Короткотерміновий/ва експерт/ка з підтримки у сфері неформальної освіти та залучення молоді

Location: Kyiv

Expected start date: 22 September 2025

Background

Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development project, UCORD, is implemented with the support of Switzerland via the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation through NIRAS Sweden AB.  

UCORD aims for citizens, businesses, and public authorities to contribute and equally benefit from recovery actions and coherent regional development that fosters improved quality of life, resilience, peace, and social cohesion in Ukraine. The project currently supports six pilot oblasts of Ukraine: Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Volyn and Odesa oblasts as the starting points, targeting capacity development and awareness-raising initiatives nationwide. UCORD consists of three components: 

Component 1 embeds regional policy development in Ukraine by supporting and strengthening Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) in pilot oblasts. 

Component 2 seeks to improve public service delivery in the WASAW (water supply, sanitation, and waste management) sector, focusing on the environment. 

Component 3 aims to construct social cohesion through culture, dialogue, and creative industries. 

The UCORD is progressing the Renaissance Clusters Grant Programme. This programme is supporting the establishment and development of cultural and cultural-tourism clusters. These clusters are intended to demonstrate significant contribution to regional development, creating added value for local economies, improving human capital, and strengthening social cohesion.  

In May, UCORD selected eight partnership initiatives across six pilot regions. Each partnership consists of a Lead Partner (typically an NGO) and other collaborators such as hromadas, cultural or educational institutions, public spaces, NGOs, and more. To support their efforts, UCORD is planning to launch a comprehensive Mentorship Programme that will provide tailored guidance, strengthen institutional capacity, and enhance the sustainability and impact of the Renaissance Clusters Grant Programme on regional development. 

In this context, UCORD is looking to engage a Short-Term Experts for Mentorship support of the grant recipients on Non-Formal Education and Youth Engagement, who is expected to perform the following tasks: 

• The expert will lead introductory cross-project mentorship sessions for the project teams on non-formal education tools, gamification strategies, and interactive methodologies to increase engagement and retention (especially of young people) and introduce best practices
• The expert will evaluate action plans and deliverables of the projects and prepare questionaries/lists of tasks for the teams to evaluate needs assessment on the topic of non-formal education and youth engagement
• The expert will review project plans with a youth engagement and educational design perspective, offering actionable recommendations that are visually appealing, accessible, and adaptable for both online and offline settings
• The expert will conduct regular (monthly or other period specified) interactive group or individual sessions to support the design and development of educational activities—including workshops, creative labs, hackathons, and hybrid or digital learning modules—tailored to the interests and learning styles of young people
• The expert will participate actively in coordination meetings with the Primary Mentor and Mentorship Coordination Lead and other relevant stakeholders to align efforts and share updates, supporting timely delivery of key outputs
• The expert will prepare and submit monthly progress reports according to provided templates and detailed quarterly reports to the Mentorship Coordination Lead, documenting achievements, challenges, and next steps related to the youth engagement, learning outcomes, and impact of educational interventions 

Candidate Qualifications

Education & Knowledge:

A Master’s Degree in Education, Psychology, Sociology or a related field.

Specific Knowledge: 

• In-depth knowledge of non-formal learning approaches and digital pedagogy

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional expertise in education program development and work with youth

• A proven experience in designing and delivering engaging educational content (including online and blended learning formats); working with/for local governments or civil society organizations
• A proven track record in implementing large-scale educational projects in public and/or private sector areas

Skills:

• Excellent research and analytical skills
• Strong education management skills

• Strong facilitation and mentoring skills with the ability to tailor support to different capacity levels of project teams
• Knowledge of participatory planning methods and community consultation practices
• Experience working directly with young people, especially in community, cultural, or educational initiatives
• Ability to adapt educational materials and methodologies to diverse cultural and local contexts
• Familiarity with digital tools and platforms
• Proficient in articulating ideas through reports and presentations
• Strong written and communication skills 
• Knowledge of English (B2 or higher)

Evaluation of response & selection: 

• The expert reports to the Coordinator of the Mentorship program, and Component 3 Lead.
• Interested applicants should send their proposals to [email protected] no later than August 31, 2025

The proposal should contain the following documents: 

• A cover letter demonstrating the candidate’s suitability for the position and summarizing relevant experience
• Up-to-date CV indicating relevant experience and qualifications, including at least three contact references.
• The preferred daily rate.
• Note: Candidates must be registered as a Private Entrepreneur (PE), 3rd group, as this is required for contract signing.