Youth Engagement Specialist - Plan International

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Purpose: How does this post support Plan International’s strategy and mission?

Plan International is an independent non-profit organization that advances children’s well-being and equality for girls. Working in building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years and present in 70 countries, Plan International strives for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children while working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.

Plan International Ghana is looking for Youth Engagement Specialist to provide technical expertise in implementing activities for a project titled “She Leads Program – Ghana”. It is a five-year (2021-2025) strategic partnership between Terre des Hommes, Plan International, Defence for Children/ECPAT, African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The strategic objective of the She Leads programme is to increase the sustained influence of Girls and Young Women (GYW) on decision-making and the transformation of gender norms in formal and informal institutions. This will be achieved through the attainment of three main outcomes; enhanced collective action and activism by GYW in a gender-responsive civil society, increased acceptance of positive social gender norms and political institutions at all levels enable meaningful participation of GYW in decision-making.

The project will have a national reach, however specifically target some regions of Ghana.

Dimensions of Role:

The Youth Engagement Specialist will be responsible for developing and implementing activities that will enhance collective action and activism by GYW and also enable their meaningful participation in decision-making. The Youth Engagement Specialist will provide capacity development in lobby and advocacy to women’s rights and GYW-led organizations.

He/she will ensure that feminist principles of co-creation of knowledge, collaboration, participation, transparency and respect for the agency of women’s rights and GYW-led organizations will be integrated in all aspects of this role. The post-holder will be based in Accra with regular travel to the project locations in Upper West, Northern and North East regions; for approximately 20 – 30% of their time.