Adolescent and Partnership Development Assistant

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated.

Viet Nam has been experiencing a period of demographic dividend, recording the highest proportion of young people in the country’s history. Data in 2023 shows that the number of adolescents aged 10-19 is more than 14 million, accounting for 14% of the total population (UNICEF Adolescent Data Portal). This demographic window of opportunity presents Viet Nam with a unique chance to plan for population transformation and make the new generation of adolescents and young people the driver of social and economic progress.

Adolescence is a critical period that marks the transition between childhood and adulthood. UNICEF Viet Nam promotes the rights and well-being of adolescents which requires action that touches on multiple aspects of their lives, notably their health and nutrition, education, protection, and participation.

In the 2022-2026 programme cycle, adolescent development and participation (ADAP) is specified as a cross-cutting issue in various inputs. The cross-sectoral ADAP work of Viet Nam Country Office is coordinated through the office-wide ADAP working group (WG), chaired by the Chief of Social Policy & Governance, with members from all programmatic sections. The WG acts as a platform to exchange knowledge, share good practices, mobilize joint resources, and synergize different ADAP-related initiatives and activities.

The UN Volunteer will support the implementation of different cross-sectoral ADAP initiatives and help strengthen the operations of the ADAP working group, thus contribute to the advancement of adolescent development and youth engagement, in alignment with UNICEF Programme Guidance for the Second Decade: Programming with and for Adolescents as a contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Under the direct supervision of the Adolescents and Youth Engagement Officer, Social Policy & Governance section, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Support the implementation of the revamp of UPSHIFT programme by working with AIESEC, Ho Chi Minh City Association for Women Entrepreneurs and Executives – HAWEE, and other relevant stakeholders to empower adolescent and young girls with social innovation skills and entrepreneurship mindsets, supporting them in their journey from learning to earning.
• Contribute to the execution of relevant cross-sectoral adolescent development and participation (ADAP) initiatives, including the Youth-led Action Initiative to equip adolescents and young people with essential skills to implement their own advocacy projects.
• Contribute to drive strategic partnerships with diverse partners, including the Youth Un-ion and different youth-led groups/organizations.
• Provide administrative support and assist the operations of the cross-sectoral ADAP working group of UNICEF Viet Nam, including participating in ADAP working group meetings, taking meeting minutes, and following up with agreed action points.
• Provide support as relevant to the preparation of donor proposals and donor reports for cross-sectoral ADAP work.
• Support in the outreach, nurturing, and engagement with the private sector and networks of young innovators and entrepreneurs to assist UNICEF in creating awareness on child rights and enabling the local mobilization of resources.
• Provide technical support and assist in other tasks as requested and as deemed necessary to achieve the cross-sectoral ADAP programme objectives.