Co-facilitate Communication

Job Description
The partner NGO in Ukraine supports alternative education and youth civic engagement for homeschoolers in this regional center. To support youth development, they have collaborated with a Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) in the past and they're hoping to continue the engagement in a new club which will focus on communication and problem-solving skills development for youth.

The Communication and Life Skills Club should create a safe and engaging space where teenagers learn to communicate effectively, think critically, and collaborate with others. Youth participants will agree on principles of tolerant listening and respectful dialogue, which help them practice empathy and emotional self-control and commit to participate in the weekly 90-minute club sessions. The VSPP will collaborate to encourage the youth to lead discussions, expressing their own ideas clearly, and engage in healthy debate as they search for common ground and manage disagreements without conflict.

The club directly contributes to fostering essential life skills among young people including the following: communication, emotional intelligence, decision-making, persuasion, compromise, resilience, and collaboration, preparing them for leadership roles in their schools and communities.

The organization has previously collaborated with the Peace Corps through Virtual Service Pilot program. They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a Peace Corps Volunteer or Peace Corps Response Volunteer.

Desired Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in any field

Language: Basic Ukrainian

Experience:

• Virtual engagement and communication

• Working with youth to develop critical thinking, decision-making, problem-solving and communication skills

Required Skills
Education: Bachelor's degree in any field

Experience:

• Working with youth, aged 13–16, in some capacity, such as a teacher, counselor, mentor, coach, or volunteer

• Facilitating virtual educational sessions

Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative.

Host Country Partner's Mission and Goals
NGO Vilnosvita, based in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, operates in the field of alternative education, youth civic engagement, and support for vulnerable groups (including veterans and internally displaced persons), by providing free opportunities in education, self-development, and psychological support. Children who seek support from Vilnosvita are encouraged to join activities out of their own choice, with respect for their choices and in acceptance of diverse interests and paces.

Since 2017, the Vilnоsvita team has worked as an initiative group, and in 2023, it officially became an NGO. Currently, Vilnosvita runs over 10 active projects with thousands of beneficiaries, offering free courses and training, managing a democratic space for homeschoolers in Vinnytsia, and organizing both online and offline conferences and festivals in the field of democratic and alternative education.

The NGO's mission is to promote the democratization of education, offer a culture of mutual support, and engagement in civic activism as integral parts of the democratization of society in Ukraine.

Virtual Service Engagement and Tasks
The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their Host Country Partners:

• Co-assess current skills and priorities of club members

• Co-design the virtual club curriculum which focuses on communication and life skills

• Co-develop 14 session plans for virtual club meetings

• Co-facilitate a 90-minute virtual club meeting every week for 10–15 participants aged 13–16

• Co-host cultural events devoted to American and Ukrainian holidays or historical events

• Attend a weekly meeting with the Ukrainian counterparts for feedback and planning

VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5–15 hours per week. This engagement is estimated to be around 6 hours per week.

Online collaboration will generally occur between 4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Kyiv time twice a week. Specific times will be determined during orientation.

The Host Country Counterpart will have access to Zoom, Telegram, WhatsApp, and emails for regular communication and collaboration.

Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0–18), two adults must be present.

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