Special Needs Education Coordinator at Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO): (Deadline 29 January 2023)

VSO Rwanda (Rwanda)

About Building Learning Foundations (BLF)

The Building Learning Foundations Programme (BLF) is funded by the British People through the UK government through the British High Commission Kigali as part of it’s Learning for All programme. The programme is focused on improving learning outcomes at P1 to P5 in English and Mathematics. By improving the foundation’s pf pupils learning in primary, the intention is that more pupils will stay in school and be better prepared to continue to learn in higher grades, thereby increasing equitable access to primary and secondary education in Rwanda. The Programme is implemented by a consortium of organizations; Education Development Trust, British Council, and VSO in all 30 Districts of Rwanda. BLF began in July 2017 and will be implemented until September 2023.

• Mentor P1-P3 English and Mathematics teachers on the identification of in-school CWDs
• Coordinate and support screening and assessment of in-school CWDs through engagement with school-level and external stakeholders and organizations
• Mentor P1-P3 English and Mathematics teachers on effective teaching of CWDs
• Train and mentor one teacher per school to deepen their knowledge and skills in the identification and teaching of CWDs
• Support one teacher per school to be able to provide support to other teachers in their schools in relation to the identification and teaching of CWD
• Coordinate involvement of parents and other community stakeholders to support the education of CWDs
• Support sensitisation of communities and schools against the stigmatisation of persons with disabilities
• Train and mentor head teachers in regard to their roles in achieving effective inclusion of CWDs
• Collaborate with SEOs on support for SGACs on holding headteachers to account for effective inclusion of CWDs
• Support collection and use of data on the inclusion of CWDs at school, sector and district levels
• Support district and sector education officers with prioritisation of improving the inclusion of CWDs in their performance management functions (eg planning, monitoring, evaluation)
• Coordinate with BLF field-level staff and volunteers to deliver a coordinated programme of support to schools and communities
• Generate learning on their work to support the scale-up of deployment of SNECOs by the government.
• Report to both the District Director of Education and BLF District Engagement manager on the implementation of activities
• Participate in monthly BLF review and planning meetings to evaluate implementation and impact of work.

Successful candidates are likely to have the following skills, knowledge and experience:

Essential

• A Rwandan with a Bachelor’s degree in Special Needs Education.
• Practical teaching experience at the primary level, preferably for children with special educational needs.
• A good level of spoken and written English.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and able to work with a range of people in different roles and with different backgrounds and levels of knowledge and experience.
• Able to work with minimal supervision, taking initiative and taking responsibility for results.
• A commitment to supporting educational improvement in Rwanda
• A commitment to work on the programme for 2 years to maximize their learning about effective programme delivery and change-management

The following skills, knowledge and experience would be useful but not essential:

• Experience in school leadership.
• Training and/or mentoring experience preferably in education.
• Data collection and project monitoring experience.
• Strong ICT skills in particular good knowledge of using tablets, smartphones and computers for data collection.
• Experience of training, supporting and mentoring others.

As a VSO volunteer, you will be sharing your skills with local communities on a full-time basis. VSO will cover your travel, vaccinations, accommodation, and medical insurance costs, along with a local living allowance which will be paid in local currency. This allowance meets reasonable living expenses in the country, but will not be enough to send money home. You will also receive some financial support to contribute to your ongoing expenses at home.

Accommodation

VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.

Some background about VSO

Much has changed since VSO started 60 years ago. We’ve gone from being a UK charity to a truly global development organisation. In 2016/2017 alone, we worked with over 7,000 volunteers from all over the world and from all backgrounds to deliver services that had an impact on the lives of almost 2.6 million people in the 24 countries where we work. Our programmes focus on the areas of health, education and livelihoods, with an increasing emphasis on resilience building, social accountability, gender and social inclusion. We believe progress is only possible when we work together and that strong partnerships are crucial to delivering positive change. That’s why we work with over 500 partner organisations, from local and national governments to businesses, NGOs, funders, charities and community groups. Currently, over 30% of our people are recruited from within the country in which they work, and we continue to grow the share of community and national volunteers involved in our programmes. We also send increasing numbers of volunteers from one developing country to another. However, our vision has remained the same; to build a world without poverty.