Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

The first organization that I explored was the International Step By Step Organization (ISSA). The mission of this organization is to work toward supporting communities to provide high quality care and educational services for all children from birth through the primary grades with a focus on the poorest and most disadvantaged. They strive to ensure greater inclusion of family and community participation in children’s development and learning. They want to ensure social inclusion and respect for diversity. http://www.issa.nl/index.html. ISSA’s programs and services are based on three programmatic action pillars.  Pillar 1-Access to equity of care and education for each young child, Pillar 2-Promote high quality and professionalism in providing care and education for young children and Pillar 3- empower parents and communities to participate in the support and well-being, development and learning. I could not find job opportunities but their mission and values are in-line with my passion for early childhood. There are opportunities for volunteering at their biannual conferences.

UNICEF is another organization that I researched. It is a leading humanitarian and development agency working globally for the rights of every child. Child rights begin with safe shelter, nutrition, protection from disaster and conflict and traverse the life cycle: pre-natal care for healthy births, clean water and sanitation, health care and education. UNICEF has spent nearly 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. UNICEF also lobbies and partners with leaders, thinkers and policy makers to help all children realize their rights, especially the most disadvantaged. http://www.unicef.org/

One job that was interesting to me was with UNICEF is for an Early Childhood Development Specialist.

·         The job will require the person to be accountable for the formulation, design, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of ECD program

·         To ensure overall efficiency and effectiveness of the program management, delivery and accomplishment of program goals and objectives.

·         Accountable for supporting the creation of an enabling policy environment; promoting increased access to quality early childhood care and education (ECCE) in a variety of setting and for all ages, including infants, toddlers pre-schoolers, and school-aged children; identifying and addressing access/quality inequities in ECD in a variety of settings and for all age groups

·          Develops innovative approaches and programs to eliminate disparities and promoting strategic partnerships for ECD.

·         Collaborates across the program to ensure gender responsive ECD service provision.

·         Ensures that monitoring mechanisms are in place to track progress towards disparities reduction goals and targets in ECD.

Qualifications needed:

·         Advanced university degree (Master's) in one or more of the disciplines relevant to Early Childhood Development; or Social Sciences fields relevant to international development assistance.

·         A minimum of eight (8) years of progressively professional work experience at the national and international levels, in fields relevant to Early Childhood Development programs is required. A

·         Strong knowledge in demonstrative capacity to identify and monitor gender inequalities, as well as develop and implement gender mainstreaming in programs.

·         Work experience in a field relevant to development assistance.

·         Background/familiarity with Emergency.

·         Experience working in the UN or other international development organization is considered an asset.

·         Fluency in English (verbal and written) is required.  Knowledge of an additional UN Language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) and local working language of the duty station are considered an asset 

The third organization that I looked into is The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), it is their mission is to promote education as a fundamental human right, to improve the quality of education and to facilitate policy dialogue, knowledge sharing and capacity building. They believe in education for all as a basic right http://www.unesco.org. This is a job opportunity that I found.

Education   OVERVIEW From time to time UNESCO employs consultants and authors who are recognized specialists or authorities  working either in an advisory or consultative capacity, or providing the skills, expertise and knowledge needed for the delivery of a specific service or product. They should possess specialist skills and knowledge not readily available within UNESCO, and for which there is a temporary, short-term need, rather than a continuing need. Consultants and authors in Education are recognized specialists or authorities in one of the following fields (please note that this list is not exhaustive): • Adult Education • Basic Education • Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Education • Curriculum development • Early Childhood Care and Education • Education for all QUALIFICATIONS EXPERIENCE Consultants should have relevant professional experience at the national, regional and/or international level. Professional experience should be of 2 years for junior level, 5 years for i intermediate level, 10 years for senior level and over 15 for highly specialized senior consultants, in one or more of the above mentioned fields.  Significant experience working in developing countries may be required for some assignments. SKILLS/COMPETENCIES Advanced university degree. Normally excellent knowledge of English or French. Knowledge of another UNESCO’s official language (English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or Russian) would be an advantage.