Environmental Sustainability Officer

About EQWIP HUBs

EQWIP HUBs is a global network of innovation spaces where youth develop market-relevant skills and gain access to the mentorship, networks, technology and capital to transition to the workforce or to launch a new wave of youth-owned enterprise. Hosted by local Partner Organizations in 12 urban centers across Bolivia, Ghana, Indonesia, Peru, Senegal, and Tanzania, EQWIP HUBs is a unique platform for youth peer-to-peer collaboration.

EQWIP HUBs is a joint project of Canada World Youth (CWY) and Youth Challenge International (YCI), two world-renowned catalysts of innovative youth development and global exchange solutions, with generous funding support from the Government of Canada.

The Role:
EQWIP HUBs is looking for Environmental Sustainability Officers who will collaborate directly with EQWIP HUBs partners and staff to support the implementation of the environmental sustainability plan of the project.

As Environmental Sustainability Officer, you will be based in one of the project HUBs and will collaborate closely with staff to identify areas where the project can reduce its negative effects and further contribute to its positive impact on the local environment. You will contribute to raising youth participants awareness toward environmental sustainability issues, as well as develop and implement environmental activities, initiatives and practices.

As a volunteer, you will:

• Contribute to the development and implementation of an annual environmental sustainability plan in line with the project’s core standards and guidelines
• Identify a list of activities, initiatives and practices that will help reduce the negative effects and enhance the positive effects of the project activities in the local environment and lead the implementation of these activities
• Support monitoring and evaluation tasks related to measuring and improving environmental performance
• Develop and implement activities that will contribute to raising partners’ and youth participants’ awareness and responsibility towards environmental sustainability issues
• Identify small business and value chain opportunities in the local green economy for youth recipients of the Youth Innovation Fund and provide recommendations for accessing these opportunities
• Participate collaboratively with partners, staff and Business, Volunteer Advisors to develop and deliver training on green business development and/or in integrating environmental sustainability strategies and mechanisms in their business models
• Apply capacity building principles in the development and implementation of all activities
• Develop, document and share all tools and materials developed with country staff and partners;
• Contribute to gender equality objectives of the project by ensuring the participation of women in all activities
• Additional responsibilities and tasks to be assigned as required

Qualifications and skills

• Post-secondary degree in environmental sciences, natural resource management, community development, or related field of study
• Familiarity with management, implementation and monitoring of environmental sustainability of programs
• Comprehensive knowledge of global and local environmental issues and challenges
• Demonstrated research and report writing skills
• Able to thrive as part of a team, in person and remotely
• Require minimal supervision and to manage multiple priorities
• Excellent interpersonal, communication (oral and written), and organizational skills

Terms and Conditions:

You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to be eligible for this volunteer placement.

Most costs related to this placement are covered. EQWIP HUBs offers the following conditions that cover basic living expenses while in-country. They include:

• Support and guidance prior to departure and while on assignment in country
• Online pre-departure training
• In-country orientation and briefing upon arrival in-country
• Language training in-country where required
• Return international flights and visa costs
• Health and emergency insurance
• Modest monthly living allowance while overseas. This allowance covers communications, housing and food costs and other typical monthly living expenses

Volunteers contribute to youth innovation

Successful applicants undertake to fundraise prior to departure. Volunteer contributions support the Youth Innovation Fund which provides small grants to local youth business start-ups. Fundraising goals are between $2,950 and $3,900 and based on placement length.