Job title: Youth Field Assistant
Job family: Facilitate the formation of youth groups, Training youth groups in group dynamics, governance, conflict resolution. Assessment, identification, and enrollment of youth for apprenticeship Assessment of artisan, identification and matching of youth for apprenticeship Routine follow up of youth during training and tracing of youth after training. Mentor youth to start-up and grow their business
Dept./Team: Programmes
Reporting to: Enterprise Development Officer
Location: Rubirizi, Mitooma, Bushenyi, Sheema, Buhweju, Ibanda, Kiruhura, Ntungamo, Isingiro, Kamwenge, Mbarara
Job purpose:
Ensure successful delivery of the Youth Inclusive Dairy Market Support (YIDaMS) project, mobilise youth to participant in the project, assess youth for skilling, monitor, track youth skills acquisition and retention by artisan, and link youth for job opportunities. Follow up on group actions plans and support the youth to start, grow and manage their business.

Key Accountabilities:
• Data validation: Participate in the assessment and door to door verification of household of youth.
• Meet Parent/ Caregiver for Orientation and permission seeking: You will orient Parents/ care givers on the program and obtain their consent to engage the identified youth to participate in youth program activities.
Formation of groups: YFA will ensure the selection of youths from enrolled households and assess beneficiaries who are interested in pursuing different trades and form them into groups of 15-20 members.
• Support Youth to engage in the activities below
i. Conduct a basic situation analysis for the vulnerable youth to find out their interests and abilities
ii. Conduct capacity/skill gaps assessment to assess their skills gaps and resource base.
iii. Provide information on the different marketable trades in the region (guided by the report from the labor market study).
Guide youths on suitable trades that match their personal interests, skills and ability.
v. Facilitate training in SMART skills, Financial Education and business skills

• Youth Apprentices: This will involve placing and monitoring of youth on apprenticeship.
• Engagement of Artisans
i. Identify artisans within the youth geographical are
ii. Attach youth to local artisans for apprenticeship
iii. Monitor trainings
iv. Mentor youth to start / grow own businesses
• Engagement of trainers
i. Facilitate dairy -enterprise training (through linkages)
ii. Facilitate formation of Enterprise specific groups that could grow into milk collection points at subcounty level
iii. Facilitate linkage to markets and other trainings e.g Association management dynamics
iv. Monitor trainings and linkages
v. Mentor youth to start / grow own farms, business
• Make weekly, monthly and annual work plans and submit to the supervisor.
a) Produce project status reports and submit timely to Youth Project Officer.
b) Work closely with beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders.
c) Consistently document lessons learned and experiences gained from the project.
d) Report apparent issues to the Livestock Extension Worker and make recommendations

Learning & skills
Bachelor’s Degree in Development Studies, Social Works and Social Administration, entrepreneurship or any humanitarian studies and or a Diploma in the above mentioned fields.
Creativity & reasoning
The role requires a good understanding of youth skilling, dairy value addition, product development, community and rural development, business development and linkages to business development services
Communication & interaction
The role requires clear communication skills. One should be able to clearly communicate to the stakeholders the project goal and outcomes. He/she should be able to creatively prepare clear reports that show the project progress.

The role requires interaction with the implementing team, communities, private service providers and local government authorities. One should be able to quickly learn the culture of the community to support their ability to interact. He/she should have a good problem-solving approach and conflict resolution at individual and community level
Stewardship
The role should have good level of computer literacy and demonstrated ability to capture data/information using different advanced computer software, produce computer-based reports, read and interpret monitoring data presented through spread sheets and interact and respond appropriately to other Ripple Effect countries through IT media
Judgements & actions
The role works within broad guidelines that include capacity building & networking among others and thus should be able to plan their time accordingly to ensure all areas are supported. The role involves high level of interaction with staff and other project actors for effective technical and advisory role.
One should be able to clearly judge impact and uptake of quality markets and linkages approaches among the community beneficiaries avoiding situations that create dependency among the project participants. Business models being promoted should be impactful and simple enough for communities to adopt.
Working environment
To enhance close supervision, the role requires presence in the field monitoring and building capacity up to 90% of the time and the rest would be consumed in building networks for purposes of targeting quality markets.
Occasionally the role may be exposed to stressful conditions during travel in the field traversing the project area while providing supervision and other support.

Role & Person Specification 
Organizational context
Personal competencies and talents Status
Education/Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in Development Studies, Social Works and Social Administration, entrepreneurship or any humanitarian studies and or a Diploma in the above – mentioned fields

Experience
• Rich field and community development work experience with minimum of 2 years of supervising extension workers
• Knowledge in extension services delivery
• Knowledge and experience in skilling
• Experience in linkages to business development services
• Experience of assessing, placement, monitoring and tracking of apprentices.
• Youth Management experience

Skills/Abilities
• Full and deep understanding of all technical aspects of the Ripple Effect programme
• Strong people management ability
• Numerate
• Good communication and presentation skills
• Report writing skills
• Team player
• Skills is computer applications such as word, excel, outlook and PowerPoint
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong networking skills.
• Able to participate on a practical level with government and other development partners

Personal Qualities
• Have empathy with Ripple Effect’s Christian foundation and core values
• An initiator and self-driven
• A team leader, builder and developer
• A broad and mature thinker
• A strategic thinker with an eye for detail
• Creative and innovative
• A team player. Flexible.
• Understands the importance of confidentiality especially for data.

Essential
• Postgraduate training in related field is an added advantage
• Experience in NGO work.
• Experience in agriculture value chain
• Experience in research and development
• Knowledge in extension services delivery
• Ability to identify funding opportunities