Three international organizations or community of practice that appeal to me and why I chose them:
The first organization that sparked an interest for me is United Nations Children’s Fund. The reason this particular organization interested me was because of the work they are doing for early education as well as equal education for boys and girls. “Education is a fundamental right and every girl and every boy are entitled to it,” (UNICEF, 2011). The United Nation’s Children’s Fund is an organization working to create a world where education is accessible to all.
The second organization I have an interest is Save the Children. Save the Children helps when disaster strikes. They help children in the U.S. and across the globe. They can provide food, medical care, shelter, schooling and other needs (Save the Children, 2013). I chose this organization because they take action when people need help. They help children and families when they feel life is too hard. I admire the work they do.
The third place I would like to learn more about for employment is an adoption agency. I have adopted a child through foster care and I would like to learn more about international adoptions / U.S. adoptions. I looked into American Adoptions.
Job Opportunities:
There are categories of employment through the United Nations Children’s Funds including International Professional, General Services, National Officer and Temporary Appointments. I could see myself applying for a temporary appointment for a new experience however I would wait until all of my children had graduated high school.
The job I would be most interested in for Save the Children is Education / Literacy / Child Development. I am qualified with an undergraduate degree in Child Development / Psychology and (soon) a graduate degree in Early Childhood Education. I would also be willing to volunteer.
The job opportunities for American Adoptions include volunteer (foster care opportunities), Internships and Social Workers. I am not qualified for a social worker however it is still something I am interested in. I would be interested in foster care as well.
Skills and Experience:
The UNICEF requires all staff to have a degree from an accredited University.
They will not accept applicants that have received degree credits based on work experience (UNICEF, 2011). They also require work experience that is related to their line of work. They prefer that applicants speak languages recognized by the Untied Nations.
Save the Children uses a third party for hiring. I did not see their education requirements. They help with education, medical needs, child development and humanitarian work (Save the Children 2013). I am sure a degree in a related field is required.
The employment skills for American Adoption include an education is social work, counseling and in business for the business side of the program. The current employees have a MBA, licensed Social Work and Counseling.
Josie Zbaeren
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/
Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm
American Adoption Agency (2013). Retrieved from
http://www.americanadoptions.com/about_us/employment
Jo,
ReplyDeleteSave the Children and UNICEF are both amazing international organization. Those tow I also spoke about in my blog. American Adoptions was a new organization for me. I have always been interested in foster care, but my husband thinks our plate is already full enough with three children. There are times that I do agree with him and other times my heart breaks for children who are less fortunate and I would love to do something more for them, even if it just providing stability in their life.
Thank you for sharing information about job opportunities as well. I too agree with you that my children are too young yet to pursue any international positions at this time. Maybe once they are grown and moved out I would consider entertaining the idea!
Josie,
ReplyDeleteI also focused on Unicef and Save the Children. Both organization are focused on bettering the lives of children all over the world. When I looked at job opportunities through Unicef, I was noticing that all of them were mainly foreign places. This does not interest me. I agree that I would need to wait until after my children are grown, but even then I'm not sure that I would want to go! :) Did you find any information about an international adoption agency that you were interested in?
Nice job!
Stacy :)
Hello Josie,
ReplyDeleteI really love reading about the agencies you researched for employment. I would favor the American Adoptions too. Adoptions are becoming so popular this year. My sister just adopted two lovely daughters. They are of mixed race but they both fit in well. Another agency that you researched was Save the Children. I know very little about Save the Children until my daughter got a job interview and was hired. They told her to walk the streets in DC with a partner to get donations, in the cold winter. The job did not last long due to the weather, but I wanted her to inquire if she could do something inside. I was so proud when she said she got the job. Some of these agencies due to budget cuts are not really what they are noted for but mainly they are great for children and families and helping the poor children in impoverished countries.
Hi Jo, it seems that many of us looked into UNICEF and Save the Children. If you ever have the chance to do any fund raising or volunteering for Save the Children, I highly recommend getting involved. They are located in Connecticut and I have volunteered for them in the past and been involved in some fund raising activities. They are a gerat organization and I would love to work for them! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Josie,
ReplyDeleteSave the Children and UNICEF are great organizations as their primary focus is on the children. It would be interesting as you mentioned about the work with foster children and American Adoption. I would like to know what their requirements are?
As you stated, having a undergraduate in Child Development and soon graduate degree in Early Childhood, it would be great to work for United Nations Children Fund. As a formal Military Brat, I miss traveling and would love the experience of traveling again, however, I would have to consider the needs of my family first.