Co-develop Success Stories for Youth Health Program in South Africa
Eligibility
Open to all RPCVs
Activity/project background
Partner: FHI360, South Africa (International NGO)
FHI 360 support’s PEPFAR’s aim to reach the 95-95-95 goals in South Africa, and USAID’s goal of mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS. FHI360 has been implementing various project across South Africa for the past nine years (2014 – 2023). FHI360’s Capacity Development and Support (CDS) program is implemented through its Orphans, Vulnerable Children and Youth (OVCY) and Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored, and Safe (DREAMS) projects.
The OVCY Project targets orphans, vulnerable children, and youth in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape. Under the OVCY Project, FHI 360 reaches vulnerable children, youth, and their caregivers in communities with targeted health, social, and education services. The DREAMS project Intensive Economic Strengthening (IES) supports young women aged 19-24 years old. The DREAMS project offers capacity-development that ensures young women have skills for employment or to start their own businesses. Once graduated from the DREAMS curriculum, these young women are offered five interventions that include guidance, training and linkages to networks that support their economic pathways. The goal of the DREAMS IES project is to ensure that the young women are empowered and self-reliable, thereby reducing their risk for HIV.
A Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) has been requested to support the organization in co-developing stories that highlight the work, success stories, and best practices of the OVCY and DREAMS project implemented by FHI360.
The organization has previously worked with a Peace Corps Volunteer but not with a virtual service participant. They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a two-year Volunteer.
Virtual service engagement and tasks
The VSPP’s will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their Host Country Partners:
• Consolidating responses and co-developing success stories from approximately 30 interviews with beneficiaries, implementing partners and stakeholders of the OVCY and DREAMS projects
• Co-developing and identifying best practices of the FHI 360 CDS program based on input from beneficiaries
• Collaborate with the host country partner to document the experiences and impact the CDS and DREAMS programs has made on the lives of beneficiaries
• Co-developing success stories into visually appealing reports
• Identifying publication opportunities to share success stories with wider stakeholders
• Co-develop close-out reports by reviewing, editing, formatting, and optimizing resources
This engagement is expected to be approximately 24 weeks. VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5-15 hours per week.
Meetings between VSPPs and Host Country Counterparts will take place during normal office hours, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. South African time. Specific times will be determined during orientation.
The Host Country Counterpart will have access to MS Teams, Zoom, WhatsApp and email for regular communication and collaboration.
Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0-18), two adults must be present.
Optional additional activities
The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:
- To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
- To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
- To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
Goal 1 will be achieved through the VSPP's engagement and completion of the above tasks. The counterpart and VSPP may also choose to identify an activity that aligns with Goal 2. Additionally, the VSPP may identify a Goal 3 activity to implement during their engagement. See recommendations and tools for Goal 3 activities.
Essential qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in any relevant field related to journalism, communication, editing, and publication
Experience:
• Experience in communication, journalism, publication field
• Experience with interviewing
• Experience writing reports
Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually
Desired qualifications
Education: Post graduate qualification in in any relevant field related to journalism, communication, editing, and publication
Technical Skills:
• Familiarity with virtual engagement and communication
• Publishing software an advantage, i.e. Adobe or any other
• Advanced report writing and storytelling for NGO reports and communication
Experience: 5 years of relevant experience in report writing and content analysis
Terms and conditions of engagement
VSPPs will be engaging with the host country partner, in coordination with Peace Corps post staff, remotely from the US. They should have access to a computer, internet, and telephone in order to enable direct engagement with the Peace Corps overseas office and the Host Country Counterpart assigned by the host country partner.
Orientation with the host country partner will be provided, within the designated virtual service hours, during the first week of virtual service via an online presentation and discussion. The host country partner will provide an overview of its organization, the local context, and how they envision collaborating with the VSPP.
The VSPP will have regular check-ins with their counterpart and bi-weekly check-ins with Peace Corps staff. Spending unstructured time with counterparts can be critical to relationship-building and is encouraged through activities such as coffee chats and informal calls within the weekly 5-15 hours.
Engagement-specific safety and security
The VSPP will receive an orientation on Peace Corps’ Child Protection Policy and how it relates to online engagement along with IT security best practices. The VSPP will be expected to follow safety and security guidelines for online engagement to ensure their safety and that of the Host Country Partner and their counterpart, and any beneficiaries of the engagement.
Supervision requirements
The VSPP will report to a designated Peace Corps staff member. The VSPP will be expected to abide by the Virtual Service Pilot Participant and Donation Agreement and Participant Principles of Engagement. The VSPP will also be expected to check in with the designated host country counterpart as assigned by the host county partner.
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