ThaiNGO

Regional Inclusion and Accessibility Officer

Vacancy Announcement

Position: Regional Inclusion and Accessibility Officer (1 open position)

Handicap International (HI) seeks a Regional Inclusion and Accessibility Officer for its Growing Together Program based in Mae Sot, Tak province, with frequent travel to camps in Tak and Mae Hong Son, Thailand, and to Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Closing date: December 12th, 2016

Handicap International (HI) reserves the right to not accept applications submitted after the deadline. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for testing and interview. Also, HI reserves the right to contact any shortlisted candidates before closing date.

Handicap International is an independent and impartial international aid organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. Working alongside persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, our action and testimony are focused on responding to their essential needs, improving their living conditions and promoting respect for their dignity and their fundamental rights.

Handicap International is a not-for-profit organization with no religious or political affiliation. It operates as a federation made up of a network of associations that provide it with human and financial resources, manage its projects and implement its actions and social mission. Since its creation, the organisation has set up programmes in approximately 60 countries worldwide and intervened in many emergency situations.  

For more details on the association: http://www.handicap-international.org

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Project Location:  The “Growing Together” project targets displaced populations, in particular children with and without disabilities in:

• Thailand: 5 Refugee camps in Mae Hong Son and Tak Provinces
• Bangladesh: Nayapara and Kutupalong refugee camps, makeshift camps including the makeshift camp and surrounding villages in Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazilas (sub-districts)
• Pakistan: Jalozai IDP camps and host communities in Peshawar

Project Duration: With the financial support of the Ikea Foundation, the project will last 4 years.

Project Summary:
The aim of the "Growing Together" (GT) project is to create opportunities for children with disabilities and other vulnerable children, in particular children at risk of developmental delays and psychological distress (0-12 years old) in displacement contexts, to learn and develop safely while having fun. The project will coordinate implementation of country-based projects of Handicap International and partners to support communities in raising socially and emotionally healthy kids in refugee/IDP camps and in host communities in Thailand, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Project Goal:

Enable children with disabilities or chronic illnesses, children at risk of developmental delays and psychological distress (0-12 years old), to develop their full potential on an equal basis with other children and acquire fundamental educational and social skills through games, sport, cultural arts, early years’ education and complementary learning in displacement settings in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Thailand.

Project Outcomes:

• Children with disabilities and other vulnerable children in early childhood (50% girls and at least 25% with disabilities) have the opportunity to play, learn and develop safely in playgroups and parenting crèches.
• Children with disabilities and other vulnerable children of primary school age are engaged in child-led games, educational games on disaster risk reduction, arts, sports and complementary learning, promoting their equal participation, safety, protection and well-being (50% boys/girls, at least 20% with disabilities).
• Local child-development service providers are more inclusive, accessible and responsive to the needs of boys and girls with disabilities and other vulnerable children.

To this end, it will empower families to set up playgroups and parenting clubs for children in early childhood with support from community-based structures. It will engage children of primary school age to participate in clubs, where they learn and socialize through inclusive games, arts, sports and complementary learning, and where they champion rights and needs of vulnerable children’s in their communities. Simultaneously, the program will engage local child-development service providers to be more responsive to the needs of boys and girls with disabilities and other vulnerable children, and will assist the organisations in implementing measures to facilitate their inclusion.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INCUMBENT

Under the supervision of the regional technical coordinator (based in Mae Sot), and with functional link to technical advisors within the organization’s Technical Resources Division unit at headquarters, the regional inclusion and accessibility officer will be responsible for ensuring approaches, practices and tools that promote inclusion and accessibility within project activities at the regional and country level.

While the position is located in Mae Sot (Thailand), it will require regular travel to each of the countries where the project is implemented.

