Social Behaviour Change Communication SBCC Specialist

1. Organisational Setting:

Juzoor is a leading Palestinian NGO dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Palestinian families and promoting health rights in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza.

We promote an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral approach to improving the health and social well-being of individuals, families and communities based on national targets and needs. Juzoor works on multiple levels with civil society organizations, professionals, governmental bodies, service providers, and the community at large. Our principles are to build local capacities and empower local communities, targeting in specific women, children and youth, through innovative programs that address their psychosocial, educational, economic and reproductive health needs.

2. Background:

Under the pressure of persistent conflict and violence, education in the West Bank and Gaza (WBG) is weak, often disrupted, and failing to support foundational learning. Children lack access to quality early childhood and primary grade education, missing critical opportunities to develop the cognitive and soft skills they need to meet their full potential. An emerging private sector for kindergarten (KG) and strong community commitment to advancing learning represent important opportunities, but need significant support to both expand and improve in quality. USAID’s Basic Education Activity (BEA) will address these needs, working through local partners and stakeholders to invest early in children’s holistic development and foundational learning.

Juzoor is primarily supporting IR1 (Intermediate Result (IR) 1: Improved cognitive, social, and emotional competencies of preschoolers) and works to improve social, health, and development outcomes in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Juzoor brings extensive experience in early childhood development (ECD), SBCC, child and maternal health, and supporting children with disabilities. In addition, Juzoor has developed numerous tools and training materials that support service providers and parents to identify potential developmental delays and promote responsive and nurturing care to young children.

Juzoor seeks a professional SBCC to support in the implementation of interventions for Juzoor for Health and Social Development (Juzoor) organisation. Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Juzoor Projects Manager, the main responsibilities of the IR (1) officer will include providing the needed support in programme/projects implementation consistent with Juzoor’s rules and regulations, in sync with the IR (1) results and activities, and where this job requires a high sense of independence, initiative, flexibility and the ability to work under pressure.

3. Working Code and Methodology:

• Commitment to Juzoor’s code of conduct and rules and regulations at all times.
• Promote the development of relationships with the partner organizations based on a concept of partnerships founded on shared values, mutual respect, reciprocity of learning and transparency.
• Maintain close and continuous relations with the target population and its grassroots organizations, and provisions to listen to their expectations
• The position holder acknowledges that they have read and agree to abide by Juzoor’s policies and manuals, including but not limited to the following:

1. Juzoor Child Protection Policy.
2. Anti-Fraud, Bribery, Corruption Policy General Protection Policy.
3. Juzoor Gender Equality Policy.
4. Juzoor Sexual Harassment Policy.
5. Safeguarding Policy.
6. WHISTLEBLOWING POLICY.
7. IT & Data Policy.
8. Code of Conduct Policy.
9. HR, Management, Procurement and Financial Manuals.

• The position holder acknowledges that all information is confidential to Juzoor such as documents, manuals, designs, applications of all sorts, agree that these documents are the sole custody of Juzoor and should not be used outside Juzoor organization unless it is cleared by Juzoor management and the board of directors, as stipulated in Juzoor’s IT & Data Policy.
• The position holder has read, understood, and signed off to her/his Terms of Reference (ToR), as attached.
• The position holder understands and agrees to fulfil tasks related to her/his TOR, and for the benefit of Juzoor’s activities, as requested by her/his immediate supervisor.
• The position holder understands and agrees to read, comply and participate in any orientation held by Juzoor related to HR and Juzoor policies.

4. Overall Project Target Beneficiaries:

Over four years, the project will support improved programming in at least 200 ECE (early childhood education) centers and 200 private primary schools and build capacity for at least 50 CBOs/CSOs. This will include training for 400 ECE teachers and 1,400 remedial/extracurricular program facilitators and renovation of a minimum of 150 ECE centers and/or community buildings with the potential to function as ECE centers. It will also provide ECE materials to 400 classrooms, support 50 communities and families to access mobile KGs programs, and engage 75,000 parents through SBCC and nontraditional education programming. Through these and other aligned efforts, the project aims to reach an estimated 286,000 KG-G6 students with BEA foundational skills and well-being programming.

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

5. Responsibilities:

Intermediate Result (IR) 1: Improved cognitive, social, and emotional competencies of preschoolers

During their most sensitive period of learning and development, young children in the WBG— especially the most marginalized and vulnerable—need improved access to high-quality ECE to develop the cognitive skills and SEL that will support them to navigate their challenging educational and social landscape.

Developing positive approaches to learning supports children’s development of persistence in the face of adversity, creativity, and initiative, and a wealth of other internal resources that support life-long, resilient learning. Through Creative’s Learn Everywhere approach, this will increase access to these ECE opportunities; expand the resources available to children at home, school, and in the wider community; and improve ECE quality through training and ongoing support of KG teachers in private schools, community-based ECE centers, CBO-led centers, and other non-governmental settings, including retired Palestinian Authority (PA) teachers. Per USAID requirements, BEA will not engage or hire current PA teachers.

Juzoor is seeking a dynamic SBCC Technical Specialist to support in design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of SBCC (Social Behaviour Change Communication) strategies as well as building the capacity of Project partners and their frontline workers in SBCC fulfilling the ECD Vision.

1. At the home level, the SBCC Technical Specialist provides support, and as needed, to Creative’s work with families to advocate for and support their children by supplementing education in the home and promoting a positive, nurturing, and safe home environment. This may extend to supporting in the initiation of a comprehensive social behavior change communication (SBCC) Let's Talk campaign that helps parents understand children’s rights and the importance of inclusive early education for all children; and provide home-based KG in a Box kits of learning resources to families lacking access to KG center.
2. Assist, and as needed, the SBCC and PSS/SEL activities targeting participants at all levels to provide holistic support to adults and children across the WBG region.
3. Assist, and as needed, in Creative’s Community mapping and listening tour with stakeholders across the home, school, and community spectrum. This will include key local voices and influencers, such as community leaders, school directors, teachers, and parents.

Under 1.1.3D. Raise awareness with parents about early detection and intervention for children with potential delays and disabilities:  

1. Support Juzoor’s efforts, and to better support early detection of needs, develop a Developmental Milestones Checklist for parents that will help parents to understand how young children develop—noting that slight differences in development are expected, how to identify when their children may need additional developmental support, and the importance of early intervention to address children’s needs.

Under 1.1.4A. Conduct outreach and communication campaigns through media, including social media and radio:

1. Support Juzoor’s efforts to support parents’ knowledge and skills to promote healthy development of their young children, including those with disabilities, and design and conduct SBCC campaigns to drive messages that increase awareness and galvanize support in four areas: 1) the importance of ECE, play-based learning, and exposing children to language often and early; 2) the rights of all children to attend school and reducing stigma against children with disabilities; 3) the importance of nutrition for healthy development; and 4) the effects of trauma and exposure to violence on children and methods of positive discipline. Juzoor will launch interactive SBCC campaigns through radio, social media, and in-person activities. The campaigns can extend the edutainment programming  with content designed for parents, teachers, and community members, potentially utilizing digital platforms (such as a WhatsApp chat box) to reinforce key messages and provide on-demand access to further information and resources.

Under 1.1.4B. Promote ECE parent champions to provide peer support:

1. Support Juzoor to identify and engage parents as ECE champions to provide peer support to mobilize other parents. These champions will model the desired parental behaviors and motivate other parents through their personal “success stories,” and they will engage directly with parents to understand their specific needs, as well as behavioral drivers and barriers.

Under 1.1.4C. Lead parent engagement workshops:

1. Support Creative and Juzoor in conducting participatory parent workshops using the ECE champions in local community centers to address key issues linked to ECE.

Other tasks include:

1. Liaise and coordinate programme and project activities internally, and with other partners and stakeholders.
2. Follows the internal financial procedures and systems for projects, and provide assistance in the preparation of payments.

6. Position Requirements and Skills:

• Proven experience as similar managerial positions.
• Good understanding of project/programme management techniques and methods.
• Working knowledge of MS office and programme management software.
• Good organizational and leadership skills.
• Good communication skills,

7. Level of Responsibility:

• Carries out assignments independently.
• Expected to find solutions to problems after discussion with supervisor.
• Direct Supervisor: Juzoor’s Project Manager.

8. Experience required:

• Good knowledge of Social Behaviour Change, education, health and social sectors, and people living with disabilities.
• Familiarity with development concepts.
• Ability to work effectively within a team, women groups, local communities and NGOs.
• Ability to draft reports and other documents in a precise manner.
• Good Knowledge of English.
• A Bachelor’s Degree in management of social science field – such as education, public health, women’s and community development studies.
• At least five years of experience in related field.          
• Ability to travel to different localities of the West Bank and Gaza, and as needed.

9. Job skills required:

• Good teamwork and participatory process skills.

• Good organisational skill and attention to details.
• Good analytical skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Good computer skills.
• Language requirement: Fluency in English and Arabic both spoken and written.

10. Contract Duration:

The position is scheduled for four years, and the contract is renewed annually based on fund availability and successful evaluation. The position remuneration is based on the duration provided for each task annually.

Application Deadline:
Thursday 9 MAY 2024 at 1600 (local time)

For those interested, please send a cover letter explaining why you feel you are a good candidate for this post, along with your CV and email it to [email protected] with subject line Your Name - Job Post Title no later than MAY 9, 2024