4 Education Programme Officer Non-profit Career Placements – SOS Children’s Villages
Job Title: Education Programme Officer (4 Career Placements)
Organization: SOS Children’s Villages
Reports to: Programme Director
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
About US:
SOS Children’s Villages Uganda is an indigenous non-government, social development organisation affiliated to SOS Children’s Villages International, a worldwide child care organisation, currently running Children’s Villages and other projects in 135 countries around the world. SOS has been working in Uganda since 1991, and runs Children’s Villages and other projects at Kakiri, Entebbe (Abaita Ababiri), Gulu and in Fort Portal – Kabarole district.
Job Summary: The Educational Programme Officer is primarily responsible for planning and implementing educational programmes for children and youth on SOS Children’s Village program in liaison with the Family Based Care (FBC) Manager and Family Strengthening Coordinator (FSP). Through his / her efforts, children and youths are guided and supported to reach their full potential in developing academic and practical skills required to grow and lead a well- balanced life.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Build the capacity of parents / guardians, caregivers and stakeholders on education matters:
- Develop and implement programmes to raise SOS mothers and community caregivers’ understanding of educational programmes such that they are able to meaningfully support / participate in the education process of their children.
- Carry out educational reviews at least twice a year together with the Family Based Care Manager, respective SOS Mother and community care givers to assess educational development and support needs of individual children and youth.
- Initiate and implement capacity building programmes for education stake holders including School Management Committees, Parents Teachers Associations, Board of Governors on their role in the teaching and learning process
Ensure Communication with Teachers and Schools.
- Serve as a liaison between the children and the youth and the schools / institutions they study in, by maintaining contact with teachers and other responsible staff as necessary.
- Ensure that all teachers / trainers involved with SOS children are informed of how SOS operates. Encourages teachers to visit Children’s Village to gain a deeper understanding of the children and their educational needs.
- Attend Parent – Teacher Association meetings of all schools in which SOS children are enrolled, together with the Village father and relevant SOS Mothers.
Monitor and evaluate each child’s educational progress:
- Maintain an up-to-date record of all children and youths’ educational performance. Ensure that all the files contain all documentation relevant to the individual’s academic progress, including reports and performance evaluations.
- Keenly analyse performance recommendations and supervise the implementation of appropriate academic performance improvement interventions for children and youth at different levels of education.
- Follow-up and support children and youths in international educational institutions. Keep in contact with them through emails, phone calls, whatsapp group chats or physical visits.
- Identify individual children and youths education / learning needs and choose the right placement for them.
- Compile and submit to the Programme Director annual information about each child and youth clearly indicating the age, programme (FBC/FS), educational institution attended and the level of education.
- Arrange additional educational support to meet the needs of individual children, including individual tutoring, after-school catch up lessons, guided home work sessions and holiday remedial classes.
- Identify and advise the location education committee on availableappropriate alternative informal education / vocational skills training opportunities for children & youths after exhausting all avenues for continued formal education.
Educational career guidance and counseling:
- Develop a clear system of capturing each child and youth’s skills, abilities, potential, future prospects and aspirations.
- Provide children and youth with on-going career guidance, counselling and job orientation designed to prepare them for their eventual independence.
- Keep informed of available vocational training and educational opportunities, offered locally and in other countries.
- Work in liaison with the Youth Leaders to organise social programs to occupy children and youth meaningfully as and when necessary.
- Develop and implement child and youth development programs in, and outside the Location, including talent development programmes, life skills, entrepreneurship trainings, internship, apprenticeship placements / sessions.
- Support SOS Mothers and Youth Leaders in developing and reviewing Individual Development Plans and Youth Development Plans respectively.
- Actively participate in the assessment and select educational institutions for children placement. Maintain an up-to-date data bank of education institutions for children / youth placements.
- Source for local education scholarships, fees discounts or local government subsidies for children and youths.
- Hold regular meetings / talks with children and youths to share their challenges and address them in liaison with the relevant departments.
- Encourage and interest the caregivers to upgrade in educational matters such as enrolling for adult literacy and development programmes to help them attain higher qualifications to be able to support the children to reach their full potential in their academic and professional career lives.
General:
- Attend meetings of the Village Management Team and provide an input in other Programme matters as required by the Programme Director.
- Implement psychosocial activities for children and youths such including training for care givers and sports galas
- Serve as the Secretary to the CV Education Committee.
- Be a member of the Child Admissions Committee
- Be a member of the Youth Resettlement, Integration or Re-integration Committee at the Location
- Support children and youth to get scholastic materials and tuition in time.
- Manage the CV resource centers (library, book store)
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The ideal candidates for the Education Programme Officer jobs must hold University degrees in Education, Counselling, Social Work, Social Sciences and Psychology
- At least three years’ experience in practical teaching or education liaison / coordination in a modern, well founded education institution. Additional experience in special needs education and assessment will be an added advantage.
- Good counselling and career guidance skills and involvement in music, drama, sports, or children’s clubs is required.
- Broad knowledge of child rights and child protection issues.
- Excellent communications skills, written and spoken English language skills.
- The applicant must be youthful, display much interest in educational matters and development of children, with a desire to help them attain greater educational and career development.
- A mature person aged between 28 – 35 years.
How to Apply:
All candidates should send an application letter, detailed curriculum vitae (CV), and photocopies of academic certificates, and names and contact details of three traceable referees to the address below to:
The National Human Resource Coordinator,
SOS Children’s Villages Uganda,
25 km on Kampala-Entebbe Rd, Abaita Ababiri,
P.O Box 27510, Kampala. Uganda
Electronic Applications must be sent as one Single Document not exceeding eight pages to: elizabeth.opio@sosuganda.org
NB: Applications that are late, do not have CV or certificates attached, will be disqualified. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Deadline: 31st May 2017 by 4:00pm