Application Deadline: December 21st 2020
The Care Leaders Council is a ten-member group of young leaders who have direct experience with alternative care (e.g., foster care, kinship care, etc.), and who are interested in advocating for improved systems of care. Care Leaders Council members will play a vital role in supporting USAID’s Center on Children in Adversity (CECA)’s implementation of the U.S. Government Strategy, Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity (2019-2023) (APCCA).
The Care Leaders Council is expected to start in March 2021 and serve for one year until March 2022 (with the possibility of extension for a second year, from March 2022 until March 2023. The Care Leaders Council is supported by YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation (YP2LE), a USAID-funded activity focused on building and disseminating the evidence on Positive Youth Development (PYD).
Care Leaders Council Member Roles and Responsibilities
This Care Leaders Council will enable diverse young people from multiple countries who have experience with alternative care to collaborate with each other and USAID to identify ways to increase the effectiveness of systems of care, as well as to develop their own capacities as young professionals and advocates on these issues.
The overall role of the Care Leaders Council is to:
- Make recommendations to increase the relevance and effectiveness of the Advancing Protection for Care for Children in Adversity (APCCA) Interagency Implementation Plan activities.
- Provide input on USAID-funded alternative care programing, evaluation, and research activities as well as advising on possible future activities for USAID to consider in these areas.
- Provide recommendations to USAID on how to most appropriately and effectively support the development, strengthening, and sustainability of groups that work with those who have left alternative care; and
- Support the development of resource and training materials on alternative care systems issues and challenges.
During the year, Care Leaders Council members will:
- Take part in quarterly Care Leader Council meetings (virtually) to discuss key topics of interest to USAID and policy makers.
- Convene as needed to provide input and feedback on policies and procedures that advance protection and care for children and youth globally.
- Collectively or individually provide input to USAID on policies and programming to benefit children and youth who are outside of family care or are at significant risk of losing family care.
- Respond in a timely manner to emails and communication from USAID requesting input; and
- Serve up to a two-year term, subject to renewal and funding.
Care Leaders Council Qualifications
Care Leaders Council members will report directly to Margaret Sullivan, Empowerment and Inclusion Division, Children in Adversity, USAID. Additional member support will be provided by Sarah Sladen, Senior Youth Engagement Advisor, YP2LE, Making Cents International.
Members will meet the following qualifications:
- Be 21 – 35 years old as of January 1, 2021.
- Have worked at a local, national, or international level on alternative care reform or similar issues (e.g., child protection) and/or havepersonal experience, at any age and length of time, with residential care or another type of alternative care.
- Have a proven ability to inspire and a reputation for inclusive, innovative leadership.
- Are proficient in English (both written and spoken).
- Are from a low- and middle-income country and/or are very well acquainted with low- and middle-income country contexts and alternative care issues.
- Are comfortable using technology for regular meetings and communication such as email, WhatsApp, Google Hangout, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.
How to Apply
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. For youth with disabilities, closed captioning and interpretation services will be provided. Interested candidates should submit their completed applications using the online application form.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis until December 21, 2020.
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