Organization: UNV – United Nations Volunteers
Location: Dhaka
Grade: Level not specified – Level not specified
Occupational Groups:
Social Affairs
Civil Society and Local governance
Closing Date: 2024-09-25
Details
Mission and objectives
UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with Bangladesh ever since its birth and through its remarkable journey from a war-ravaged economy to a middle-income country. It remains a catalyst in Bangladesh’s journey from Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. UNDP assists in building institutions and helps strengthen institutional capacities through people-centric, pro-poor, inclusive and sustainable policy making and development governance.
Context
Local Government Initiative on Climate Change (LoGIC) is a multi-donor collaborative initiative of GoB, UNDP, UNCDF, European Union (EU), Sweden and Denmark. It aims to enhance the capacity of vulnerable communities, Local Government Institutions, and civil society organizations for planning and financing climate change adaptation solutions in selected climate-vulnerable areas. This project was initially designed for 4 years and based on an independent assessment and success of initial results, it was extended up to June 30, 2023, for 2 years. To sustain the results and scale up the LoGIC model nationally to innovate and institutionalize the climate financing model across Bangladesh, the development partners signed an agreement to extend the project for a two years bridging/extension phase effective from July 2023 to June 2025; also extended the project working area in two districts of the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT), Rangamati and Bandarban. The Local Government Division (LGD) is the implementing lead of the project in partnership with UNDP and UNCDF.
The project has three specific objectives, such as:
1) To strengthen the capacity of local governments, households and other local stakeholders to develop local plans that integrate climate change adaptation measures and disaster risk management.
2) To establish a financing mechanism to fund local governments and communities for implementing climate change adaptation measures.
3) To produce information and evidence to feed further improvements in policies and practices for UPs and national systems in relation to climate change adaptation.
LoGIC will support the most vulnerable 500,000 households based in hard-to-reach areas in 94 unions of 29 Upazila in 9 districts of Bangladesh. By achieving the objectives and results, the project will contribute to the reduction of poverty and climate vulnerability in Bangladesh. During the two-year bridging/extension phase, a project proposal to be designed to submit to Green Climate Fund (GCF) in close collaboration with National Designated Authority (NDA) to harness the international funding for scaling up the model nationwide and to all climate stress areas.
In order to address the vulnerabilities of Bangladesh to climate change, the project envisages the following priority areas of action:
a) Building capacities of individuals and households with information, knowledge, skills, and technologies to adapt to climate change as well as leadership skills to influence the local planning process.
b) Building capacity of the local NGOs, CBOs, local institutions and LGIs in climate change integrated planning, budgeting, and implementation with high degree of accountability and inclusive practice.
c) Providing funds to LGIs and vulnerable households to plan and implement climate resilient activities and interventions at community and household level.
d) Generating knowledge and mobilize opinion for shaping a Local Climate Fiscal Framework and Enhance readiness of both LGIs and the Local Government Division to utilize national and international climate finance in an accountable way.
Task description
Under the overall supervision, control and guidance of the District Climate Change Coordinator (DCCC) and close collaboration with LoGIC district team, project beneficiaries, local youths, CSO, union and upazila parishad and relevant line departments, the Community UN Volunteers will undertake the following but not limited to tasks:
I. Facilitate Community Mobilization activities and develop community organizations in project areas:
• Play pro-active role in implementing CRF activities at union level following the guidelines and timeframe.
• Assist implementation of PBCRG activities at union level.
• Facilitate formation, operation, and management of CRF Groups, Climate-Smart Cooperatives, and Green Enterprises of the CRF beneficiaries following the CRF manual, SOP and respective Handbooks/manuals.
• Facilitate formation, operation, and management of youth forums and federations at ward and union level.
• Facilitate youth action plan development process.
• Ensure active and effective participation of community people, leaders, up representatives, and other key stakeholders in programme events and activities.
II. Conduct capacity building activities for Community Organizations (i.e., CRF Groups, Climate-Smart Cooperatives, Green Enterprises, and Youth Forums and Federations) into his/her assigned areas:
• Facilitate regular meetings of CRF Groups, Climate-Smart Cooperatives, Green Enterprises, and Youth Forums and Federations, and support them to prepare meeting resolutions.
• Assist maintaining proper records and documents of CRF Groups, Climate-Smart Cooperatives, Green Enterprises, and Youth Forums and Federations.
• Organize and facilitate trainings for CRF Groups, Climate-Smart Cooperatives, Green Enterprises, and Youth Forums and Federations.
• Assist organizing issue-based meetings, workshops, seminars.
• Develop capacity of CRF Groups, Cooperatives, and Enterprises in organizational and financial management, product development, market linkage, and bankability through in-formal capacity building strategies like courtyard session, coaching and mentoring.
• Assist CRF groups in opening bank account and mobile wallet.
• Assist CRF Groups, Cooperatives, and Enterprises in maintaining Banking activities and regular accounting system following their policies and standard procedures.
• Build capacity of the CRF beneficiaries to become graduated following the Graduation Model of LoGIC.
III. Facilitate effective implementation of Community Resilience Fund (CRF):
• Orient CRF beneficiaries on the objectives, procedures, and effective utilization of Com-munity Resilience Fund (CRF).
• Assist CRF Groups, Cooperatives, and Enterprises to select appropriate climate adaptive livelihood / business options.
• Facilitate CRF Groups, Cooperatives, and Enterprises to develop business plan following prescribed guideline and template.
• Ensure necessary supports and services in implementation of the Business Plans of CRF Groups, Cooperatives, and Enterprises.
• Assist CRF Groups, Cooperatives, and Enterprises in maintaining their books of ac-counts.
IV. Organize and facilitate assessment, monitoring and evaluation of project progress and outcomes:
• Identify potential challenges/barriers/problems in implementing the project activities as well as the the plans of the CRF Groups, Cooperatives, Enterprises and Youth Forums and take necessary steps to resolve them timely.
• Assist in organizing visit for Donors, CO, PMU, or any other agency.
• Assist project officials with monitoring and documentation of project activities including collection, compilation and consolidation of data on project related activities and indicators and maintain relevant records.
• Update LoGIC ATM and MIS regularly.
• Prepare relevant knowledge documents including Case Stories and submit to DCCC.
• Prepare plan and report and submit to DCCC following the prescribed template and frequency.
• Provide any other data and information to PMU as required.
V. Maintain effective communication, coordination with programme beneficiaries and others key stakeholders:
• Assist District Project Team in overall project implementation at union level.
• Participate in the trainings, workshops and seminars organized by the project.
• Maintain regular communication with CRF Groups, Cooperatives, and Enterprises to follow-up their planned activities.
• Develop working relation with Project Team, UP Bodies, Local Administration, Line Department Officials, Community Leaders, CSOs, NGOs, Youth Groups, and Market Players to ensure their supports-services for CRF beneficiaries, groups, cooperatives, and enterprises and provide need-based supports.
• Accomplish any other work as required by the project and/or the authority.
Furthermore, UN Community Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day).
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
Results/Expected Outputs:
• Mobilized climate vulnerable poor communities and developed their organizations in the selected climate-stricken areas.
• Strengthened capacity of the Community Organizations (i.e., CRF Groups, Climate-Smart Cooperatives, Green Enterprises, and Youth Forums and Federations) in the assigned areas.
• Contributed to improvement of climate resilient livelihoods and well-being of climate vulnerable poor peoples through effective implementation supports of climate financing.
• Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated, and documented in all activities throughout the assignment.
• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated-ed in, and capacities developed.