Responsibility 1: Provision of technical support for implementation of project activities

• Ensure that the Growing Together Project activities at the regional and country level effectively promote inclusion of diverse groups of children with varying abilities, interests, learning styles, backgrounds, age, etc.
• Review project technical approaches, tools, trainings, and educational manuals and provide feedback and recommendations to ensure that all children (with and without disabilities) are able to participate and benefit.
• Provide remote and in-country support and guidance to Growing Together Project country teams, with a specific focus on innovative and creative methods for ensuring access for children with and without disabilities in the design, implementation and evaluation of play-based interventions that promote holistic child development, child rights, child participation, child protection and psychosocial support (ex: construction of inclusive playgrounds, inclusive playgroups and children’s clubs, low-cost toy development, inclusive games, arts, adaptive sports, complementary learning facilities, etc.).
• Work closely with the country project teams to ensure that adaptive measures that promote inclusion, and in particular accessibility are safe, appropriate for children and of high quality.
• Actively contribute to the development of tools that will enhance the quality of inclusion and accessibility within the Growing Together projects.

Responsibility 2: Capacity building of project teams

• Design and conduct participatory training sessions and workshops as required to build the capacity of project staff and partners in principles, theory and practices in inclusion and accessibility.
• Develop tools for capacity building such as needs assessments, training materials and participatory methodologies.
• Support on-going learning and knowledge of project staff and partners on inclusion and disability awareness through coaching and mentoring.

Responsibility 3: Innovation and knowledge management

• Ensure that innovative experience and lessons learned in inclusion are recorded and shared within the Growing Together Project teams and where appropriate the greater HI network.
• Research and promote inclusion, accessibility and diversity initiatives within the sector, and analyze and how these can be applied to the Growing Together Project.
• Develop guidelines for approaches and tools when required for country teams to follow when implementing project activities and technical tools.
• Compile and disseminate inclusion and disability awareness materials to promote knowledge sharing with project teams.

Responsibility 4: Representation / networking / coordination: represent HI and promote inclusion and disability awareness

• Promote the organization's mandate and positioning towards partners and stakeholders.
• Participate in organization of internal and external events (team meeting, seminars, workshops, conferences).
• Participate and support HQ/regional support missions.
• Liaise with other technical units and teams as appropriate.
• Establish and maintain networks with stakeholders especially related the theme of inclusion.
• Undertake other duties and tasks that may be requested by the regional technical coordinator

PROFILED REQUIRED

• University degree in occupational therapy or related field
• Strong experience working with persons/children with disabilities and/or children at risk of development delays and psychological distress is required
• Strong experience in developing adaptive/inclusive environments, activities, tools, etc. for children with disabilities

• Previous experience in developing innovative practices and problem-solving with ability to develop creative solutions for integrating children with and without disabilities together in activities

• Experience in capacity building, training and participatory approaches
• Knowledge on child development or early child development is an asset
• Strong analytical skills and ability to handle complex issues
• Fluency in English, written and spoken
• Ability to travel frequently
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships, both within and outside the organization
• Experience in the humanitarian or development sector, particularly with displaced populations is a strong asset
• Prior experience in providing remote support to teams a plus
• Fluency in spoken Thai, Burmese or Karen is a plus

JOB CONDITIONS

• Remuneration: according to HI salary grid
• Start: January 3^rd, 2017
• Duration: 24 months renewable
• Estimate travel abroad (to Pakistan, Bangladesh or other countries if needed): 30% of the time

• Security Context of the Position:
• Bangladesh: Security is an issue of on-going concern in the country, resulting in restriction on expatriate movement. The
• Hill Tracts (Myanmar and Indian border) are zones where expatriates are not allowed to go except with an authorization from the government
• Pakistan: Security remains a concern in Pakistan and additional security restrictions can be imposed at any moment.
• Thailand: Living conditions in Thailand are fairly good. No specific problem of security. The higher life-threatening risk however remains road safety.

HOW TO APPLY:

• In the subject line of the email please write “Application for Regional Innovation and Accessibility Officer”
• IMPORTANT: In the content of the CV please outline responsibilities and tasks from previous & current work and volunteer experience.
• Please send all applications (cover letter, CV, copy of Thai ID/ passport & educational certificate) to Handicap International, Human resource manager - Thailand site, by Email as below:

E-mail: gtrecruitment@thailand-hi.org