Senior Teacher at Danish Refugee Council

Introduction

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 8,000 employees and also 8,000 volunteers, while managing a turnover of over 400 million Euro. Based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and present in forty countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profit-making, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational relief organization. The Danish Refugee Council is Denmark’s largest humanitarian NGO and has been ranked the 3rd best NGO in the world in 2018 (for six consecutive years, the organization is among the top five of the NGO Advisor Annual List).

Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

Background

The Danish Refugee Council initiated its activities in the island of Lesvos in November 2015 due to the unprecedented influx of asylum seekers. Following new political developments and displacement dynamics in early 2016, DRC expanded its activities to the mainland to support the people living in several sites across the country. With offices in Athens, Larissa and Thessaloniki, it currently implements a wide range of activities, including Site Management Support, legal assistance, identification of individual needs and protection of highly vulnerable persons, access to services within and outside the hosting sites through cultural mediation, and non-formal education. DRC works closely with the refugee communities, the Greek authorities and other humanitarian actors to ensure a protective environment for refugees and asylum seekers in Greece.

Purpose

DRC Greece is looking to recruit a qualified, flexible and enthusiastic professional to work for its non-formal education programme in Attica as a Senior Teacher. Under the supervision of the Education Team Leader or Urban Manager and with the technical guidance from the Education Coordinator, the Senior Teacher will oversee daily operations of activities in open accommodation sites in Attica, where DRC implements non-formal Education. They will organize the design and implementation of quality programs and activities providing on-going support to teachers and cultural meditators working with children and ensuring the application of child safeguarding, gender mainstreaming and integration mainstreaming in non-formal education at site level.

Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibilities will include, but not necessarily be limited, to the following:

Administration, implementation, and design of non-formal education activities:

• Support the design and implementation of non-formal education activities for school-age children (4 to 15) and youth (16-18) as per the populations’ needs.
• Implement non-formal education activities for school-age children (4 to 15) and youth (16-18), complementary to the ones carried out by teachers and based on the population’s needs.
• Supervise the work of teachers and education cultural mediators.
• Support in the development of learning materials, positive discipline mechanisms and activity schedules in collaboration with the team and in line with the needs of the student population.
• Organize educational visits.
• Organize and deliver on-site parents’ meetings and education team meetings as required.
• Organize outreach and registration activities and plan the distribution of teaching and learning material.
• Create a safe education environment and promote holistic student well-being.
• Identify and report potential protection risks in non-formal education activities and spaces to the Education Team Leader or Urban Manager
• Promote empathy, compassion and respect for the gender, ethnic, religious, cultural and learning diversity of students.
• Provide information to beneficiaries on existing education programmes and promote the right to education for all.
• Contribute to the identification of student vulnerabilities and raise protection referrals to the Protection Team or Child Protection actor as needed.
• Adhere to DRC’s Code of Conduct and help to create and maintain an environment that prevents child safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of DRC’s child Safeguarding Policy.

  Representation and coordination:

• Maintain effective communication with other DRC departments and external actors at site-level
• Liaise closely with Ministry of Education focal points on sites (RECs) in order to support the registration and attendance of refugee children to formal education
• Contribute to coordination with relevant Government Authorities, Civil Society Organizations and other relevant stakeholders and represent DRC in inter-agency meetings as required

  Procurement and Logistics:

• Support the team leader with procurement and logistics arrangements related to Non Formal Education activities (eg: procurement of education material, support staff with transportation arrangements etc.

  Reporting and Education Information Management:

• Ensure that relevant project data and Means of Verification (e.g. attendance lists, registration forms, lesson plans) are accurately collected and comply with internal reporting systems.
• Record students’ attendance and progress.
• Regularly monitor the progress of education activities against project plans and timelines.
• Contribute to education needs assessments and support results-based planning.
• Contribute to the preparation of timely and high-quality progress reports.

Programme Development:

• Contribute with inputs to the team leader for staff Performance and Development appraisals of cultural mediators and teachers.
• Conduct lesson observations and provide feedback on quality and areas for improvement to the Education Team Leader or Urban Manager.
• Develop Education project objectives at site-level.
• Attend and participate in assigned meetings, activities, and trainings.
• Contribute to continual improvements in DRC programming and ways of working, through identification and communication of challenges, gaps, recommendations for improvements and lessons learnt.
• In collaboration with the Education Team and the Education Coordinator, contribute to the development and design of DRC’s education program and activities.

Accountability:

• In day-to-day tasks ensure relevant accountability to internal DRC and Donor policies.
• Any other duties as may be assigned by the Education Team Leader or Urban Manager the Urban Manager relevant to the achievement of NFE objectives.

Any other tasks assigned by the line manager in line with overall response in the area of deployment.

Required Qualifications

• At least 2 years of professional experience in education and teaching in group/class settings (required).
• Prior professional experience working with children (required).
• Prior teaching experience with non-Greek speaking students will be considered an asset.
• Prior experience in education programme design or administration will be considered an asset.
• Experience in supervising education personnel (including volunteers) and/or delivering education trainings will be considered an asset.
• Experience engaging with parents and communities to improve attendance and address students’ needs will be considered an asset.
• Previous experience with local or international NGOs will be considered an asset.
• Strong computer literacy.
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment.
• Strong sense of initiative and self-motivated, with a strong commitment to humanitarian principles.
• Flexible, enthusiastic, and willing to learn from others.
• Ability to multitask and cope with multiple competing demands under tight deadlines.
• Ability to work in a demanding working environment.

Required Skills & Qualities

• Core Competencies of DRC:
  Striving for excellence
  Collaboration
  Taking the lead
  Communication
  Demonstrating Integrity
• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment.
• Proactivity, with a sound commitment to teamwork and with a spirit of genuine collaboration
• Strong initiative and self-motivated, with a strong commitment to humanitarian principle and high sense of ethics
• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and politeness, are needed.
• Ability to cope with high workload and stress and identify priority activities and assignments, and adjust priorities as required.
• Multitasking and organizational skills are a must, and a good sense of humor.

Terms & Conditions

• The contract will be under the Greek Labor Law (this is a national position)
• All allowances will be provided to the employees (Christmas, Easter, Vacation bonus)
• DRC provides training opportunities to develop and strengthen the quality of its services as well as its staff members’
  professional and personal development.
• The position will be based in Attika (Greece) .