CSGs capacity building accompanier-national volunteer

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) is an international development charity with a vision for a "world without poverty" and a mission to "bring people together to fight poverty". VSO recruits professionals to work as volunteers, living and working alongside local populations in developing countries. VSO was founded in 1958, and currently works in 23 countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.

VSO started work in Rwanda in 1998 at the invitation of the Government of Rwanda and it focuses on programmes in Education, disability and youth/national volunteering. VSO Rwanda's work revolves around six development goals including, Secure livelihood, HIV/AIDS reduction, Education, Participation and Governance, Health and Disability

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http://www.vsointernational.org

Role Title	CSGs Capacity building Accompanier-National Volunteer
Country/Project/Location	VSO RWANDA/ ACTIVE Project Extension
Duration	From 1st November 2025 to 31 March 2026, with a possibility of Renewal
Role purpose	The main role of this position is to provide technical accompaniment supports to Civil Society Groups CSGs to strengthen their capacity in public policy, civic participation and locally led advocacy. The role will empower CSGs to enhance their organizational engagement and partnership effectiveness, building the voice agency of CSGs, and working closely with MINALOC and partners to review national volunteering policy to drive sustainable volunteering and civic engagement in Rwanda. This role works alongside local accompanier volunteers, VSO team and partners to tailor support to each CSG’s context, readiness, and common issues/priorities.
Safeguarding level	Level 3 This post will have regular, direct and unsupervised access to children and vulnerable adults either face to face or online or the post will have supervisory responsibility for people who have direct unsupervised access to children or post will have accountability at organisational level to ensure safeguarding policy is in place and implemented at all levels. A criminal background check (Enhance DBS check for UK or equivalent highest level of Police check) will be obtained for post holder at this level prior to their start date.

1. Introduction to VSO

VSO is the world’s leading international non-governmental organisation that works through volunteers to create a fair world for everyone.

Our work centres on those who are left out by society – those living in extreme poverty or with disability and illness. Those who face discrimination and violence because of their gender, sexuality, or social status. Those who are at risk from disaster, disease, and conflict. But they are not passive beneficiaries of aid; they are the “primary actors” at the heart of our efforts. From their perspective, we define the issues, opportunities, and solutions that drive sustainable, local-led change. These individuals are the key agents of their own transformation.

Our Approach,

Our Volunteering for Development (VfD) method supports the most vulnerable and marginalized to achieve their rights and bring about lasting change to create a fair world for everyone. Rooted in addressing the fundamental causes of - marginalization and vulnerability, our three core approaches – social inclusion and gender, social accountability, and resilience – guide our work in inclusive education, health, and resilient livelihoods.

Our Volunteering for Development method recognizes the importance of relationships in forging a shared understanding and commitment and building collective action to lasting change. With most of our volunteers being national, we build blended teams of community, national, and international volunteers, uniting diverse perspectives, and experiences to generate insight, innovation, and action that tackles the complex issues faced by our communities. This kindles the potential for active citizenship worldwide, encouraging people to step forward and lead the change that fosters a fair world for all.

1. Project background and contextual information (Please change this information as per project detail and requirement)

The ACTIVE Extension Project is a multi-country programme across Asia & Africa focused on strengthening the capacity of Civil Society Groups (CSGs) by fostering volunteerism and civic engagement while simultaneously improving the capabilities of governments and services. Making the system accountable to their collective needs through volunteering for development interventions.

ACTIVE supports CSGs to lead their own development pathways, engage in civic and policy spaces, and build inclusive systems that reflect community priorities. Volunteering plays a role of collective catalyst—where volunteers accompany CSGs in building confidence, fostering peer learnings, and accessing tools and networks. Volunteers do not deliver services but contribute to locally led development by enabling CSGs to organize, collaborate, and advocate—always centering their voice, pace, and leadership.

In Rwanda, the project will work in partnership with 8 CSGs (including 3 National Youth Councils at District level) in different thematic areas of work such as climate mitigation and adaptation, livelihood, youth engagement, civic engagement and health. The project will be implemented in 4 Districts of Bugesera, Gasabo, Gatsibo and Nyagatare.

2. Role outputs:

The main responsibilities of this role will be:

Support CSGs to co-design and implement influencing strategies aligned with community priorities, co-create tools for policy analysis, policy tracking, stakeholder mapping, and documentation of policy implementation.
Provide technical inputs, coaching and mentoring to CSGs for developing influencing materials including strategic plans, policy briefs, key messages, reports, and stakeholder-specific content, enable them to develop joint advocacy strategies with local government actors.
Facilitate the development of feedback mechanisms for partners in respective areas of operations (Bugesera, Nyagatare & Gasabo) districts
Working closely with youth networks, groups of women/youth with disabilities supported by VSO to increase their incomes and savings through income generating activities.
Capacitate groups of youth, women and PWDs on financial literacy and records bookkeeping to ensure effective financial governance.
Monitor and coach the youth, women and PWDS under VSO, CSGs partnership on how to run their income generating business or activities

3. Experience and skills required for this volunteer placement

Essential criteria (must have to be able to carry out the role successfully).

The ideal candidate should possess the following competencies:

Experience in working with Civil societies Groups / women collectives / disability associations) through sharing of lived experience in workshops, meetings and etc
Understanding of Civil Societies Groups capacity for locally led development, equitable local partnership, sustainability and rights-based approach.
Ability to apply participatory tools and link youth networks to relevant technical support based on needs and contexts (familiarity with inclusive governance, participatory planning, adaptive management, citizen-led monitoring, community-led advocacy, resilience risk mitigation, will be an advantage).
Skilled in facilitation, coaching and mentoring, able to create safe and inclusive spaces where all voices feel heard and valued and ability to apply inclusive digital tools for development action.
Experience facilitating participatory self-assessment processes, enabling CSGs to identify priorities and lead their own capacity strengthening plans.
Digital and data literacy, including competence in integration of digital platform for organizational strengthening.
Commitment to VSO’s Volunteering for Development approach, mission, values, safeguarding policies, Code of Conduct, and demonstrated VSO behavioral competencies.
Working collaboratively with a diverse team
Commitment to VSO’s mission, values, People First principles and core approaches (Social Inclusion and Gender, Social Accountability, and Resilience).

How to apply

Applications should be submitted on this link no later than October 28th, 2025. Please click on the “Apply” button to complete your application.

Should you require any adjustments to be made to the application process due to a disability or any other circumstances, please email us at Recruitment@vsoint.org to discuss your requirements.

Additional Information

Allowance and accommodation
All volunteers have an allowance paid in local currency. The allowance meets reasonable living expenses in country, but will not be enough to send money home.
VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.