About VSO
VSO is the world’s leading independent international development organization
that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries. Our
high-impact approach brings people together to share skills, build
capabilities, promote international understanding and action to change lives
and make the world a fairer place.
Role
overview
Provide Coaching, mentoring and support
to teachers, parents, school children
and community members to improve the school-based livelihoods activities. In
close partnership with school leaders, parents, and district agriculture officer,
you will establish a model school gardens. By establishing a school garden you
will be involved to secure land (normally offered by school), proper land
preparations, securing relevant farm inputs, and engaging parents and community
members to participate voluntarily in its establishment. You will coach ,
mentor and support the school leaders and parents so that they will be able to
take over the responsibility for subsequent maintenance of the school garden
including to ensure that it continues to support the education of ECE children.
This is part of
VSO’s STRENGTHENING SCHOOL READINESS in Rwanda project funded to improve
pre-service and in-service school services for early-childhood education and
school-based livelihoods activities. This is a fulltime national volunteering
opportunity to be based in Nyamasheke District.
Skills,
qualifications and experience required
This job supports a VSO project funded to strengthen the early-childhood
pre-service, school systems of early-childhood education and school-based
livelihoods activities in Nyamasheke District.
The job involves
supporting schools to develop model pre-primary practices:
• Coach, mentor and support teachers, parents, school children and community
members to improve the school-based livelihoods activities.
• Establish a model school gardens In close partnership with school leaders,
parents, and district agriculture officer.
• Secure land (normally offered by school), proper land preparations, secure
relevant farm inputs, and engaging parents and community members to participate
voluntarily in its establishment.
• Support the school leaders and parents so that they will be able to take over
the responsibility for subsequent maintenance of the school garden including to
ensure that it continues to support the education of ECE children.
• Monitor progress of school-based livelihoods activities supported by
projects.
• Provide technical support to assigned ECE centres depending on their needs.
• Work in close collaboration with ECE centres and community members to
strengthen school management and functioning (records keeping, financial
management, organisational structures, etc.)
• Collaborate with head of schools, project Manager and community members to
ensure quality results.
• To enable ECE centres to diversify their livelihoods activities.
Reporting
• Prepare reports for all the work done and contribute to the livelihood
reporting.
Other
duties
As necessary, represent VSO Rwanda in the sector and the district. Fulfil other
appropriate responsibilities as instructed by the line manager from time to
time.
NB: Due to the nature of our
volunteer placements, it is possible that the responsibilities of this role may
differ in reality and therefore the postholder will need to be prepared to be
flexible and adapt to their environment as necessary
This placement is
part of a VSO ECE funded project which will be managed by the VSO Rwanda
Education programme staff. The main purpose of the project is to strengthen the
pre-service and school system for early-childhood education in Rwanda and
improve the school-based livelihoods activities. The government and Ministry of
Education have acknowledged the importance of providing quality ECE for
children as a foundation for future education success and economic development.
However, despite ambitious and well-intentioned government efforts to deliver
educational outcomes at pre-primary level, challenges remain due to systemic
deficiencies and low technical capacity. The programme will provide a range of
inputs to tackle these challenges and provide a foundation for the provision of
quality ECE.
VSO is seeking to
initiate volunteers programme to provide opportunity to young graduates to
support implementation of its livelihood work in education programme. The
opportunity for the applicant would be to work in a leading international NGO
and to contribute to the welfare of the country while at the same earning
valuable experience that complements your educational qualification and give
you an experience crucial for your future career. We would invite only highly
motivated youths to apply for this is a volunteering opportunity and not a job.
The volunteers will however be given a modest living allowance that will be
sufficient to cover their basic needs only; CSR and medical insurance. The
opportunity will be for a period of one year.
Schools or community
early-childhood development centres with pre-primary classes in the vicinities
of TTCs will benefit from intensive training and coaching support. Through
working in those schools activities will be implemented in regard to the
identification, assessment and inclusion of children with special needs of
pre-primary age in schools through engaging with communities, parents and other
relevant agencies. It is known that many special needs can much more
effectively met if those needs are identified and tackled at an early stage.
Also, outreach activities will be implemented to secure parents’ direct support
for the educational development – a key factor in future academic achievement.
The approaches taken will build on those being applied in existing programmes
in Rwanda in order to extend the learning in these areas.
Programme activities will largely be delivered by a team of full-time national
volunteer advisors supplied by VSO. These advisors will improve their skills
and knowledge on school based livelihood activities. The recruited national
volunteers will work on a voluntary basis to gain vital work experience and
they will work closely with the VSO technical advisors to support schools with
effective engagement with communities and parents and bring their knowledge of
the local context into the development of teaching materials.
Further information about the work of the VSO Education Programme can be found
on the VSO Learning Hub. Information on VSO’s programmes in each of the
countries in which we work can be found on the VSO website.
How to apply
If you’re interested in applying for this role, please download the job
description to read more details about the position and the skills and
experience we’re looking for. To submit your application, click on ‘Apply now’ and complete all relevant fields
on the online application form.
Application
closing date
02 Jun 2016
Interview/Assessment
date(s)
As soon as possible
Start date
As soon as possible
