PRIDE - International Volunteering and Mentoring for Children's Rights

IN T E R N AT I ON A L VO LU N T E E R I N G

& PRO F E S SI O N A L ME N TO R I N G Volunteer to support children’s rights worldwide

INTERNATIONAL BUREAU FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS (IBCR)

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PRIDE gives you the chance to share your knowledge and help build a fairer world for children everywhere.

, for children everywhere PRIDE, which stands for Project for the Integral Reinforcement of Children’s Rights, is run by the International Bureau for Children’s Rights (IBCR). It aims to improve child welfare and protection, with a special focus on girls, and to generate lasting improvements to children’s rights around the world.

With a seven-year operating period (2020–2027), the programme is part of Canada’s Volunteer Cooperation Program and aims to deploy more than 250 professional volunteers to 11 countries.

By creating volunteer opportunities for professionals and qualified mentors to share their skills and knowledge with a network of partners, PRIDE helps strengthen child protection services and systems in the programme’s target countries.

Getting involved with PRIDE means : Help create safe and protective environments for children Grow personally and professionally through new experiences Be part of a development project that aims to make a lasting impact Join a network of more than 30 established organisations in Latin America, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa Drive social innovation in the area of child protection

Sub-saharan Africa

Latin America Colombia Costa Rica Honduras Peru

North Africa Morocco Tunisia

Burkina Faso Côte d’Ivoire Madagascar Senegal Togo

PRIDE offers two types of opportunities : volunteering and mentoring INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERING PRIDE connects volunteers with opportunities to share their knowledge with child-rights organisations and institutions in foreign countries. Assignment terms vary from two weeks to several months, depending on your availability.

In a spirit of mutual aid and collaboration, professional volunteers agree to share their competencies with frontline child-protection organisations and help them improve their practices.

Short stays : 2 weeks or long stays : 10 months Our partners include NGOs, community groups, foundations, government bodies and other organisations working in fields related to child protection: - Children in contact or conflict with the law - Anti-human trafficking - At-risk youth - Armed conflict - LGBTQI+ rights and gender equality - Other related fields

Several departures throughout the year Approximately 40 people deployed annually More than 200 assignments completed since 2015 IBCR support : 4 offices worldwide and 3 regional PRIDE representatives

IN SHORT International assignment Monthly allowance or per diem (depending on the assignment duration) to cover expenses related to your mandate Collaboration with a local partner

FIELDS OF ACTIVIT Y Communications Organisational performance Strategic planning Personnel mobilisation and funding searches Project management Monitoring, assessment and training Social work

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PROFESSIONAL MENTORING Want to do your part to improve child welfare and protection while staying in Canada ?

By becoming a mentor, you’ll support a volunteer working with one of our partner organisations around the world. While they’re away on assignment, you’ll share valuable knowledge to help them develop new skills and successfully fulfil their role. The frequency of your interactions can vary from a few hours on an as-needed basis to regular follow-ups over several months.

A flexible arrangement that works with your schedule IBCR support available on key topics Ongoing assistance from the PRIDE team in Montreal Participation in the Social Lab, PRIDE’s innovation platform

Remotely from Canada On a volunteer basis Collaboration with volunteers

Child psychology Legal advising Human resources and administration Software/mobile app development Children’s rights Child protection Child safeguarding Etc.

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH PRIDE

Partner needs assessment With support from the IBCR, each partner organisation assessed its needs for support and capacity building in areas such as skill development, general management or improving their ability to shape the child protection system and influence national policies.

Once these assessments were complete, a seven-year action plan was developed to cover the project’s entire duration. The plan outlines what types of specialist volunteers are needed and where. Each specific assignment was then co-constructed by the host organisation and the IBCR.

VOLUNTE E RING

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A VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY IS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA

ME NTORING

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@ : www.ibcr.org/en/ international-volunteering/ourvolunteering-opportunities/

A CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST IS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA @ : www.ibcr.org/pride

Postings are generally related to an area of expertise and not a specific organisation, with occasional exceptions.

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APPLICATIONS ARE SUBMITTED If you don’t see an opportunity that matches your skill set, feel free to send us an unsolicited application. We’ll add your name to our pool of potential volunteers. If an opportunity comes up in your field, you may be contacted.

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APPLICATIONS ARE SUBMITTED Interested candidates can also send an unsolicited application at any time by e-mail at pride@ibcr. org or by phone at +(1) 514 932 7656.

