Mission and objectives

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan, focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. UNFPA has been operating in India since 1974. UNFPA has been operating in India since 1974 to strengthen and ensure rights-based and quality sexual and reproductive health services in the country. In partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the Government of India (GoI) and the state health departments of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar, UNFPA strives towards ensuring the availability and accessibility of rights-based family planning information, counseling and services.

Context

With over 1.36 billion people, India is one the world’s fastest-growing economies with 369 million young people aged 10-29 years, the largest youth population in the world. However, there are several factors that act as barriers for young adults and couples to access to accurate information and quality SRH services, which include lack of accurate information that leads to the proliferation of myths and misconceptions, deep entrenched negative social norms, taboo towards sexuality, and provider biases across the health service chain. There is an absolute need to provide a safe, non-judgmental space to adolescents and young adults for accessing information and health services. UNFPA, in partnership with National Health Mission (NHM), Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, has developed and launched a digital engagement platform (JustAsk! Khulke Poocho! chatbot) in 2023 for adolescents, young adults and couples to increase awareness and access to health services. JustAsk! has already provided accurate services to over 1.4 lakh young people, addressed over 2.2 million user queries and is being actively accessed in over 20 states in union territories across India. To that end, we are seeking to engage motivated Online Volunteers to collaborate and champion SRH and mental health awareness and mobilize youth access to vital knowledge. This online assignment offers a chance to drive meaningful change by ensuring your peers are well-informed.

Task type

Outreach and Advocacy

Task description

Online Volunteers (OVs) will support to increase the awareness and userbases of the "JustAsk!" Chatbot. The "JustAsk!" AI Chatbot is a digital platform offering adolescent and youth-friendly, confidential, and reliable information on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and mental health. The goal is to increase awareness on this platform amongst young people in Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities and towns in India. As part of the UNFPA India, the Online Volunteers under the direct supervision of the Youth and Adolescent team, and in close coordination with the Innovations and Technology as well as Communications and Media units at UNFPA Country Office, will be responsible for undertaking the following activities:

● Expand users, especially young people for JustAsk! chatbot via social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram, using your existing social/college/online network and groups (each OVs is expected to reach 500 users).

● Engage and mobilize youth (ages 15-29) through online networks, community WhatsApp groups, and local in-person connections, with reasonable creative freedom to drive such activities, with the aim to popularise the chatbot and increase user base for the same.

● Attend monthly experience-sharing sessions to discuss progress and exchange learnings.

● Collect and share user feedback and testimonials for the JustAsk! chatbot from newly onboarded individuals.

The Online Volunteers (OVs) will be instrumental in scaling the reach of JustAsk! Chatbot across India by making essential service accessible to all, ensuring everyone has access to accurate and reliable SRH and mental health information. Each Online Volunteer will be responsible for engaging and mobilizing youth (ages 15-29) through online networks, community WhatsApp groups, and local in-person connections. This effort aims to significantly increase Just Ask! users nationwide.

Assignment requirements:

Required experience

● Online Volunteers (OVs) should have digital skills and strong community connections (such as being part of youth-led movements and groups)

● Good communication and interpersonal skills

● Ability to engage and mobilize communities, particularly youth

● Keen attention to detail, especially for tracking and reporting

● Is a self-starter and motivated

● Is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda ● As the target audience includes young people across India, fluency in relevant local languages in addition to English may be beneficial

● It is desirable for candidates to be part of local communities, groups and networks (for e.g., college societies, volunteering groups, etc)

● Online Volunteers (OVs) can be pursuing higher education or have graduated (either from high school or college).

The condition is that they should be able to make time in their schedule to undertake the present activities and make themselves available for pre-decided team meetings and contribute to UNFPA. As the online outreach is targeting different geographical areas across India, fluency in English and in any one of the following local languages is required: Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. UNFPA India is seeking highly motivated Online Volunteers (OVs) to drive its mandate.

Languages

English, Level: Fluent, Required

Hindi, Level: Fluent, Desirable

Marathi, Level: Fluent, Desirable

Gujarati, Level: Fluent, Desirable

Oriya, Level: Fluent, Desirable Tamil, Level: Fluent, Desirable

Malayalam, Level: Fluent, Desirable

Kannada, Level: Fluent, Desirable

Other information

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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