The Associate spends the majority of his or her time providing direct support to the Social Mobilizers (SMs) and assists the Program Officer in carrying out all activities of the Girls’ Education Program (GEP). The position will be field-based and will involve frequent travel to the areas of work. The work will entail providing direct support to social mobilizers, supporting and sometimes facilitating SM trainings, working 1:1 and in groups with Social Mobilizers (SMs) and Program Facilitators (PFs)regularly – ideally weekly to ensure they are effective in their roles in working with girls, and when needed modeling effective life skills or mentoring sessions with girls. They will also be responsible for strengthening linkages with like- minded organizations, liaising with block/district level officials, regular program and financial tracking, collecting program data and entering it into Room to Reads database and determining and delivering material support for girls participating in the program. The Program Associate reports to the Program Officer and manages a set of Social Mobilizers (SMs) and a program administrative assistant.
Set a schedule of weekly and monthly review and feedback sessions with direct reports.
Support Social Mobilizers (SMs)in planning and facilitating Room to Read’s life skills activities (sessions and clubs). Support may include helping Social Mobilizers (SMs) set her schedule of life skills sessions with girls, observing a session and providing feedback to the Social Mobilizers (SMs), or other activities needed to help SMs succeed in their core responsibilities.
Support Social Mobilizers (SMs) to mentor girls. This may include providing ideas for group discussion topics and coaching the Social Mobilizers (SMs) on how to handle difficult topics.
Support the Social Mobilizer in identifying and supporting girls at risk of dropping or failing out of school using Room to Read’s risk and response protocol.
Facilitate Social Mobilizer weekly and monthly review meetings to discuss and identify solutions to challenges Social Mobilizers (SMs) are facing in program implementation and in working with the girls and communities.
Develop subsequent plans for capacity building of partner staff (wherever applicable) and Social Mobilisers.
Conduct annual performance review of Social Mobilizers (SMs).
Support the Program Officer/Program Manager in conducting the Social Mobilizers’ training. This may include co-facilitating training sessions.
Directly conduct life skills sessions with girls on critical issues like sexual and reproductive health, career plans and any other as deemed fit.
Develop a linkage with school authorities and communities are supportive of the program – liase for a Girls Education Program room dedicated for life skills classes and mentoring.
Participate in regular training and meetings with Room to Read staff.
Ensure feedback is given to specific Social Mobilizers or Program Assistant and recorded in written regularly.
Develop a school profile for each of the enhanced schools and regularly update.
Writes case studies 4 in a year.
Participate in donor site visits and provide information to donors about Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program as needed
Lead on parents’ workshop and parents meeting as planned with support from Social Mobilisers.
Identify local needs of the community and explore topics for probable parents meeting topics.
Regular meeting and providing program update to school staff including head teachers and creating playing the role of a catalyst promoting the school to think of girl’s education and solutions to problems affecting girls in the catchment area of the school with support from Social Mobilizer.
Share list of scholarship schemes and entitlements with parents in an accessible form.
Maintain a database of all the schemes and benefits our girls’ scholars are getting and facilitating all girls to get the same.
Plan and organize training and meetings for government officials (block and district level).
Building linkages with like-minded organizations for referral services for girls after discussing with Program Officer.
Create links with school management committees, child protection committees and any other as required to create safety nets for girls and conduct regular meetings with them.
Liaison with school authorities for providing space for life skill centers.
Exploring and ensuring girls have access to State level scholarships and can also avail citizenship entitlements.
Initiate networks for girls’ education at district level.
Support Program Officer for creating visibility of Girls Education Program at District and State level.
Conduct discussions on Program Quality with Social Mobilizers and Program Facilitators during review meeting jointly with Program Officer.
Share learnings from India Country Office level review meetings.
Understand and work on factors that may impede quality and fidelity in the field.
Tracks to see if quality standards are being met and provide updates to Program Officer.
Use LS observations form and basis this provides feedback to Social Mobilizers and program facilitators.
Analyzes the availability of materials for Life Skills session, mentoring and material support and provides corrective feedback to program Assistant as needed.
Capacity building of LSEP teachers in the B-pilot schools for effective implementation of the program.
