Career Opportunity: Youth Co – Care Worker
SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya is a member of SOS – Kinderdorf International, the largest private child welfare organization in the world.
SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya is a child-focused Non-Governmental Organization established in 1973 to provide care and support to children who have lost or are at risk of losing the care of their biological family.
The organization’s vision is “No child should grow up alone” and its programmes are driven by the mission of “building families for children in need, helping them shape their own futures and sharing in the development of their communities”.
In this regard, the organization works to reduce poverty; increase access to quality education and decent work; reduce inequalities and build strong institutions as laid out in SDGs 1, 4,8,10 and 16.
This is done through programmes that are geared towards addressing the political, economic, health and social root causes that lead to high levels of child vulnerability and put families at risk of breaking down.
The programmes focus on Alternative Care, Family Strengthening, Youth Empowerment, Education, Health Care and Advocacy.
SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya implements programmes in five (5) of Kenya’s 47 Counties namely Nairobi, Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Kisumu and Meru. We seek to recruit suitably qualified persons to fill the following position.
Youth Co – Care Worker
1 Position – Eldoret
Job Summary: Reporting to the Programme Director, The YCCW is responsible for guiding SOS Children’s Villages Kenya youth (within the Village and the youth homes and community) towards independence, so that they may eventually become self-sufficient, contributing members of society. In achieving this, the youth leader should be seen as a peer, counsellor and role model providing guidance, support and a positive example to the youth.
The youth leader is the facilitator of personal development of the youth.
Main Clients:
- SOS Children’s Villages Kenya children
- Young adults
- Youth Care Workers
Key performance areas and main responsibilities:
1. Act as a Role Model for the Youth
- Follow the rules and regulations of the youth homes and live as a fully contributing member,
participating in day-to-day chores and activities. - Behave in an exemplary manner at all times so that the youth may have a model from which they
may learn how to live successful lives. - Strive to be exemplary in all spheres of own life at all times.
- Live in the youth home and be present at all times in order to guide the youth. Be accessible to the youth at all times – weekdays, evenings, weekends.
- Build relationships with the youth that are based on mutual respect for each other.
- Have informal and formal forums on a regular basis, which allow the youth to be free to open up to the youth leaders. Be able to win and keep the confidence of the youth.
2. Guide the Personal Development of the Youth
- Develop and maintain up-to-date and in-depth Individual Development Plans of each of the youth which have developed with input from the youth in relation to his/her capabilities – academic and non – academic input from the SOS Children’s Villages Kenya care givers, ACC and Programme Educator.
- Monitor each youth’s personal development to observe social, physical or other changes, which may indicate a need for counselling
- Assist the youth in addressing any personal or social problems they may face, supporting them and guiding them through difficult times.
3. Provide Educational and Career Guidance for Youth
- Develop a clear understanding of each youth’s skills, abilities, future prospects and aspirations, in order to provide meaningful guidance.
- Provide young adults and children with ongoing career counselling and job orientation. Encourage youth to take initiatives in researching career opportunities.
- Keep up-to-date with available vocational training and educational opportunities.
- Get the youth into colleges that will best bring out the youths’ potential academic and non –
academic - Provide the youth with information that will help them to make informed choices in terms of career choices, Reproductive health, relationships, HIV/AIDS, Drugs and substance abuse etc.
- Conduct business management courses for aspiring youth so that they are able to make informed
proposals for their business ventures, including detailed research or feasibility study. - Put in place business monitoring tool with proper documentation. Encourage the youth to form
business groupings where possible.
4. Encourage Youth to take Responsibility for Themselves.
- Assist the youth living within the youth home and community to manage the household themselves and to live effectively with others. This includes facilitating the establishment of youth homes rules and regulations in consultation with the youth.
- Ensure the youth report any maintenance required in the youth home, and that they carry our simple maintenance work.
5. Promote Community Service and integration
- Identify and promote clearly mapped out community service programme with proper checks and
balances. - Identify and promote community service opportunities among the youth. Administer the
placement of youth in short or long-term programmes. - Encourage youth to take advantage of opportunities which integrate them with the surrounding
community, and which expose them to life outside SOS Children’s Villages, such as clubs etc. - Assist with the integration of youth into the community. Develop consistent and effective
community service programmes in the youth facilities. - Involve the youth in service in their immediate community – this will be done for the youth in the
youth home and the village with the hope of creating in them a sense of wanting to give back to
the community. - Work out a way to enable the youth use some of the allowances that they get in community
service. - Form networks and relationships with Community Based Organisations and Charitable
Organisations, which would help SOS Children’s Villages Kenya identify the areas in which the
youth’s services would be best situated. - Work in close consultation with SOS Children’s Villages Kenya staff to involve the children in the
village in community service that is undertaken by the youth. - Encourage the youth to be proactive in the socio-political and socio-economic affairs that are
affecting the country.
6. Create & Maintain Links with the SOS Children’s Village
- Participate in annual planning of activities
- Ensure youth living in the Youth Home maintain close contact with their SOS Mothers and families.
This includes participating in special family events and supporting their SOS Mothers. - Involve the SOS Mothers in the youth activities. Consult SOS Mothers on major decisions affecting
the youth’s future, e.g., a transfer to the youth home or to a different school. - Develop a close interaction between youth within the Village and
those living in the Youth home or to a different school. Interact with
the children in the villages so as to create awareness and a
sense of responsibility to enable them take an active role in their family houses. - Assist the Alternative Care Coordinator and SOS Mothers in identifying teenagers for admission into the youth homes, and help those newly admitted to adjust to their new life and home.
- Create a database of all the youth in the youth facilities, giving details of where they stay, and the
activities they are involved in.
7. General
- Seek avenues to increase own knowledge and understanding of youth and youth issues.
Required Qualifications / Abilities
- A Degree in Social Sciences and any other related courses in youth development programs
- Skills and knowledge in Youth Entrepreneurship development will be an added advantage.
- Must be computer literate.
- Experience working with youth focused organization/s for a minimum of 3 years
Child Protection Policy
At all times, avoid actions or behaviour that could be construed as poor or potentially abusive practice.
Whatever decisions and actions taken should be with the best interest of the child in mind.
Data Protection Policy
At all times ensure that personal data of donors, sponsors, SOS Children’s Villages Kenya beneficiaries and their families as well as co-workers is handled confidentially and in accordance with prevailing SOS-Kinderdorf International data protection laws.
How to Apply
If you believe your experience, competencies and qualifications match the job and role specifications described; send a Cover Letter & updated CV in PDF with details of 3 traceable referees one of which must be immediate former employer to recruitment@soskenya.org addressed to the Human Resources Manager to reach us on or before 20th May 2022.
Please specify on the position interested in.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
SOS Children’s Villages holds strict child safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conducts of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered.
Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring decisions will give due emphasize to assessing candidates value congruence and thorough background checks, police clearance reference check processes.
SOS Children’s Villages is an equal opportunity employer and its Recruitment Policy addresses itself to the core values of best practice, diversity and equality.