VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY - SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR CHANGE ADVISOR - ZAMBIA
Social Behaviour Change Advisor
Mpika or Shiwa Ng'andu Zambia

Location:                             Mpika or Shiwa Ng'andu, Zambia

Start Date:                           Jul - Sep 2018 (Flexible)
Length of Placement:           9 Months
Language Requirements:     English
English Reading:                  Reading Level 5, Writing:   Level 5,  Speaking:  Level 5
Language Scale:                  http://www.cusointernational.org/languageratingscale


 
Open to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents only
Due to funder restrictions, support for accompanying partners/dependents is not available for this placement.

 
The Volunteer’s Role
This is an exciting opportunity for you to contribute to a regional nutrition program led by CARE Canada!

CARE’s Southern African Nutrition Initiative (SANI) aims to improve the nutritional status of women of reproductive age and children under 5, while working with local health authorities and communities in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. Specifically, SANI is expected to contribute to the improved health of approximately 230,000 individuals directly, and over 345,000 individuals indirectly.

As Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Advisor, you will work closely with the SANI Zambia team to develop context-specific behaviour change and communication strategies related to nutrition norms to improve household nutrition practices. Your work will involve supporting staff to do community-based assessments, and developing behaviour change strategies with target groups to ensure that nutrition-focused education activities are designed with, and for, the community in which they will be implemented. This work will draw upon your experience using participatory appraisal tools and approaches, as well as supporting qualitative research to inform program interventions, preferably in rural, low-resource settings. You also have the skills and experience to work with staff to pull together a SBCC project-level strategy focused on improving Maternal, Infant and Young Child through context specific interventions.

As a volunteer, you will:
  • Review baseline research report
  • Develop draft SANI-specific MIYC SBCC strategy
  • Support staff to conduct community-level nutrition analysis
  • Collate assessment findings and pull together project-level analysis on nutrition status & norms for target communities
  • Finalize and train colleagues on SBCC strategy and monitoring plan for community-based nutrition activities for Zambia using community nutrition reports
Essential Academic Qualifications:
  • Degree in public health or social sciences, or a related degree/experience relevant to the field of public health, with specific emphasis on health/nutrition communication, promotion and/or education.


Essential Professional Background:
  • Experience in developing social and behavior change communications (SBCC) strategies
  • Experience designing behavioral interventions/SBCC messages and interventions towards health objectives;
  • Use of epidemiological and other health-related data in SBCC program design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation;
  • Nutrition/health related qualitative research
 
About Our Partner
 

CARE

Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading international humanitarian organization fighting global poverty.

CARE works with the poorest communities in 95 countries to:

  • Improve basic health and education
  • Enhance rural livelihoods and food security
  • Increase access to clean water and sanitation
  • Expand economic opportunity
  • Help vulnerable people adapt to climate change
  • Provide lifesaving assistance during emergencies

CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls living in poverty because, equipped with the proper resources, women and girls have the power to help whole families and entire communities escape poverty.

 
Terms and Conditions
 
Cuso International terms and conditions allow you to lead a modest and healthy lifestyle while being effective in your placement. This support package will cover basic living expenses for one volunteer and is not intended to cover home-based expenses (ex. loans, support payments, etc.) or luxury items such as imported items in placement or international personal travel.
 
Support Package
  • Modest monthly living allowance (varies depending country)
  • Accommodation while in placement
  • Return airfare and visa/work permit costs
  • Cost of required vaccinations, antimalarial medication and health insurance
  • Pre-departure training and in-country orientation
  • Travel and accommodation for reintegration debriefing weekend
  • Access to Employee Assistance Program while in placement and upon return
  • Cuso International assessment day (Candidates must cover the first $200 of the most cost-effective travel expenses and all accommodation costs).
  • Travel and accommodation for the five-day pre-departure training course and for in-country orientation
  • Bonus: Additional return flight home or cash in lieu after 12 months of service for volunteers who extend for another 6 months

 
Residency and Citizenship  
 
Residency
The majority of Cuso International volunteer applicants are residing in Canada at the time of application and during the pre-departure process. Occasionally we received applications from volunteer applicants who are residing outside of Canada at the time of application. In both instances, between your application date and placement start date, we must be able to contact you and you must be able to contact us easily and promptly throughout the process.

We may require your passport and would need to be aware of your current place of residence and any travel plans you may have during this time. You will also require unrestricted access to Canada during this time for assessment and training, as applicable.

 
Citizenship
Leaving your country of residence can have significant effects on your citizenship status in that country. It is your responsibility to research the consequences of travelling to Canada during the pre-departure process if you are living outside of Canada and of leaving your country of residence for a placement with the immigration authority where you live.

By applying to this placement, you accept full responsibility for any consequences related to your citizenship, residency and immigration status or penalties as a result of travel to an assessment day, training course, international placement or other Cuso International related travel.


You  must  check the implications that apply to you, but examples include:

•    Canadian permanent residents may need to make arrangements with immigration authorities before travelling. These
      arrangements allow them to travel without risk to their status in Canada. Without them, residency status may be withdrawn.

•    Citizens of other countries, including those visiting Canada on a visa, may have travel restrictions.

Apply to placement