Call for Applications: UNICEF Youth Reference Group Membership (Kosovo)

This group acts as a crucial bridge between young people and UNICEF, fostering dialogue, collaboration, and positive change in Kosovo.

As a member of the YRG, you will play a pivotal role in amplifying the voices of young people within UNICEF Kosovo’s internal processes and articulating youth concerns to relevant institutions. Your engagement will contribute to various domains relevant to UNICEF’s programmes and initiatives, aligning with the institutional framework in Kosovo.

Objectives

• Specific objectives of the YRG include:
  • Gathering insights from beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of UNICEF programmes to inform programme development.
  • Identifying and representing the specific needs of vulnerable youth and advocating for their inclusion in UNICEF programmes.
  • Advocating for policy changes and reforms at local and national levels to address the needs and rights of young people, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds.
  • Facilitating collaboration and cooperation among UNICEF programmes through internal meetings and follow-up processes.
  • Engaging in outreach activities to raise awareness about UNICEF’s work and mobilize support for youth-related initiatives.
  • Strengthening the youth agenda among public, private, and youth organizations to plan, prioritize, and address the needs of young people.
  • Identifying potential gaps and proposing adjustments to UNICEF programmes and partners.
  • Serving as positive role models for youth through active participation in various UNICEF activities.
• In essence, the Youth Reference Group acts as a bridge between the youth community and UNICEF, fostering dialogue, collaboration, and positive change to ensure the effective representation and support of young people’s needs.

Eligibility Criteria

• Youth Reference Group membership is open for all adolescents and young people that are motivated to be the voice of their peers and contribute to the advancement of youth agenda alongside UNICEF.
• Under the guidance and general supervision of the Adolescent Development and Participation team, members will be engaged in areas, programmes, and activities according to their interests to further develop knowledge, experience, and skills.
• Detailed individual workplans will be drafted for members once accepted to be part of YRG.
• The interested youth to become members of UNICEF YRG, should be informed on the following criteria/responsibilities:
  • Members should be of adolescent and youth age (15-24 years old).
  • Members should be able to use their daily experience or knowledge on adolescent and youth areas, to recommend and push for the improvement of the youth agenda with UNICEF.
  • Members should attend the regular meetings that will be held once a month, and other meetings as defined by the workplans, according to the respective activities.
  • All members should give their contribution to the implementation of YRG’s general workplan.
  • All members should give their contribution for UNICEF events/activities according to the respective workplans tailored to their interests.
• The specific ways that members of Youth Reference Group will contribute with UNICEF Include: – Supporting the implementation of CPD 2021-2025 and development of the new Programme Cycle 2026-2030 where youth component is one of the key priorities of the office. – Supporting the compilation of the “Situation Analysis of Women and Children in Kosovo”, which will have a specific focus on the perspectives, needs, and aspirations of young people. By participation in this process, youth will enable better adressing of the issues that affect young women and children and deisgning of targeted strategies to improve their well-being.

For more information, visit UNICEF.