Project Mentor- Maternity leave cover

Organizational Profile

Fondazione L’Albero della Vita – The Tree of Life Kenya is an organization registered in Kenya as a Trust with the aim of ensuring the wellbeing, protection and promotion of the rights of children and their families and encouraging community development.

The Tree of Life envisions a world without poverty where children can enjoy their rights; grow up in a safe environment, protected from all kinds of violence and abuse, with access to equal opportunities.

The organization has been working in Kenya since 2011, focusing on the sectors of Child Protection, Education and safeguarding of children.

The Tree of Life has been operating in the space of Juvenile Justice, Care Reform, Alternative Family Care, TVET and job inclusion for vulnerable youth, as well as improving education, Wash, nutrition and health services in the ASAL and in the informal settlements of Nairobi.

The project

The Tree of Life is starting up a new program in Kenya in collaboration with several Government Departments, and national and international partners. The project, entitled “RISE”, aims at activating and strengthening formal, inclusive educational services, personal and professional development and reproductive health pathways to children and youth, both vulnerable and in conflict with the law in Kenya, focusing on the role of Government institutions, educative communities and the private sector. The proposed action is part of a framework of major structural changes in Kenya in the field of Education (reform of the education system), Protection (Care Reform) and the juvenile / child justice system (Restorative Justice, ADR).

Job Title:

Project Mentor- Maternity leave cover

Supervisor:

Reintegration and Mentorship Manager.

Duty station:

Kiambu

Starting date:

Immediate

Duration of the assignment:

3 months

Deadline for application:

21st October 2024.

Summary of the role:

The mentor will provide assistance, accompaniment, and guidance to minors and young people (both vulnerable and in conflict with the law) aimed at their reintegration in families and communities as well as personal growth, identification of strengths, skills and competencies to enter the job market and/or continue with technical and professional studies.

The mentor is engaged in the implementation and follow-up of the process of reintegration of minors into society through educational paths and opportunities in the world of work.

The mentor ensures that children and youth, both vulnerable and in conflict with the law,

are able to reunite with their biological (or foster) family, reintegrate into the community and complete their studies. At the same time, the mentor support adolescents and young people towards autonomy, assisting them in this process inside the institution and in the first months after release through group training or meetings with the individual (online and in-person).

Role and Responsibilities:

• Support the development and delivery a coherent reintegration and mentorship strategy for the RISE project, with consistent work plans.
• Implement the reintegration, TVET and mentorship component of the RISE project with related activities as per project objectives and work plan.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of all activities related to the project component under his/her responsibility.
• Prepare adequate work and implementation plans of the activities, in close coordination with the Reintegration manager
• Develop regular, timely and complete monthly, quarterly, interim, annual, final narrative reports and maintain a high degree of consistency, accuracy, relevance, compliance with donor’s and Government guidelines.
• Ensuring program quality, timely submission of deliverables and compliance with local legislation, Tree of Life and donors’ procedures and contractual requirements.
• Carry out analysis of the local job market after Covid and upgrade of the TVET program plan in the child Justice system.
• Support the organization of trainings and joint development of new TVET curricula as well as best practices in the provision of mentorship to vulnerable children and youth in conflict with the law.
• Support the refurbishment of the TVET in the child Justice system through the identification, procurement and supply of equipment, goods and materials and the activation of new courses.
• Support the development and the implementation of reintegration initiatives with families and within local communities, in line with the organization’s and Government priorities.
• Support the collection and provision of information for the drafting of position papers for children reintegration and youth empowerment and share them out with key stakeholders.
• Facilitate reintegration activities through follow-ups in families and communities together with the government officers.
• Provide training, mentorship and professional guidance services to accompany the transition of young people towards independent living.
• Support the preparation of budgets for the reintegration and mentorship component within the RISE project.
• In coordination with other partners, support the education and job placement of vulnerable girls and boys and those in conflict with the law.
• Monitor reintegration processes and procedures: follow-up of monitoring tools/templates to collect information from the beneficiaries, etc.
• Participate in networking and sectorial meetings with other stakeholders active in the field of Education, Child Protection and Youth Empowerment at field level, including the government, CSOs, and any other relevant actor.
• Contribute to the development and the preparation of feasibility studies, assessments, concept papers, project proposal development.
• Develop an assets library, including case studies, good practices in reintegration and alternative family based care and publications of Tree of Life operations.
• Contribute to the review of reintegration and mentorship-related documents, such as manuals, SOPs, Fact sheets, Capability statements, Presentations-Ppt etc.
• Any other duty as required by the supervisor in line with the post and relevant to the achievement of the Tree of Life objectives.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Bachelor degree in Social work, Sociology or related discipline from a recognized University.
• Background knowledge on development issues and /or areas related to Care reforms, Child Justice and youth empowerment will be a strong asset.
• Should have Knowledge on case management tools, Through Care Guidelines, AFC SoPs and guidelines, TVET standards, STEM, etc.
• Ability to work independently, suggest practical solutions and follow-up effectively on the management decisions.
• Good planning skills, pro-activity, creativity, and ability to meet the established deadlines.
• Good organizational and facilitating skills for the coaching sessions
• Ability to build key relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong understanding of the humanitarian and development context in Kenya
• Computer skills (Microsoft office word, excel, etc.).
• Excellent spoken and written English and Swahili.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to summarise complex information in clear, non-specialist language.
• Confident in managing multiple activities in a fast-paced environment.
• Motivated by our vision of creating a world where everyone is an educator, and where Children are the key actors of human and social development, being a faithful reflection of the past, present and future of the growth process.

Other Skills Required

• Honesty and strong ethics are required in order to be successful in this position.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated capacity and willingness to learn – open to learning new ways of doing things.
• Firm belief in teamwork, gender equality, participatory approach and sustainable development.

Experience

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in the youth empowerment sector and reintegration of vulnerable children.
• Experience in mentoring, coaching, and in the empowerment of vulnerable groups.
• Demonstrated experience in creating linkages with Government agencies, learning institutions, civil society organizations and private sector stakeholders.
• Previous experiences in NGOs and donor-funded programs.
• Experience in planning and organizing mentorship sessions.
• Experience of working in teams, as well as ability to work with partners using effective interpersonal and communication skills

Confidentiality

Employees must sign a child Safeguarding Policy and a confidentiality agreement, and may not share organizational materials without the express written permission from a supervisor.

Respect – the Tree of Life aims to always show respect and appreciation for team members, Partners and all.