Our HR team will contact you for a personalised follow-up.

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1 MONTH LATER** : APPLICATIONS SHORTLISTED

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1 MONTH LATER** : INTERVIEW Interview with the PRIDE team to discuss your motivations, availability and mentoring expectations.

Screening test results are sent, if applicable If your application matches an opening, we’ll schedule an interview to discuss your background and motivations to volunteer

If you pass the interview, you’ll be added to our pool of potential mentors. We’ll contact you if an opportunity comes up to put your skills to use.

Verification of professional references and criminal record check Volunteers are selected based on their field of work, professional experience and overall suitability.

The final decision is made jointly with the host organisation.

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1 MONTH AFTER ** THE INTERVIEW : VOLUNTEERS ARE SELECTED

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If you are selected, we’ll provide you with complete information on the next steps to make it easier for you to prepare for departure.

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CONTRACT IS SIGNED

1 TO 12 MONTHS AFTER** THE INTERVIEW : MENTORS ARE SELECTED If we find a match between your profile and one of our volunteers, we’ll schedule a preliminary meeting to plan the mentorship arrangement.

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CONTRACT IS SIGNED

PRIOR TO DEPARTURE : PAPERWORK AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS This work is conducted jointly by you and the IBCR’s Human Resources Department (vaccinations, visa, flight tickets, etc.).

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PRE-DEPARTURE TRAINING Duration: 1 week Meeting with the IBCR team and presentation on the organisation’s approaches, tools and available resources.

Practical training on the various aspects of the assignment (communication, expertise, etc.).

Meeting the other volunteers.

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MEETING WITH THE PARTNER by videoconference ** The indicated durations are examples only

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VOLUNTEER WORK PLAN PREPARED

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In collaboration with the regional office and partner.

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MENTORING PLAN PREPARED In collaboration with the PRIDE team and the volunteer.

DEPARTURE Within 6 months of submitting your application.

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WELCOME BY THE LOCAL ORGANISATION, PRACTICAL SET UP AND MEETING WITH THE TEAM The PRIDE team in Montreal and the regional representatives will be in regular contact with you to make sure you get settled in properly and receive the support you need.

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ASSIGNMENT

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MENTORING of 1 or more volunteers, as established in the predetermined work plan Bilateral work/discussion sessions with the volunteer(s), held on an ad hoc basis or regularly throughout their assignment period.

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EXPERIENCE SHARING

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At the end of your assignment, you’ll be invited to meet with the PRIDE team in order to tell us about your experience and share your impressions with us.

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VOLUNTEER ADDED TO THE PRIDE ALUMNI NETWORK ASSIGNMENT RENEWAL You can volunteer several times with PRIDE. It can be with the same partner, with a different partner in the same country or in new country altogether, depending on the requests we receive.

New assignments are established using a process that is similar to the one described above.

The process for renewing assignments with the same partner is different.

EXPERIENCE SHARING At the end of your mentoring term, you’ll be invited to meet with the PRIDE team in order to tell us about your experience and share your impressions with us.

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MENTOR ADDED TO THE PRIDE ALUMNI NETWORK MENTORSHIP RENEWAL The length of your commitment is variable and can be adjusted, depending on your availability and interest.

If you choose to renew, you may be assigned to a different volunteer.

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VOLUNTEER STORIES

M

y name is MARIE-SOLEIL, and I’ve been a social worker for nearly 15 years.

My past experience includes working as a social worker for a community organisation serving female sexual assault victims and working for Quebec’s child protection agency. Subsequently, I took a one-year sabbatical and moved to Tunisia for family reasons.

When the opportunity came up to join the International Bureau for Children’s Rights through PRIDE, I didn’t hesitate for a second. Not only is child welfare an important cause for me, but I was immediately excited at the prospect of being able to contribute to Tunisian society, even if only in a small way. That’s how I came to be a volunteer at Tunisia’s General Directorate of Child Protection.

Joining a state institution in a country I knew little about was like taking a leap into the unknown, but I’m very glad I seized the opportunity.

As a volunteer, my role is to develop and improve processes for supporting women and children who have experienced sexual abuse. Concretely, I meet with child protection officers, attend discussions between civil society and the government, and provide training on how to effectively interview children. I’m also creating a guide on the roles and responsibilities of the various actors involved in this support.

