The primary purpose of this role is to further Plan’s development education and advocacy engagement in Ireland, with a focus on issues that affect children in the developing world.
Founded over 75 years ago, Plan International is one of the oldest and largest children’s development organisations in the world. We work in 51 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas to promote child rights and lift millions of children out of poverty.
Established in 2003, Plan Ireland is a dynamic organisation that supports Plan’s work worldwide, with a particular focus on West Africa.
Development Education (DE) is a core element of Plan’s strategy to increase public awareness of aid and development. Plan aims to influence public perception and build a constituency support of development through communication using positive messaging that bring a greater understanding of the reality of life in developing countries and build an understanding of global interdependency. The Plan Ireland DE programme engages with schools, civil society organisations and communities through a range of interactive methodology and curriculum development.
Advocacy became integrated into Plan’s work in 2003 with the adoption of a human rights-based approach, Child Centred Community Development (CCCD). This commitment to advocacy was further set out and strengthened in the 2010 Programme Guide. This focus on advocacy as a means to drive sustainable change reflects the greater emphasis placed upon policy, advocacy and campaigns work in recent years by the development sector as a whole. Plan’s advocacy is free from political or religious bias and, in line with the CCCD approach, and is based on international human rights law and standards.
The development education aspect of the role involves engagement with the public through schools, third level institutions, societies, adult education groups, networks, etc. The aim is to inform as many people as possible about Plan, its work and the issues faced by children in developing countries. The successful candidate will have full responsibility for the development education function.
In terms of advocacy Plan seeks to highlight the issues that affect children. To enable this we call on our own experience, our learning and try to use this to bring about change in thinking, policies and legislation. The advocacy component will endeavour to ensure that Plan Ireland’s voice is heard nationally and internationally, inside and outside of Plan.
Engage schools, colleges, universities, CSOs, societies, associations, groups, etc. around development issues and Plan’s global work.
Build awareness and engage audiences on Plan Ireland’s programme work and campaign initiatives. These include quality education, birth registration, household economic security and disaster risk management.
Assist in the preparation of funding applications to sustain DE and advocacy activities.
Lead the implementation of development education (DE) programmes.
Regular visits to and engagement with schools, colleges, etc.
Identify non-formal education groups, civil society organisations, networks, etc. and engage them in Plan’s work.
Develop student/civil society centred learning topics and tools that build on Plan Ireland’s overseas programmes, good development practice and human rights.
Draw on Plan’s global resources for DE, including videos, photos, reports, child and youth media projects, etc. that can enrich Plan Ireland’s DE resource bank and subsequently the experience for the target audiences.
Liaise with the Marketing & Sponsorship and Fundraising teams to ensure that opportunities around engagement, communication, media, fundraising, etc. are maximised.
Link developing country experience to an Irish context so the targeted audience can see the commonalities around various issues.
Represent Plan Ireland on the Dóchas Development Education Working Group, in IDEA, and other relevant development education fora.
Encourage students, teachers and other groups to actively support and fundraise for Plan Ireland’s work. Lend support to Plan Ireland’s nationwide Supporter Evenings when required.
Identify advocacy opportunities for Plan Ireland at national, European and international levels aligned to Plan Ireland’s Programme Strategy.
Lobby, in particular, for the promotion and prioritisation of children’s rights, child protection and children’s education.
Liaise with Plan’s EU, Geneva UN Liaison Office, Regional Offices and other National Offices (NOs) to ensure a coordinated approach to advocacy initiatives.
Garner lessons learned and best practise from Plan Ireland’s development programmes and share this learning and participate in discourse in Ireland and Plan International advocacy fora.
Work with Media and Communications to use PR and media opportunities to target our message to specific groups such as teachers, adult educators, etc.
Reporting: provide regular progress updates and ensure that all visits, contacts, follow up activity is recorded.
Budgets: be responsible for DE and advocacy budgets ensuring maximisation of cost recovery and timely spends.
Media: liaise with the Media & Communications team as required to ensure that we can respond when required or lead proactively on particular issues.
Any other tasks as requested by the Head of Development Programmes or Head of Programmes.
Background in education, advocacy or development ideally with a cross over knowledge of each.
This document is not intended to be an exhaustive job description. It serves only as an overview of the role. A more detailed job description may be provided in due course.
To apply: send CV with cover letter, including a response to each filter question (below) to HR@plan.ie. Closing date, 6th February, 2015. To discuss the role feel free to write to Barbara Scettri, Head of Development Programmes, barbara.scettri@plan-international.org.
Applicants must have a valid work permit at the time of applying to enable them to work in Ireland.