Ensure the Social Mobilizers (SMs)is monitoring and keeping records of girls including attendance, academic performance and other program activities as required per the program design. Collect this data and provide it to Program Officer/Program Manager as needed and agree as per data flow mechanisms.
Ensure the Social Mobilizer is planning, documenting, and reporting on school and home visits and parent meetings and workshops. Collect this data, provide it to the Program Officer/Program Manager, and enter it into Room to Read’s database (Global Solutions Database- GSD as needed).
Manage program expenses and complete financial reporting as per Room to Read’s accounting and finance policies. Directs Program Assistant appropriately to ensure data as required by People Operations and Accounts is provided in time.
Document best practices, case studies, photos and lessons learned and shared with the Girls’ Education Program (GEP) Team.
Track dropouts of girls and understand reasons, flag issues of concern to Program Officer.
Participate in the annual planning and budgeting process.
Analysis of budget and unspent related to Program effectiveness
Ensure budget forecasting for the month and submit bills timely with support of the Program Assistant.
Assist the Program officer in drafting the project proposal and government related documentation.
Assist Program Officer for program establishment related things new geographies and school selection.
Oversee all the work related to the Program Assistant.
Provide adequate directions to ensure smooth functioning of the field teams.
Conduct departmental review meetings at regional level and state level.
Master’s degree in education/ social work/ development/Gender Studies.
3-5 years of relevant work experience in areas of girls’ education, gender and life skills.
Good interpersonal skills and a team player.
Basic computer skills.
Strong organizational and planning skills including the ability to monitor progress of program implementation.
Ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously and take initiative.
Prior success working closely and building relationships with diverse groups of people.
Prior experience in facilitation and/or training.
Experience working with and or counseling adolescent girls.
Fluency in language spoken by girls.
Familiarity or experience with gender issues, girls’ education and/or community development preferred.
English fluency preferred.
Prior experience of living and/ working in rural and semi urban areas.
Prior experience of working closely with the community, schoolteachers and government officials.
Room to Read offers a competitive salary with excellent benefits. Benefits include thirteenth month bonus, health insurance and a retirement plan. The non-monetary compensation includes a unique opportunity to be part of an innovative, meaningful, and rapidly growing organization that is changing transforming the lives of millions of children in developing countries on literacy and gender equality in education.
Room to Read is a child-safe organization.
Child Protection Principles
Room to Read is committed to the education and welfare of children and protecting them from abuse and exploitation
Room to Read has zero tolerance for child abuse and exploitation.
All children have the right to be free from abuse and exploitation, including neglect, maltreatment, and physical, mental or sexual violence, injury or abuse.
All children should be treated with respect and dignity.
The well-being of the child is Room to Read’s first priority when dealing with all identified or suspected cases of child abuse.
Room to Read shall integrate child protection into all its organizational strategies, structures and work practices.
Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Principles
Room to Read Representatives must create and maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.
Room to Read has zero tolerance for adult sexual exploitation and abuse.
Sexual exploitation and abuse are serious violations of fundamental human rights and will not be accepted or tolerated.
All adults should be treated with respect and dignity.
Room to Read implements a survivor-centered approach, putting the survivor’s rights and dignity at the forefront.
Survivors referred to available professional assistance (e.g. mental health counselling), upon consent.
About Room to Read:
Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read envisions a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality, where all children have room to read, learn and grow – creating lasting change. Through our Literacy Portfolio, we train and coach teachers of the early grades in literacy instruction; create and publish quality books and curricular materials in local languages; and establish children’s libraries filled with diverse children’s books that can be enjoyed at school and home. Our Gender Equality Portfolio supports adolescents, particularly girls, in developing life skills that promote gender equality, helping them to pursue lifelong learning and make informed decisions.
We support young people of all genders to overcome gender biases and build the knowledge and skills to create a gender-equal world. Room to Read collaborates with local communities, partner organizations, publishers, and governments to test and implement innovative models that can be integrated into the education system to deliver positive outcomes for children at scale. To date, Room to Read has benefited more than 50 million children in 28 countries.
Learn more at www.roomtoread.org.