[UNFPA] Youth Fellow-Somali Youth (SOYO) Fellowship Cohort II

Description

Youth Fellow-Somali Youth (SOYO) Fellowship Cohort II Organization: UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund Location: New York, United States of America Level: Volunteering Grade: UNV Sector: Admin Posted: 2026-10-12 Application deadline: 2026-10-26 Contract (as described by UN Talent): This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts. Original source: unv.org SOYO is a flagship professional and leadership development initiative within UNFPA Somalia’s Adolescents and Youth Programme. Building on the inaugural cohort, Cohort II will offer 22 young Somali fellows a structured 12-month experience combining practical placements, mentorship, coaching and targeted learning. Benefits and allowances will follow the applicable UNV Conditions of Service and approved arrangements for National UN Community Volunteers. The programme has three objectives: strengthen fellows’ professional and technical competencies through supervised workplace experience; develop leadership and meaningful youth participation through learning and mentorship; and enable youth contributions to UNFPA’s mandate as well as the UN mandate through practical assignments and knowledge products. A single recruitment process will cover the 22 placements. Successful applicants will be matched to UNFPA units based on their education, demonstrated competencies, interests, technical skills and operational needs. Placements may cover : • Programme Coordination and Effectiveness • Sexual Reproductive Health / Family Planning • Gender Equality, GBV and Social Norms • Adolescents and Youth • Population and Development, Data and Economics • Monitoring and Evaluation • Humanitarian Response and Preparedness • Communications and Advocacy • Resource Mobilization and Partnerships • Climate change, financing and resilience building • Operations (Finance, HR, administration and ICT) Qualified young women and young persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants may request reasonable accommodation; information provided for this purpose will be handled confidentially and used to support equitable recruitment and placement. Criteria for UN Volunteer assignments under SOYO Cohort II • Must be a Somali national living in the country or from the diaspora • Programme target age: 18–30 years • Must hold a bachelor’s degree relevant to a proposed placement area. • No prior professional experience is required; volunteering, student leadership and community engagement are valued. • Must demonstrate leadership potential, commitment to community service and interest in UNFPA’s mandate. • Must be available for the full-time, 12-month assignment and workplace learning activities. • Previous SOYO cohort participants are not eligible for Cohort II. • Selection will promote gender balance and inclusion of persons with disabilities. Task description Under the direct supervision of the designated supervisor, each Fellow/UN Volunteer will undertake relevant tasks from the following common framework. Programme Coordination and Effectiveness • Support programme coordination and implementation by assisting with activity planning, workplans, meetings, documentation, action tracking and logistical arrangements for assigned initiatives. 1. Sexual Reproductive Health / Family Planning • Support sexual and reproductive health programme by assisting with activities on maternal health, midwifery, family planning, and access to quality services. • Support SRH outreach and service monitoring by helping organize approved outreach and awareness activities, compiling aggregate service and referral information, maintaining training and activity records, and documenting barriers affecting young people, women, persons with disabilities and displaced communities. Assist with tracking reported availability of reproductive health supplies and follow-up on programme actions. • Support quality improvement by compiling non-identifiable findings from mentorship, supportive supervision and maternal and perinatal death reviews, and tracking agreed actions to strengthen respectful care and timely referral. 2. Gender Equality, GBV and Social Norms • Support GBV programme coordination and documentation by assisting with training, partner meetings, service mapping, approved referral information, and compilation of non-identifiable monitoring data and programme updates. Apply confidentiality and survivor-centred principles to all assigned work. • Assist in research and preparation of briefs, case studies and other knowledge products on GBV, FGM, child marriage and related gender issues. • Support initiatives that strengthen the leadership and meaningful participation of women and girls in programme planning, implementation and monitoring. • Assist with campaigns and advocacy initiatives, including the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM. • Apply confidentiality, informed consent, safeguarding and survivor-centred principles to all assig

Sectors

Source

Source: untalent.org