to support development of policy briefs and investment cases;
d. Support systematic review of effectiveness of home visiting exercise by supporting exchange with consultants, technical experts and overall review process;
e. Support development, review and finalization of different documents and tools related to home visiting and support for child development within primary health care;
f. Support exchange with the Technical Advisory Group of international experts and in building partnerships with relevant experts and institutions around home visiting.

2. Support regional knowledge sharing and learning initiatives around ECD and health:

a. Support the organization of knowledge sharing and learning events to take place through UNICEF platforms to strengthen the capacities of UNICEF staff and relevant national stakeholders around early childhood development and health.
b. Support use of regional LearnECD platform by sharing key information with UNICEF country offices
c. Support documentation of UNICEF achievements and good practices in health

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

Minimum Qualifications

• Recently graduated within the past 2 years, or currently enrolled in, an advanced university degree in international development, public policy, public health, medicine, early childhood development, psychology or related field.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
• Have excellent academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records.
• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother, sister) working in any UNICEF office; and have no other relatives in the line of authority that the intern will report to.
• Additional consideration will be given for any past experience.

Skills and Experience

• Experience working in the field of public health, social services or related fields is an asset.
• Excellent command of the English language; other languages used in the region, particularly Russian, are an asset.
• Knowledge of political, social and economic issues in the ECA region.
• Field experience in ECA countries is an asset.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

Duration: The selected candidate will undertake the full-time role for 6 months.

Location: Selected intern will be working full-time either in-person in Geneva or online and will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for interns. Working hours at the duty station are from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. Geneva time.

Visa: The intern will be responsible for obtaining any visa required for them to travel to live and work in Switzerland; though the ECD section will offer guidance on how to complete this process. No visa/travel will be required should the internship opportunity be agreed as remote/home-based internship.

Stipend: In accordance with UNICEF’s guidelines, selected intern will be provided a monthly stipend to cover the duration of the candidate’s internship based on his/her agreed assignment location. There is no expectancy of employment at the end of the internship.

Insurance: For Geneva-based internship, UNICEF will not be responsible for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during the intern’s service, whether on or off UNICEF premises. Therefore, the selected candidate must provide proof of enrollment in a health/accident plan with coverage in Switzerland prior to starting his/her internship. HR will share additional information about Swiss mandatory insurance and taxation in due time with the selected intern.

Mandatory Courses: Selected intern will be requested to complete online mandatory courses prior to commencement of the internship.

Equipment: UNICEF will provide IT equipment to the selected candidate as this is an in-person internship. Should the internship opportunity be agreed as remote/home-based internship, UNICEF will not provide IT equipment, nor will cover internet connectivity costs; the intern is expected to use their own equipment and have access to internet.

Leave: Selected intern may take up to 2.5 days per month off work for any reason, including for medical reasons. The stipend will be reduced for any absence beyond this quota. The quota is cumulative over the duration of the internship, but there will be no compensation or carry-over to another appointment for unused leave days at the end of the internship.

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified candidate is requested to apply online and submit the following documents:

• Resume/CV;
• Cover Letter stating availability and motivation;
• Recent university or institution records certificate (or a reference letter from the academic supervisor confirming a strong performance should the records certificate not be available at this stage); and
• Duly completed online application profile

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS), 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.

Remarks:

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