UGVS is hiring!The Uganda Graduate Volunteer scheme (UGVS) is supported by the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Volunteer (UNV) Programme with the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) as Lead Partner.
The initiative aims to provide young graduates with work place skills through placements in different work spaces. These could be in Public, Private or Civil Society organisations for a period of one year.
UGVS Target beneficiaries
• Ugandan graduates 18-35 years
• 500 graduates annually
• Diploma/ TVET graduates (30%), Bachelor’s (60%) & Masters (10%)
• Up to 4 years after school
• 50-50 male-female
• 10% graduates with disabilities
• Inclusive for all regions of Uganda
About the Scheme
The main objective of the UGVS is to create employment avenues for young graduates while building the capacity of national institutions, private sector and other key partners to mainstream youth employment into their work places. The Scheme will utilize volunteerism as an avenue for youth’s contribution to societal development challenges and a pathway to providing the youth with the soft skills required to be employable or to create employment for themselves. Volunteers will be employed in various public and private institutions which are partnering with the Scheme.
They will also be provided with a full-on job package that includes coaching, mentorship, role models to guide them along their career path even after the programme.
(i) develop the ideas into comprehensive business proposals,
(ii) strengthen their business skills through entrepreneurship training,
(iii) gain access to financing to start up or improve their businesses, and
(iv) acquire support with coaching and mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs to help the volunteers from start up through to building their own successful enterprises.
The pilot phase of the programme will run for two years from 2020 to the end of 2020.
Project Outputs :
- 1. Establish a National Graduate Volunteer Scheme, managed and sustained as a government programme specializing in youth employment and volunteerism
- 2. Support the review of the youth employment and volunteerism policy and legal framework
- 3. Increase youth engagement through volunteerism to address the country’s development challenges.
- 4. Volunteers’ employability enhanced through skills development and support to innovative business ideas.
Sectors of Placement :
Volunteers will be placed in Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, District Local Governments’, Private Sector entities, Non-Government Organisations as well as the United Nations system across the key sectors below:
- Agriculture
- Finance and Banking
- Tourism and hospitality
- Information Communication and Technology
- Infrastructure Development including construction
- Energy and Minerals
- Health
- Education
- Social Development
How Will The Scheme Work?
In the pilot, the Scheme will support the development of labour market intermediation services including job matching, job placement, job readiness trainings among others. The Scheme will partner with institutions from public sector, private sector and civil society spread across the country. In the pilot, the scheme will prioritize institutions in the sectors of Agriculture, Tourism and Hospitality, Finance and Banking, Information Technology, Energy and Minerals, Infrastructure Development including construction, Health and Education and Social Development sectors and will later expand to all other sectors depending on the demand.
Recruitment
The first cohort of graduate volunteers will be recruited from September to October 2020. The scheme will work with employers to assess their needs to ensure a best match. The volunteer opportunities will be advertised, all applications will be made on a centralized online system, with an interview and matching process led by a selection panel.
Placement
Volunteer placement will start in October and November 2020 following a preplacement training that covers life skills, workplace skills and career development skills. The graduate volunteers and supervisors will develop a work plan with measurable targets and a professional development plan. They will meet regularly throughout the placement to review progress, with ongoing program support. All graduate volunteers will engage in community service once a week in their communities working closely with the Community Development Officers and this will be captured as part of their performance. Placements will close with a graduation ceremony bringing together graduate volunteers and employers to review achievements and ensure learning is captured to strengthen the UGVS.
Who can apply?
A person is eligible to apply if he/she meets the following criteria:
1. Is a Ugandan national. National identity card shall serve as proof of citizenship.
2. Aged 18 to 35 years;
3. Has a masters’ or bachelors’ degree or diploma or advanced certificate from Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institute. Applicants shall attach certified copies of transcripts and certificates from their tertiary institutions as proof.
4. Has been unemployed, underemployed, or out-of-school and inactive for four years or less after completing masters or bachelors’ degree, or diploma;
5. Produces recommendation letters from either a former lecturer/supervisor or tutor and LCI chairperson.
How do I apply?
All applicants must fill the application form online and attached the required documents.
Only complete application forms will be considered.
The recruitment process has three stages:
1. Your application will be reviewed by a selection committee
2. If your application passes this stage, it will be matched with a possible host institution
3. If a host institution accepts your profile, you will be invited for an interview
4. If you pass the interview, you will be given an offer, trained and placed with the host institution.
Apply here or Click here to follow application procedures
Application deadline is open. You can also email the UGVS team on [email protected] for more inquiries.