Marie-Soleil Sturm Aubert

Most importantly, I have the opportunity to learn from the people I meet and appreciate how dedicated they are to protecting children and how generous they can be. From Day 1, my colleagues welcomed me as if I were one of them.

Social worker and former human relations officer for Quebec‘s child protection agency, 10-month term as a volunteer child rights advisor at Tunisia‘s General Directorate of Child Protection.

Tunis, Tunisie

My professional experience allows me to offer a fresh perspective on certain aspects of child protection.

As a volunteer, I’ve been struck by the cultural, economic and language differences, as well as differences in priorities, which sometimes leads me to see and do things in a new way.

Working in another country can be challenging and push you out of your comfort zone because it implies taking into account these differences and questioning your usual customs and procedures.

I only have positive things to say about my experience, which has given me the chance to demonstrate my abilities and be useful to a cause that is dear to me.

I wholeheartedly recommend volunteering to anyone who is interested in contributing to a noble cause.

As a volunteer, how have I helped advance children’s rights ?

I’ve had the opportunity to talk at length with child protection workers about the challenges they face. I realised that the family issues were similar to the ones experienced in Quebec, but in Tunisia there are few tools and means to deal with them. Because I spent years working for Quebec’s child protection services, I’m knowledgeable about these issues and trained to address them. I’ve been able to share insights based on my past experience as well as tools for creating a rapport with children and their families. I also got the sense that the people I work with are keen to learn and adopt these new tools.

It’s extremely rewarding to see that your experience can make a real difference for improving child services.

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y name is SLIMANE and I completed an international volunteering assignment with NGO Forum.

My role was to help the organisation develop its strategic plan, along with tools to implement it. I also provided support for the creation of internal policies and skill-building for the permanent team members.

Back home in Morocco, I’ve been involved in promoting, defending and protecting child rights for many years. In 2019, I had the opportunity to spend several weeks in the United States on an exchange programme.

The experience left a lasting impression on me, as I was surprised to learn that children experience difficult situations all over the world, even in what we consider developed countries.

After the exchange, I broadened my goals to include improving the lives of children around the world.

I wanted to get involved with PRIDE and the IBCR so that I could share the experience and skills I’ve developed over the years.

Through my volunteer experience, I had the chance to provide support to organisations in another country and help them develop practices aimed at improving national strategies and policies to positively impact the lives of children in Côte d’Ivoire.

I also made new friends and learned about different culture (there are more than 60 ethnic groups in Côte d’Ivoire!).

Slimane Amansag Executive Director of Fondation Amane pour la protection de l’enfance and Director of the Association enfance handicapée (Morocco), One-year assignment, organisational management advisor to the NGO Forum.

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

My personal and professional experiences in the country were enriched by the love and joy shared by the people I met.

After completing an initial six-month term as a volunteer, I wanted to stay on and renewed my commitment for another six months.

If you‘re considering volunteering, know that you‘ll have the opportunity to discover new cultures while supporting children‘s rights in a country that is very different from your own !

How has my involvement helped advance children’s rights ?

I shared best practices with the partner organisation for things such as strategic planning, documenting and leveraging best practices, mapping child protection actors and coordinating NGOs networks. This helped the partner organisation improve its procedures.

With my support, the NGO Forum successfully developed a strategic plan and clarified its strategies so that it would be better able to influence public-sector decision-makers, communities and children, and make a tangible difference for the people it serves. If you compare the partner organisation’s practices before and after my term with them, the differences are substantial. Their team brings this up this often, which is very gratifying.

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y name is LARA and I’m the Regional Officer for North Africa and Madagascar, based in Tunis.

I coordinate regional activities. My role is to build and maintain relationships with local partners as well as to guide, support and assist volunteers on assignment.

I became an international volunteer in 2020, drawn by the IBCR’s expertise and interesting work being carried out in Tunisian civil society to advance children’s rights.

I also wanted to gain experience in policy analysis and communitylevel programme implementation.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, I’ve often been asked how I feel about being in Tunisia, far from my family and friends. My answer is always the same : I feel privileged to play a role in improving Tunisia’s child protection system and to regularly collaborate with individuals and organisations who have dedicated their lives to this important cause.

As a regional officer, I have the chance to build strong relationships with the incredible people I meet, including volunteers and employees working for our local partners.

From them, I’m learning about child protection, children’s rights and the different protection systems in the countries I work with.

Lara Pocock Policy Advisor to Canada‘s Minister of International Development from 2017– 2019, Renewed one-year assignment, Volunteer Regional Officer for North Africa and Madagascar.

Tunis, Tunisie

I recommend international volunteering to all professionals, because it allows you get to meet a lot of great people with a wealth of experience and varied backgrounds.

As a volunteer, how have I helped advance children’s rights ?

When we recruit volunteers with valuable expertise because we know how helpful they’ll be to our partners!

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Each volunteer brings a wealth of skills and experience to the table.

Their contributions shouldn’t be underestimated just because they’re volunteers.

Requirements for PROFESSIONAL VOLUNTEERS Must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents Minimum of 3 years of experience in their field Must speak Spanish or French, depending on the host country, Arabic an asset Pre-departure training is mandatory and offered by the IBCR Assignment terms : 15 days to 10 months Departures throughout the year

Assistance and financial support The IBCR will cover the cost of transportation between your home and host city at the beginning and end of your assignment. We will also cover any required pre-departure training, visa fees and mandatory vaccinations for the country you’re being deployed to. Finally, the IBCR will cover the international travel insurance costs.

If your assignment is for several months, you’ll receive a monthly allowance that reflects the cost of living (housing, food and transportation) in your host country. Volunteers travelling for 2-week assignments will receive a per diem.

If the host country is sufficiently safe, you can bring your family with you while you volunteer. However, the IBCR will not cover travel or any additional accommodation costs for your family members.

The PRIDE team in Montreal and the regional representatives will be available to assist you with day-to-day matters and supervise your assignment. Someone from the host organisation will act as your local contact and provide you with ongoing support for all your professional and practical needs (e.g., finding accommodation, etc.).

Requirements for MENTORS

Minimum of 5 years of experience in their field Fluent in French and/or Spanish – Arabic an asset Internet connection able to support videoconferencing

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Strong communication and interpersonal skills

Assistance Prior to departure, you’ll be invited to a one-onone meeting in which you’ll receive complete information about your host organisation, the country, the context of your upcoming mission and your key contact people.

For every month worked, volunteers are entitled to 0.8 days of leave, which must be taken before the end of their assignment.

During the mentoring process, mentors can request support from the IBCR team on specific topics (e.g., communications, adult education, gender equality, child rights and protection, etc.).

Pre-departure training is available for mentors, but remains optional. (travel expenses not covered)

Access to the IBCR’s inhouse training on children’s rights, gender equality, etc.

Volunteers and mentors will be included in the PRIDE alumni network and invited to special events.

With PRIDE, create the commitment that suits you and help build a better world for children.

Many employers support international volunteering by offering volunteer days, sabbaticals or unpaid leave.

Ask your human resources department about your options.

International volunteering and professional mentoring can be invaluable experiences for people working in all sectors.

You’ll meet new people, learn about different work cultures and get to put your skills to use for a just cause. All this is sure to re-energise you and help you find meaning in your work.

PRIDE is always open to your suggestions.

Let us know how you want to help build a better world for children.

Have questions ?

Our team would be happy to provide you with more information.

Contact us : pride@ibcr.org +(1) 514-932-7656 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday)

Actively supporting organisations that are making a

sense of hope for the future.

Tania Arias, volunteer at GENFAMI in Colombia

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difference in their region or country gave me a renewed

International Bureau for Children’s Rights (IBCR) The International Bureau for Children’s Rights (IBCR) is a Canadian non-profit that has been defending children’s rights for almost 30 years in 50 countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.

Using a sustainable and participatory approach, we work with local partners to promote and protect the rights of children.

We also ensure that children are protected from all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse. Active listening, child participation and child protection are important priorities in everything we do.

Nearly 30 years of operation Programmes benefitting nearly 50 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East Better protection for the rights of more than 4 million children thanks to our initiatives Child-rights training for more than 64,300 professionals through our projects

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ST RE NGTH E N I N G A L L ASPECT S O F C H IL DR E N ’S R I G H T S

International Bureau for Children’s Rights (IBCR) 805 Rue Villeray, Montreal QC H2R 1J4 Canada Tel. +1 514 932 7656 pride@ibcr.org

FOLLOW US ON : WWW.IBCR.ORG/PRIDE