Rift Valley Children’s Village
If you love a challenge, working with children, and are looking to make a difference, we need you!
We are looking for a mature, organized and flexible individual with excellent interpersonal skills to manage our volunteer program at the Rift Valley Children’s Village (RVCV) in rural Tanzania. RVCV operates in partnership with the Tanzanian Children’s Fund and is home to 102 children. RVCV is located in a remote and impoverished village in Karatu District, adjacent to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
This full-time position will offer you the opportunity to make an important difference in the lives of our children by helping our volunteers have a positive impact on the village and a meaningful experience during their stay. The volunteer program is a critical component of our organization, and RVCV hosts as many as 80 volunteers each year (approximately 5 to 10 at any given time).
The Volunteer Coordinator is a member of the Senior Staff at RVCV and contributes to decisions related to the operation of the Children’s Village. He/she will be responsible for oversight of all aspects of the volunteer program, and act as an important liaison between the volunteers and the staff. He/she will also play a crucial role in the daily/weekly program of RVCV children and the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) program, as well as extra planning and supervision of events over school vacations and special holidays. He/she should be able to work independently as well as part of a larger team.
The duties of the Volunteer Coordinator include, but are not limited to:
Volunteer Program Management
● Daily management of volunteers; determining, scheduling and supervising volunteer job duties
● Conducting weekly group meetings with the volunteers to discuss plans, problems and concerns.
● Providing support, counsel and training to volunteers as needed
● Scheduling and preparing volunteers through regular communication beginning with pre-arrival information through volunteer’s departure
● Responding to all email inquiries regarding the volunteer program
● Maintaining a detailed volunteer calendar of arrivals, departures, housing arrangements, etc. in Microsoft Excel
● Assisting with in country travel arrangements, including transport, hotels, safaris, etc. as needed for volunteers and visitors
● Applying for Work and Residence Permits for qualifying volunteers and foreign staff
● Creating and maintaining files (hard copy and electronic file) on all volunteers
● Meeting and greeting all volunteers along with overnight visitors as requested
● Conducting volunteer program orientation as well as coordinating with RVCV Senior Staff to set up other department’s volunteer orientations
● Communicating with RVCV Volunteer Alumni representative about volunteers once they have completed their time at RVCV
● Leading tours of RVCV as needed
● Liaising with the U.S. office on volunteer and visitor trip details
● Communicating with the Executive Director / Director of Operations on volunteer/staff relations
● Collaborate with US Office Staff and RVCV Digital Media and Sponsorship Coordinator to manage volunteer postings online and partnerships with volunteer placement organizations to aid in the recruitment of volunteers
● Scheduling days off for long-term volunteers and Sundays off for all volunteers and foreign staff
Children’s Programs
● Coordinating weekly activity schedules for kids, which consists of weekends as well as weekday late morning and afternoon activities/classes at RVCV led by volunteers
● Overseeing volunteers during classes, activities, playtimes, evening events, and snack (and breakfast) times for the children
● Collaborating with RVCV Senior Staff to plan weekend activities, holiday events, and activities for our children during school breaks
● Collaborating with social workers on issues related to child discipline
● When needed, assist in distributing and managing our stock of clothes, and shoes—for 102 children! Including conducting clothing swaps two times per year, and shoe exchanges weekly
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Program
● Manage the RVCV Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Program in collaboration with the Director of Education, RVCV social worker(s) and ECCE Program’s Lead Teacher to ensure program vitality
● Conducting professional development trainings with the ECCE Program’s Lead Teacher
● Attending ECCE parent meetings and collecting all program contracts for students
● Creating class rosters for all ECCE classes
● Conducting student evaluations three times a year and creating a yearly report on students’ progress
● Working with the ECCE Program Lead Teacher to create and implement a yearly curriculum for all ECCE classes.
● Supplying all ECCE Program classes with teaching aids, supplies, and any other needed support.
Resource Management
● Determining the most needed items at RVCV and communicating these needs through our supply request process
● Keeping the library, preschool room, and all materials for classes and activities stocked and organized
● Organizing and maintaining volunteer resources and materials in the Volunteer House
● Coordinating with the Volunteer House cooks on meal planning
Qualifications:
● Must love kids! Experience or training in teaching or childhood development is helpful but not required
● Candidate must be outgoing, friendly, easygoing, and patient with all types of personalities coming from all walks of life, as well as open-minded to different experiences and cultures
● Strong attention to detail and ability to multitask
● Experience managing junior staff, volunteers or interns a plus
● Initiative driven and ability to work independently with minimal supervision
● Team oriented and collaborative
● Ability to thrive living in a very beautiful but rural setting in Africa
● Experience living abroad for six months or more is helpful but not required
● Bachelor’s degree required
● Strict minimum commitment of 1 year required; 2 year commitment preferred
● Sense of humor and positive attitude
Why work with Tanzanian Children’s Fund?
● Be part of a small grassroots non-profit that is having a huge impact in the lives of children and in the wider community, through holistically addressing the root causes of poverty
● Live in one of the most beautiful, peaceful areas in East Africa with ample chances to see wildlife and forge authentic connections with students, teachers and local villagers.
● Be confident that you’ll be working for an organization that has strong accountability structures, and incredibly well regarded both in the region and on a global stage
● Have autonomy in your role, collecting experiences, honing your professional skills, and preparing you for your next endeavor in international development
● Enjoy being part of a dynamic, closely knit team of professionals who approach challenges with humor, and find creative solutions to problems
● Eat really delicious banana bread, watch the sun going down overlooking the Ngorongoro crater, and have the opportunity to meet a wide range of visitors and volunteers from around the world.
Package:
● This is a paid position, with a competitive monthly stipend
● $2,000 airfare allowance/year
● Room and Board including private apartment, all meals, work internet, local phone, and housekeeping support; transport to town as needed.
● Health insurance for term of service
● One-month annual leave per year of commitment
Start date: January 2022
No Deadline Specified , Apply ASAP
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