Job Title: Consultants for Youth Development Projects
Location: Any of our 53 member countries
Closing date: 15th July 2015
JOB TASK AND DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Consultant for Youth Development Projects
Division: Youth Division
Reports To: Director, Youth (or delegate)
General Consultancy Pool
The Youth Division is seeking to establish a pool of specialists with expertise in youth development, to play a key role in contributing to delivery of strategic outcomes of the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP), listed below. The expert pool will be established for a two year period, and once included, consultants will be approached to consider specific assignments as required. These short term assignments may be based in any of our 53 member countries.
Tasks
Consultants will be required to undertake one-time assignments, and tasks may include:
General Information
The Youth Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat delivers the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) to engage and empower young people (ages 15-29) to enhance their contribution to development. This is done in partnership with young people, governments and other key stakeholders.
The CYP was established by Commonwealth Heads of Government to “…work towards a society where young men and women are empowered to develop their potential, creativity and skills as productive and dynamic members of their societies and participate fully at every level of decision-making and development, both individually and collectively, promoting Commonwealth values of international co-operation.”
The CYP is aimed at the effective participation of young women and men in the development process and for social transformation, and values their full engagement at all levels of decisionmaking.
The Commonwealth Secretariat’s Strategic Plan 2013/14–2016/17 outlines the overall outcome for its youth-focused work as: Youth more integrated and valued in political and development processes. This entails two intermediate outcomes containing general activity areas as follows:
1. Enabling Environments: National and pan-Commonwealth frameworks advance the social, political and economic empowerment of young people.
1.1 Policies and Frameworks: member states in the process of developing, strengthening or implementing frameworks (policies, systems, modalities, measurements, etc.) for youth empowerment and mainstreamed participation.
1.2 Youth Work Professionalisation: member states engaged in the professionalisation of youth work.
2. Youth Engagement and Empowerment: young people are empowered and supported to participate meaningfully, and to take forward youth-led initiatives.
2.1 Youth Networks and Platforms: national, regional and pan-Commonwealth youth networks and platforms established or strengthened.
Education and Experience
Detailed job specifications will be supplied individually for each specialist role required for the CYP at the time that consultants with relevant expertise are contacted about an available position. However, the following general requirements are listed as guidance and will be used in the assessment of submissions for inclusion in the pool.
Competencies
Applicants should be able to demonstrate:
How to Apply:
Individual experts, think-tanks, consultancy companies, academic and research institutions are encouraged to apply.
Interested individuals should apply with their detailed CVs outlining their educational qualifications, professional engagements, and a list of other, relevant work undertaken, e.g. publications.
Interested bodies should submit a prospectus outlining their relevant experience and achievements together with the CVs of experts who would work on assignments (CVs should be as above).
For the avoidance of doubt, submissions are required from both bodies and individuals, where there is a possibility that the latter is able to work independently.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 countries that support each other and work together towards shared goals in democracy and development. The world’s largest and smallest, richest and poorest countries make up the Commonwealth and are home to two billion citizens of all faiths and ethnicities – over half of whom are 25 or under. Member countries span six continents and oceans from Africa (19) to Asia (8), the Americas (2), the Caribbean (12), Europe (3) and the South Pacific (10). The Commonwealth, with roots as far back as the 1870s, believes that the best democracies are achieved through partnerships – of governments, business, and civil society. This unique association was reconstituted in 1949 when Commonwealth Prime Ministers met and adopted what has become known as the ‘London Declaration’ where it was agreed all member countries would be “freely and equally associated.” Since then membership has continued to grow. The most recent members are Rwanda - which was admitted at the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Cameroon and Mozambique, which was the first country to join with no historical or administrative association with another Commonwealth country. Beyond the ties of history, language and institutions, it is the association’s values which unite its members: democracy, freedom, peace, the rule of law and opportunity for all. These values were agreed and set down by all Commonwealth Heads of Government at two of their biennial meetings (known as CHOGMs) in Singapore in 1971 and reaffirmed twenty years later in Harare. At government level, the values are protected by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), a rotating group of nine Foreign Ministers, which assesses the nature of any infringement and recommends measures for collective action from member countries. It has the authority to suspend or even recommend to Heads of Government that a member country be expelled. When member countries have been suspended the Commonwealth continues to do everything possible to bring them back into the fold. While CMAG represents one aspect of the Commonwealth’s commitment to democratic principles, many more discreet interventions are made through ‘good offices’ work, where specially appointed representatives conduct quiet diplomacy as part of efforts to prevent or resolve conflicts and build dialogue and democratic structures. As well as Heads of Government, ministers responsible for education, environment, civil society, finance, foreign affairs, gender affairs, health law, tourism and youth also meet regularly. This ensures that Commonwealth policies and programmes represent views of the members and gives governments a better understanding of each other’s goals in an increasingly globalised world. There are three intergovernmental organisations in the association: the Commonwealth Secretariat (which executes plans agreed by Commonwealth Heads of Government through technical assistance, advice and policy development); the Commonwealth Foundation (which helps civil society organisations promote democracy, development and cultural understanding) and the Commonwealth of Learning (which encourages the development and sharing of open learning and distance education). Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is Head of the Commonwealth and Kamalesh Sharma, current Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, is the principal global advocate for the Commonwealth and Chief Executive of the Secretariat. Citizen-to-citizen links are as important to the Commonwealth as the contacts between member governments. The Commonwealth’s worldwide network of around 90 professional and advocacy organisations, most of which bear its name, continues to grow with a third of these based outside the UK. They work at local, national, regional or international levels and play crucial roles in policy, political or social aspects of Commonwealth life. One such organisation is the Commonwealth Games Federation, which manages the four-yearly multi-sport event. Commonwealth countries work together in a spirit of co-operation, partnership and understanding. This openness and flexibility are integral to the Commonwealth's effectiveness. Emphasis on equality has helped it play leading roles in decolonisation, combating racism and advancing sustainable development in poor countries. This support network of countries and organisations is involved in a diverse range of work, from helping trade negotiations, building the small business sector and encouraging women entrepreneurs to supporting the quality and quantity of teachers, and increasing understanding of HIV/AIDS. As well as working with each other, member countries and organisations have also built alliances outside the Commonwealth. Commonwealth ideas have been taken up by the World Bank on Small States, by the World Health Organization on the migration of doctors and nurses, by the International Labour Organization on the migration of teachers. Its support and expertise have been enlisted by the European Union (EU) and the African Union on building governance in Africa, and by the EU and the Pacific Islands Forum on building governance in the Pacific. The Commonwealth is part of the world that it serves, sharing the same interests as those of its citizens: democratic freedom and economic and social development.
