International Communities of Practice
The three international organizations I chose to
examine are:
Here is their mission statement:
UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General
Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet
their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full
potential.
UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of
the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles
and international standards of behaviour towards children.
UNICEF insists that the survival, protection and
development of children are universal development imperatives that are integral
to human progress.
UNICEF mobilizes political will and material
resources to help countries, particularly developing countries, ensure a
"first call for children" and to build their capacity to form
appropriate policies and deliver services for children and their families.
UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection
for the most disadvantaged children - victims of war, disasters, extreme
poverty, all forms of violence and exploitation and those with disabilities.
UNICEF responds in emergencies to protect the rights
of children. In coordination with United Nations partners and humanitarian
agencies, UNICEF makes its unique facilities for rapid response available to
its partners to relieve the suffering of children and those who provide their
care.
UNICEF is non-partisan and its cooperation is free
of discrimination. In everything it does, the most disadvantaged children and
the countries in greatest need have priority.
UNICEF aims, through its country programmes, to
promote the equal rights of women and girls and to support their full
participation in the political, social, and economic development of their
communities.
UNICEF works with all its partners towards the
attainment of the sustainable human development goals adopted by the world
community and the realization of the vision of peace and social progress enshrined
in the Charter of the United Nations.
This organization does amazing work in all areas of
the world. I am so interested in
exploring opportunities that will take me to different parts of the world because
I love to travel. If I can combine my
two greatest passions (children and travel), I will feel incredibly
accomplished! The job opportunities in
the UNICEF organization range from nutrition to communications to policy
development and so much more. The skills
that one would need to work for this organization would include passion for the
mission, a willingness to venture to unknown circumstances, and an open mind to
accept what might come your way.
Save
the Children – http://www.savethechildren.org
Save the Children is the leading independent organization
creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States
and around the world. Recognized for our commitment to accountability,
innovation and collaboration, our work takes us into the heart of communities,
where we help children and families help themselves. We work with other
organizations, governments, non-profits and a variety of local partners while
maintaining our own independence without political agenda or religious
orientation.
When disaster strikes around the world, Save the
Children is there to save lives with food, medical care and education and
remains to help communities rebuild through long-term recovery programs. As
quickly and as effectively as Save the Children responds to tsunamis and civil
conflict, it works to resolve the ongoing struggles children face every day —
poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease — and replaces them with hope for the
future.
This organization focuses on issues and policies
related to the well-being of young children and families, specifically
poverty. They have initiatives in all
parts of the world, serving 120 countries.
The employment opportunities ranged from Head Start positions in the
U.S. to an Emergency Child Protection Advisor in Mali which is a very tumultuous
part of the world. In these positions, a
candidate must have a passion for the success of young children and most
international positions have a requirement for fluency in a second
language. I better get to work on that! These opportunities are so exciting for me
and reinforce the reason I entered in to this master’s degree program.
The
Academy for Educational Development - http://www.fhi360.org/en/index.htm
Vision
FHI
360 envisions a world in which all individuals and communities have the
opportunity to reach their highest potential.
Mission
To
improve lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions
for human development.
We believe…
…a 360-degree perspective is required to address
complex human development needs.
…sustainability comes from building the capacity of
individuals, communities and countries to address their needs.
…the key to improving lives is in generating, sharing
and applying knowledge.
….partnering with governments, civil society
organizations, the private sector and communities leads to success.
Our Values…
- Innovation
to meet the evolving needs of our beneficiaries, funders and partners.
- Mutual
Respect for diversity and cultural
differences.
- Passion
driven by a personal commitment to make a
positive difference.
- Accountability
for our work, measuring, reporting and continually improving all that we
do.
- Commitment
to Excellence assured by the highest ethical, quality, operational
performance and scientific standards.
- Teamwork
across disciplines and geographies, within the organization and with our
partners.
I was not familiar with this organization. The work that they do extends beyond
education and programming for children and families. Some of the job opportunities include
program development based out of Washington D.C. and a literacy specialist in
Nigeria. As with other international
organizations, most of the job opportunities encourage the fluency in the
nation’s home language. Again, I am so
encouraged by all of these opportunities.
I had no idea how many opportunities were out there before this
program. For that I am grateful!
Resources:
