Starting Date: 1 March 2021

Duration: 4 months

Status:  Consultant

Child Safeguarding Policy: Level 3 – The job holder will have regular contact with children

In the challenging environment of open accommodation sites for refugees and asylum seekers, child protection mechanisms need a strong community basis to extend their protective reach to cover children’s needs on a 24/7 basis and enlist community ownership. Community-based child protection mechanisms (CBCPM) serve as fora where community members meet to discuss child protection issues and identify solutions that are most purposeful to their situation. They can be formal or informal community structures, representing all sectors in the community – including children themselves, uniting members to defend child rights and protect children from violence, neglect, exploitation and abuse. In the COVID-19 era, they can also function as health awareness mechanisms and even help with tracking of cases in the event of contagion. SolidarityNow will implement a 4-month pilot CBCPM project in 4 mainland open accommodation sites (representing both Northern and Southern Greece), with the aim of documenting best practices and tools and training humanitarian field actors across the country.

Generic responsibilities

• Assess the risk factors in the four selected sites that may affect children’s safety and security, utilizing the input of the community and field actors;
• Conduct an initial assessment of existing child protection mechanisms on sites, with an emphasis on CBCP mechanisms that can be strengthened and evolved;
• Create a targeted questionnaire for future fast-track assessments conducted by other actors, after the end of the piloting phase;
• Raise awareness on CBCPM and promote a common understanding of CBCPM tools among field actors;
• Launch new CBCP mechanisms, and reinforce existing ones, to tackle general and site-specific security concerns raised during the assessment phase, including, but not limited to: awareness raising session of children’s rights, first aid, online security; training of CBCPM focal points; creation of CBCPM committees comprised of adults and/or children, etc;
• Utilize both in-person and web-based tools, respecting Covid-19 health restrictions;
• Support and provide guidance to SN field teams and beneficiaries’ communities on how to implement CBCPM;
• Create and deliver trainings targeting field actors on mapping and supporting CBCPM mechanisms;
• Produce a comprehensive final report that will document the entire process, focusing on best practices and lessons learnt for a successful future implementation.

Qualifications

Essential

• Excellent English, and preferably Greek
• University degree on social sciences, preferably with advanced university study focusing on human rights, child protection, and community empowerment
• Experience with vulnerable communities, with a special focus on children
• Extensive knowledge of community mobilization tools and mechanisms
• Experience in working with children and designing engagement tools tailored for children and youth
• Advanced research and writing skills – experience with Focus Group Discussions and qualitative research methodologies focusing the perspective of communities’ most vulnerable members
• Knowledge of the Greek refugee context and at least basic understanding of national child protection mechanisms
• Experience with training stakeholders and field actors on child protection
• Excellent computer skills, including video-conferencing tools and a range of online/mobile communication platforms

Desired

• Communication skills in one or more refugee native languages
• Previous experience with community-based child protection
• Knowledge of community-based child protection mechanisms often deployed in refugee origin countries

If you are interested in applying, please send your CV and motivation letter to thes-recruitment@solidaritynow.org mentioning in the email subject “CBCPM Consultant”.

SN is an equal opportunity employer. Persons with disabilities and from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Recruitment processes reflect SN’s commitment to keeping children safe from harm and abuse. Employment is subject to SN Child protection standards, including background checks and adherence to SN Child Safeguarding Policy.

Due to the urgency of recruitment, SN reserves the right to complete the process as soon as the suitable candidate has been identified. Interested candidates should submit their applications (CV and motivation letter) no later than February 28th, 2021.

Only short-listed candidates will receive a written reply.