Youth Programme Development Associate

Young people are agents of change whose rights need to be protected and fulfilled. Globally and in the Arab States / MENA region, there is an increased recognition and focus on young people. Addressing the needs of Young People in the region in the most effective ways would contribute positively to their health, development, participation and civic engagement in the MENA/Arab Region. A holistic and positive framework applied to the development of young people is a key step in enabling young people to develop their capacities – physical, psychological, spiritual, social, emotional, cognitive and cultural – within a safe and favorable environment, thus guaranteeing fulfillment of their rights. This paradigm shifts the traditional focus on policy and intervention from avoidance of problems and illness to enhancing the protective factors that enable healthy development, and to recognizing the rights and potential of young people. Public policies with a positive outlook on young people recognize the importance of the family, school and community environments, which actively remove barriers to holistic development and provide opportunities enabling full development of the skills, capacities and assets of young people. Adopting such positive approach to young people’s development is a key strategy in the realization of the Millennium Development Goals, the Millennium Declaration and other international commitments. Not only do all eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG) impact on young people but young people, themselves, need to be recognized as having a key role to play in their attainment.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives: Assist in building a successful and sustainable programme to create an enabling environment for youth development. The programme should provide opportunities for constructive youth leadership, and capacity building of involved NGOs. The programme should reflect the two sides of youth in development: as a beneficiary (self-growth) and as a contributor. It should clearly focus on the mode of youth engagement and base the analysis on existing youth initiatives. Duties and Responsibilities: Main responsibility: Establishing contact with government-based institutes, private sector companies and civil societies to build a comprehensive database of existing programs available for youth in the country. Summary of Key Functions: Analysis of existing national and local youth policies including the purpose/objectives of the policies; which government body is responsible; review the legislation/regulations, implementation status etc. Research on Youth Development : national youth organizations; local youth civil service organizations; what are their services and foci; coordination among organizations; organizational strengths and challenges Summarize case studies of selected National and Regional Youth Programmes including the history of the programmes, objectives, main activities/initiatives, who administers the programme, what are the development outcomes, what are the strengths and challenges of the programme, etc. Profile any new/emerging national or local Youth Development Initiatives identifying opportunities for youth to in development projects, particularly in health, local community development, education, environmental and poverty reduction programmes; prioritizing those projects in which young people can see the impact of their engagement on others Promote the notion of youth development at local, national and regional level to combat drug abuse, filling youth’s spare time with cultural and sport activities and device ways of encouraging youth to start their own SMEs. Impact of results: The key results have an impact on the success of the country programme within specific areas of cooperation. In particular, the key results have an impact on the design, operation and programming of activities, creation of strategic partnerships as well as reaching resource mobilization targets.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies: Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability Treats all people fairly without favoritism Functional Competencies: Knowledge Management and Learning Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office In-depth knowledge on civil society development issues Ability to advocate and provide policy advice Development and Operational Effectiveness Ability to execute strategic planning, results-based management and reporting Ability to carry out formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development programmes and projects, and mobilize resources Good knowledge of the Results Management Guide and Toolkit Strong IT skills

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Master’s Degree preferred or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field. Experience: At least 3 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in providing hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development projects. Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, and experience in handling of web based management and research systems. Background: Preference given to Kuwaiti nationals who are familiar with the local political framework and social dynamics that impact youth development.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Youth Programme Development Associate