Program and Volunteer Support Advisor | Ghana | Volunteer Internationally

***Open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada only***

Assignment Type: Canadian International Volunteer

Assignment ID: VA-107360

Assignment Title: Program and Volunteer Support Advisor

Partner: WUSC Ghana

Country: Ghana

Duration: Six months

Time Commitment: Full time

Assignment Context

Are you passionate about supporting volunteers to have a successful volunteer experience? Are you passionate about improving economic opportunities for youth, women, and marginalized communities globally?

As the Program and Volunteer Support Advisor in Accra, Ghana, you will support the WUSC Ghana team to engage and support international volunteers by ensuring consistency, responsiveness, quality, and best practices in volunteer engagement and support. In this role, you will support the general program planning and monitoring activities of the IGNI+E project by supporting WUSC partners to ensure the effective delivery of the volunteer cooperation program.

Apply today to contribute to an impactful volunteer cooperation program in Ghana!

Roles and Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the WUSC team, you will provide personal and professional guidance to international volunteers to contribute to IGNI+E volunteer assignments and volunteer cooperation program goals (e.g. knowledge sharing opportunities, skill-sharing opportunities across partners
• Support in the coordination of the in-country orientation, volunteer management training, and support for WUSC partners
• Support and advise best practices in the volunteer integration process and ongoing volunteer engagement
• Support volunteers with the safety and security protocols
• Collaborate with the staff by ensuring volunteer reporting and project monitoring and evaluation requirements are met
• Participate in pre-assignment training
• Participate in at least 3 public engagement initiatives with Canadian audiences before, during, or within 6 months after the end of the assignment. Volunteers will be equipped with the tools, training, funds, and support to achieve these goals. Volunteers must also report on each of their public engagement activities through our Volunteer Information Portal. Virtual chats and individual check-ins can be booked with the Senior Public Engagement Officer throughout the course of their assignment and during the 6 months following its completion to seek guidance and support with their public engagement activities.
• Canadian volunteers are required to do at least one activity that contributes to meeting a fundraising target of $1,500. The minimum requirement is met by each volunteer using our Volunteer Information Portal to report having sent one message to their network about their volunteer assignment that includes the link to the WUSC Shared Impact Fund webpage. This message also counts as one of their three required public engagement activities. Volunteers will be supported with the tools, training, and resources to achieve the fundraising goal.
• Submit reports as required by the partner organization and by WUSC.

Experience and Qualifications

• Degree in Social Sciences, or related field
• Experience in volunteer or employee management and engagement
• Experience in coaching, mentoring, facilitation, and/or training
• Minimum two (2) years relevant professional experience in your field of expertise
• A commitment to gender equality, youth inclusion, and international volunteering
• Flexibility, adaptability, excellent interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity
• Experience with group facilitation and training, including content development is considered an asset
• Experience living and working internationally is considered an asset.
• Written and oral fluency in English
• Flexibility, adaptability, excellent interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity
• Experience with group facilitation and trainings, including content development considered an asset
• Experience living and working internationally considered an asset
• Written and oral fluency in English.

Project Description

Volunteering for development is one of the important ways in which WUSC pursues its mission. The IGNI+E project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, supports over 70 partner organizations to advance gender equality and the economic empowerment of 1.2 million youth around the world. IGNI+E harnesses the knowledge, capacity and expertise of skilled Canadians through volunteer assignments and public engagement activities to assist partners in improving their performance, advocating for gender equality, and implementing more sustainable, innovative and inclusive initiatives and services for poor and marginalised youth, particularly young women. Overseas, our volunteers collaborate with a wide variety of partners, including enterprise and social enterprise development incubators, skills training centres, women’s organizations, and youth groups. In Canada, WUSC works with institutions and individuals to identify, prepare, and support volunteers who travel overseas to support our partners. Our network in Canada also works with WUSC to raise awareness among Canadians to inspire greater action on global development issues. Our collective focus is on sustainable and inclusive changes to create a better world for youth.

Partner Description

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a Canadian non-profit organization with a mission to enhance education, economic opportunities, and empowerment for youth. WUSC works with a diverse network of volunteers, students, institutions, governments, and businesses. Together, WUSC and its networks foster youth-centered solutions to overcome inequality and exclusion, with a vision of a better world for all young people. Funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the IGNI+E project (Innovative Global Networks for Inclusion + Equality, pronounced ‘ignite’) will be implemented in at least 8 countries between 2020-27. By strengthening the performance of key stakeholders in the employment/self-employment ecosystem including service delivery organizations, employers, government bodies, civil society organizations, training institutions and women’s organizations, the IGNI+E project will improve the socio-economic well-being of poor and marginalized youth, particularly young women. In some countries, the project will also target youth and young women with compounding vulnerabilities, such as forcibly displaced youth, marginalized women and youth impacted by climate change. To support partners to generate inclusive and sustainable employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, 1 million Canadians will be engaged along a continuum of awareness to action on key global issues, with 50,000 Canadians undertaking an action to sustain IGNI+E’s development impact.

Support Package

• Support and guidance from the WUSC Volunteer Mobilization Team prior to departure and from the WUSC Country Team while on assignment
• Pre-departure training to learn about the volunteering for development program, gain practical skills for living and working in an intercultural context and network with other volunteers
• In-country orientation upon arrival in country of assignment
• Language training in country of assignment, where required
• Modest monthly living and accommodation allowance
• Airfare to and from the assignment country
• Visa/work permit
• Pre-departure medical exam
• Health insurance
• Vaccinations and antimalarial medication
• Criminal record verification
• Vacation leave entitlement
• Debriefing after completion of assignment
• An incredible opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to global development, enhance your professional skills and participate in an experience of a lifetime!