National Volunteer: Girls’ Empowerment Associate

  • Volunteer, Long-term consulting assignment
  • Posted on 27 August 2025
  • Save for later

Job Description

Role Title: National Volunteer – Girls’ Empowerment Associate

Country: Dhaka, Bangladesh (with field travel as required)

Duration: Till 31/03/2026, Possible extension till 31/03/2027

Role purpose: The National Volunteer – Girls’ Empowerment Associate will support the economic and social empowerment of adolescent girls and young women by facilitating life skills training, promoting access to income-generating activities, and strengthening community-based protection and support mechanisms. This role aims to build girls’ confidence, leadership, and economic agency so they can make informed decisions about their futures. The volunteer will work with girls’ groups, families, schools, and community leaders to identify barriers to girls’ participation in livelihoods and education, and co-create solutions that are safe, inclusive, and sustainable. A key focus will be on raising awareness about gender-based violence, early marriage, and harmful social norms that restrict girls’ opportunities. The volunteer will help create safe spaces where girls can learn, express themselves, and gain skills for economic independence. They will also support linkages with youth-friendly services, vocational training centers, and local markets to enhance girls’ access to economic resources. By mobilizing youth leaders and community stakeholders, the volunteer will promote positive role models and advocate for enabling environments where girls are respected, protected, and given equal chances to thrive. This role is a powerful opportunity to contribute to long-term gender equality through grassroots action and volunteerism.

Safeguarding level: Level 2: This post will have direct access or contact with children either or will have responsibility for the day-to-day management of those with direct access to children. A criminal background check (Enhance DBS check for UK or equivalent Police check) will be obtained for post holder at this level prior to their start date.

Project background and contextual information: The ACTIVE Extension Project addresses systemic challenges of limited civic engagement, weak accountability in service delivery and the marginalization of youth, women and persons with disabilities in decision making. It adopts an integrated, intersectional approach across key thematic areas SRHR, climate resilience, livelihoods, DRR, child protection, system strengthening and safeguarding through practical, community-led interventions and inclusive governance mechanisms. Building on the foundation of ACTIVE Phase-1, the project will scale successful models such as National Youth Forums, MILE participatory learning and grassroots advocacy, while creating synergies with other VSO initiatives to enhance volunteer mobilization and policy influence. Implemented across all 64 districts of Bangladesh, it aims to strengthen community platforms and institutional responsiveness, reaching over 100,000 individuals and advancing inclusive, accountable and resilient public services.

Role outputs

  • Facilitate awareness sessions and campaigns on girls’ rights, education, bodily autonomy, and GBV prevention in schools and communities.
  • Strengthen peer support mechanisms by forming and mentoring girls’ clubs, safe spaces, and youth-led learning groups.
  • Promote an inclusive, adolescent-friendly learning environment by engaging with parents, teachers, SMCs, and communities.
  • Support community-based advocacy and learning initiatives, including observances and mentoring under the National Youth Forum.
  • Monitor and document progress, challenges, and safeguarding risks, ensuring proper referrals and evidence-based reporting.

Experience and skills required for this volunteer placement

  • Educational background in Gender Studies, Social Sciences, Education, Development Studies, or Public Health
  • Demonstrated interest or experience in gender equality, girls’ education, SRHR, or youth empowerment
  • Awareness of child rights, gender-based violence, adolescent development, and SRHR
  • Experience in training facilitation, community mobilisation, or advocacy is an advantage
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, especially with adolescents and community members
  • Skilled in Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
  • Willing and able to travel to field locations and adapt to diverse environments
  • Knowledge of safeguarding, protection, and inclusive volunteer engagement principles

Additional Information

Equal Opportunities: VSO promotes equal opportunities and values a diverse workforce.

VSO reserves the right to close this job early if we receive a sufficient number of applications.

Disclaimer: VSO is committed to a fair, transparent and merit-based recruitment. VSO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Any such request in VSO’s name is fraudulent and should be disregarded. Please report suspicious requests to recruitment@vsoint.org

All volunteers have an allowance paid in local currency. The allowance meets reasonable living expenses in country, but will not be enough to send money home.

VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.

Deadline for Applications: September 7, 2025

“While we try our best to keep our information updated, the closing date of the actual job source may be changed by the recruiter without prior notice. With this, please make sure to check the official job link when submitting your application. Thank you.”

About the Organization

VSO is an international development charity that works through volunteers. Our vision is a world without poverty in which people work together to fulfil their potential. We bring people together to share skills, creativity and learning to build a fairer world. VSO welcomes volunteers from an ever increasing range of countries, backgrounds and ages. National agencies in Canada, Kenya, the Netherlands and the Philippines recruit volunteers from many different countries worldwide and this international approach allows us to combine and learn from a rich variety of perspectives. Tackling Disadvantage at "Grass Roots" Level Ours is a very individual "people to people" approach to development. Instead of sending food or money, we send women and men from a wide range of professions who want the chance to make a real difference in the fight against poverty. These volunteers work in partnership with colleagues and communities to share skills and learning and jointly achieve change. But we have to be realistic in our expectations. We commit to long-term development goals and long-term partnerships and focus on sustainable development rather than the short-term relief of certain problems. VSO also works to address the structural inequalities and barriers that prevent people from exercising their rights. We use our experience and our supporter networks to work for changes in policy and practice - rich and poor countries - that reduce disadvantage. VSO is by far the largest independent volunteer-sending agency in the world. Since 1958, we have sent out more than 29,000 volunteers to work in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific region and, more latterly, Eastern Europe in response to requests from our overseas partners. At the moment we have around 1,500 people working in placements in these regions. Shared Partnerships, Shared Benefits You only have to talk to VSO volunteers to realise that they gain from their experience, personally or professionally, as much as they contribute. Many will enthuse how fascinating it was to explore a different culture at first hand. Others will point to the friendships they have made. But many will also tell you how their professional talents have been stretched, and how they have learnt new skills that will significantly enhance their career prospects on their return home. If ever it was true that "you get out what you put in", VSO is proof positive. This experience makes volunteers passionate in challenging misconceptions about developing countries. In the current climate, it is more urgent than ever that we work to achieve a global community where people of all cultures are seen as equal, learn from each other and share a common sense of rights and responsibilities as global citizens. VSO builds on this experience and passion to support a range of global education activity. To find out more about volunteering with or supporting VSO visit our website at www.vso.org.uk

More information

VSOJD_National Volunteer --- Girls--- Empowerment Associate--20250827104134.pdf
Download

More Jobs from this Organization

Similar Jobs