Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity, with a focus on vulnerable and under-served populations.  Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.

EDC is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Project Description

The goal of the five-year, USAID-funded Integrated Child and Youth Development (ICYD) Activity is for Ugandan children and youth, especially the most vulnerable, to receive the support and services necessary to lead resilient, healthy, and productive lives. The ICYD Activity is expected to achieve the following:

1. Children and youth have improved learning outcomes
2. Children and youth are safe and healthy in their community and learning environments
3. Youth practice positive behaviors and are able to make informed decisions about their lives and relationships

This Activity will address the mutually reinforcing relationship between improving learning outcomes and improving wellbeing and employ a comprehensive approach that merges PEPFAR/Orphans and Vulnerable Children strategy’s strengths in acute vulnerability stabilization with education’s broad protective effects.

The Community Mobilization Assistant (CMA) will work with School Management Committees (SMCs) and Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs) and Community Development Officers and Assistants to initiate Local Reading Support Plans (LRSPs) and Community Journeys in school communities. The CMA will manage the literacy volunteers. The CMA will be responsible for working with and through community structures to implement project interventions to support quality implementation of the ICYD Activity. Community support activities for reading will dove tail with efforts to improve retention and school safety.

As a member of the project team:

• CMAs will work with the community to facilitate the activities in the Local Reading Support Plans (LRSPs)
• CMAs will recruit and train youth and older individuals who have successfully completed primary school on the tutoring package by ICYD EGR officers
• The CMA will work closely with the Para–Social Workers (PSWs) and Social Workers (SWs) who organize Village Child Case Management Committees (VCCMCs) at community level to provide a venue for reporting, tracking and managing child protection issues
•  Contribute community mobilization plans and strategies to an integrated zonal level project work plan
• Prepare written reports on project activities and results on a monthly and quarterly basis
• Support School Management Committees (SMCs), Parents Teachers Associations  (PTAs) and other community organizations to develop plans and strategies to address barriers to enrollment and retention; identify and recruit age-appropriate children; monitor attendance; and address school related gender based violence (SRGBV) at the school level;
• Contribute to addressing the Gender Based Violence issues at family and community levels
• Conduct these and other tasks as required in support of project goals

The candidate for the position of Community Mobilization Assistant shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

• Grade III Teaching Certificate; Diploma in a related field will be preferred

Skills and Experience:

• Experience in implementing community awareness and advocacy activities
• Skills in conducting training of communities
• Understanding of the Ugandan education context
• Knowledgeable of  local government community structures
• Ability to verbally communicate in an engaging manner and write clearly and concisely
• Ability to build effective relationships with all community local government structures and peers
• Ability to work within a cross cultural setting with tolerance and respect, and negotiate diplomatically
• Basic supervisory and management skills in team management
• Ability to work well under pressure

Language:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of Ugandan Local Languages is an added advantage.