Switzerland: Child and Youth Participation Advisor (Environment and Climate)

Terre des Hommes International Federation is recruiting a: Child and Youth Participation Advisor (Environment and Climate)

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Work rate: 80%, fixed-term contract (8 months) with possibility of extension if funding is available

Start date: As soon as possible

About Terre des Hommes International Federation: 

Terre des Hommes International Federation (TDHIF) is a leading child-focused independent non-profit global network, composed of nine Member Organisations.

TDHIF thrives to guarantee that every child has a safe and enjoyable childhood, that every young person feels empowered and that every community we work with is engaged. Together with children, we fight to ensure that child rights are respected in full and implemented, leaving no one behind, and we engage to influence political agendas and strategies that affect children and young people. We do that through our 890 projects in 68 countries, as well as through global, regional and national advocacy and campaigns, run for and with children and young people.

TDHIF is supported by an International Secretariat with a team of 6 people located in Brussels and Geneva.

Context: 

For over ten years, TDHIF has been working to advance children’s right to a healthy and sustainable environment. An important milestone on the pathway to recognizing and implementing children’s environmental rights is the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s General Comment No.26 (GC26) on children’s rights and the environment with a special focus on climate change, published in 2023. TDHIF supported strong child participation in the process, which resulted in more than 16,000 contributions of children from across 121 countries.

Following the successful launch of the General Comment, TDHIF now seeks to expand its work connecting child and youth participation to children’s environmental rights, by enhancing coordination between TDHIF’s members and contributing to relevant global movements to bring about collaborative change. A key part of TDHIF’s priorities on children's right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment focuses on supporting children and youth to participate and have a voice in campaigning and communication opportunities, as well as raising awareness of children and youth’s important work and initiatives on the environment.

Purpose of the Role: 

Working as a member of the International Secretariat (IS), the Child & Youth Participation Advisor (environment & climate) will support the implementation of the Federation’s Advocacy Strategy on Children’s Right to a Healthy Environment (the Strategy), in particular the child and youth participation strand. This Strategy is led by the TDHIF Advocacy Task Force on Children’s Rights and the Environment (the Task Force) and includes IS team members and experts from TDH Member Organisations.

The Child & Youth Participation Advisor (environment & climate) will provide expert advice on the development of, and lead on the implementation of child participation components of the Strategy at global level. She/he will also support at national-level, colleagues who are facilitating child participation in the focal countries of the Strategy.

Key Responsibilities: 

Supporting Child and Youth Participation:

• Develop the 2024-25 implementation plan for the child and youth participation strand of the Advocacy Strategy on Children’s Rights and the Environment, in consultation with the TDHIF Advocacy Task Force on Children’s Rights and the Environment, and the Child Participation Task Force.
• Lead on documenting existing experience, capacities and learning from within TDHIF on child and youth participation and the environment, including the GC26 process.
• Support and facilitate the participation of children and young people in advocacy opportunities in line with the Strategy, overseeing the process to ensure their safe and meaningful participation.
• Develop guidance and tools for TDHIF to partner with children and youth as part of the Strategy. Build capacity of TDHIF colleagues in this regard.

Advocating for Child and Youth Participation: 

• Support the advocacy strand of the Strategy, including by contributing to the development of the communications and advocacy outputs and materials, and managing children’s contribution to these as relevant.
• Advocate at different levels for spaces and support for safe and meaningful participation of children and youth.
• In line with the Strategy, engage with external stakeholders and coalitions working in the field of child participation and environmental protection: UN institutions, NGOs, networks, and foundations.

Fundraising and Communications: 

• Support the development of TDHIF fundraising proposals to strengthen child participation work.
• Work with communications colleagues to ensure visibility of TDHIF’s work to support and promote child participation.

General: 

• Participate in TDHIF meetings, including of the Advocacy Task Force on Children’s Rights and the Environment and the Child Participation Task Force.
• Comply with TDHIF’s internal systems, processes and policies, including around child and youth safeguarding.
• Other relevant duties as agreed with the line manager.

Profile: 

Education: 

• A university degree or equivalent professional experience in one of the following (or related) fields: international relations, politics, law, economics, social sciences, human rights, environmental protection. A post-graduate degree on the same fields is considered an asset*.*

Experience and Skills: 

Essential: 

• Demonstrable experience of working with children and young people, and designing and implementing child and youth participation advocacy activities. Ability to advise colleagues and partners on designing and delivering effective engagement with children and young people.
• Demonstrable experience of advocacy and/or campaigning in the areas of child rights, environmental protection, and/or climate change.
• Knowledge and understanding of the UN system and international decision-making processes and how they may be influenced.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to communicate efficiently with different audiences, and especially with children and young people.
• Good facilitation skills and knowledge of participatory approaches and facilitating sessions, particularly with children and young people (online/ in-person).
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Being relatable and approachable and an effective networker, able to build and manage relationships with a range of people – from children and young people to civil society groups to decision-makers and UN representatives.
• Ability to operate in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Committed team player, embodying TDHIF’s organisational values.
• Excellent organisational skills, including the ability to plan, coordinate and deliver results.
• Ability to be administratively self-serving and work under pressure to tight deadlines.
• Excellent IT proficiency, including knowledge of Microsoft 365.
• Knowledge of/ ability to quickly master platforms and tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc. for facilitating online meetings and sessions using a participatory approach.

Desirable: 

• Fundraising experience.
• Working proficiency in French and/or Spanish.

Child Safeguarding: 

The Child and Youth Participation Advisor must commit to Terre des Hommes‘ Child Safeguarding Policy: https://www.terredeshommes.org/child-safeguarding-policy/

General Conditions: 

• Swiss Labour Law contract
• Applicants to this position need to be eligible to work in Switzerland (EU/EFTA nationals or in possession of a valid work permit)
• This position is open to hybrid working

How to Apply: 

Please send your CV and a cover letter detailing how you meet the profile (no more than 500 words) by 10 March 2024 to coordinator@terredeshommes.org.

We will only contact shortlisted candidates. Due to the large number of applications, we unfortunately cannot provide personal follow-up to the larger candidate pool. We thank you for your understanding.