Deadline: June 15, 2022.

The SDSN Youth is an initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN – a program established by the former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2012 to mobilize global expertise around the implementation of the SDGs.

SDG Coordinators support SDSN Youth’s mandate by working in SDSN member universities around the world to mobilize university students around the SDGs.

SDG Coordinators operate under the SDG Students Program, which runs a global network of SDG Student hubs at universities to nurture effective lifelong advocates for sustainable development in their local and global communities.

As SDG Coordinator, you will become our representative and key mobiliser who run an SDG Student Hub with support from the SDG Students Program. Coordinators work to ensure that all students in their university/campus are aware of the SDGs, understand their importance to the wider community, and have opportunities to take action towards their implementation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Establish and/or operate an SDG Student Hub* on campus and use it as a platform to build a community of students interested in taking action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
2. Manage the core operations of this SDG Student Hub through several processes, including:
   1. Recruitment – Promote the SDG Student Hub to fellow students, encouraging them to join the community and help facilitate their membership.
   2. Organise – with the hub community and leadership team – discuss, plan and allocate responsibilities for actioning the core functions of the hub
   3. Engagement – of the student community, both at the hub and with other student groups, to fulfil the core functions of the hub
   4. Community building – Arrange casual community gatherings and informal networking events to promote a sense of community and social ties between members.

*SDG Student Hubs co-exist alongside existing student societies and are meant as platforms to bring students together in a single space. More information will be provided if you are selected.

ELIGIBILITY

IMPORTANT – Applications for this role are ONLY open to students and staff from SDSN Member Institutions – check the list of current SDSN Member Institutions by clicking the link HERE.

Primary Criteria

• You have great interest in sustainable development, are passionate about the mission of the SDSN, including the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
• You are based (physically or virtually if due to Covid 19 restrictions) at the institution/university they are seeking to represent – as a ‘current’ student.
• You are able to commit to a term of 1 academic year as an SDG Coordinator – candidates changing universities or undertaking exchange at another institution within the school year will NOT qualify for this role.
• You possess an excellent command of the English language – while local activities may be held in your local language, our program team’s operating language is English.
• You can demonstrate that you have the time and resources to commit to this role – candidates with other overlapping commitments that prevent them from giving 8-10 hours to this role per week will be exempt (e.g. already leading another student organisation).
• You have some professional or volunteer work experience, particularly with campaigning, community mobilization, project coordination, event management, or stakeholder engagement.
• You are able to attend an interview on a weekend between 3 to 18 July.
• You are able to commit at least between 8-10 hours per week for this role.
• You are aged between 18-30.
• You are able to attend our global SDG Coordinators onboarding training course held on 7, 14, and 21 August 2021 – this is a prerequisite for being onboarded as a SDG Coordinator

Key Qualities and Attributes

• COMMITMENT- demonstrate that you are committed to the vision of the Network and capable of working in compliance with the norms, and standards set by SDSN Youth and local Networks.
• LEADERSHIP – you have led initiatives and groups in the past to create a change you wanted to see
• CONNECTION – you are an active member of your campus community, with a good understanding of the various groups and stakeholders operating in the student activity landscape
• PUBLIC SPEAKING – you are a confident and passionate speaker, capable of charismatically communicate the cause to your peers, stakeholders, and partners
• TEAMWORK – have excellent teamwork skills and capable of working with groups of diverse volunteers and hub team members effectively
• ORGANISATION – be well organized and have skills in event management and planning, and writing short reports for the Program to communicate impact
• PERSEVERANCE – especially in dealing with the challenges posed by a newly formed, constantly changing, and rapidly expanding organization.
• FLEXIBILITY – be flexible and capable of working with multiple deadlines and coordinate activities with multiple time zones – this may include late-night/early morning calls and meetings.

Commitment

• Commit 8-10 hours per week to the role
• Commit to a 1-year term at their institution and support with transition to a new coordinator once your term is complete
• Complete a 1 month training course, before commencing their role under the SDG Students Program.

BENEFITS

Benefits and learning outcomes

• Make an impact
  • Working with SDSN Youth enables you to be at the forefront of efforts taken by the United Nations, governmental and civil society in developing and leading a global movement for sustainable development.
  • We engage closely with a number of these stakeholders, forming partnerships to educate, connect and mobilize individuals and groups to make a positive impact.
  • As a representative of the SDG Students Program and SDSN Youth, you can become much more effective in creating change by building professional and personal relationships with high-level stakeholders in civil society, business, government, and the United Nations.
• Be part of a global cohort and network
  • You join a cohort of SDG Coordinator peers from across the world as you go through training, development, and work on your SDG Student Hubs. SDG Coordinators have been known to connect their hub members across continents and deliver cross-cultural educational experiences.
  • Beyond the program, you also become colleagues with diverse and exceptional individuals at SDSN Youth with a variety of cultural, religious, and political backgrounds, committed to sustainable development.
  • Upon completion of your term, you will also be invited to join the SDG Students Program Alumni Network, which can serve as a foundation for your future endeavours.
• Be trained as a youth sustainability leader
  • You will receive both onboarding and continuous training on how to become an effective leader and educator in the impact space.
  • You will gain sustainability literacy, be able to identify and articulate the relevance of sustainable development topics
  • You will learn about design thinking and project management (understand local problems, ideate, implement and evaluate solutions in real-time context)
• Get support from SDSN Youth
  • Throughout your term you will be supported by our global team across a range of areas, helping you progress in a challenging but flexible and fulfilling environment.
  • You will also get access to workshops, resources and opportunities via SDG Students Program partners (e.g. Oikos, Social Shifters)
• Enhance existing or gain new work-related skills and experience for your future career
  • Leadership, organisational management, volunteer mobilisation, stakeholder management, marketing and communication, public speaking, event management, impact assessment, and reporting writing – just to name a few.

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