Posting a vacancy on Vocational Training Advisor - Handicap International China

Terms of reference:

Vocational Training Advisor

Country                                              China

City/site                                  Tibet Autonomous Region – Lhasa city

Department / project                1 project (Vocational Training Base)

Number of employees                30 persons

Size of the team                               19 persons (+ around 1O partners’ staff)

Title of the position                        Vocational Training Advisor

N+1                                         Tibet Program Coordinator

N+2                                                    Country Director

Direct team management             No

Indirect team management         No

Budget responsibility                    No

Contract                                   Fixed-term contract, full time, without trial period

Basic salary                                      … EUR gross/basic monthly salary + experience +

qualifications + languages

Other advantages                      Specific context

Expected date of arrival                1 July 2009

Duration of the mission                  5 months

International travel                        No

Travel between sites                     Yes (rural counties in Lhasa prefecture)

Possibility of a couple                    No

Possibility of children                      No

Specifics                                           Accommodation in a hotel – High altitude – Possible harsh whether – Social isolation with rare entertainments – Tense political situation

Job financed                         Yes

Donor                                                EU

Description of the programme and the projects

The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) remains one of the least developed areas in China. Given the natural and socio-economic level of the region, the situation of disabled persons in general and children in particular remains precarious. Very few services or specialised facilities for people with disabilities are available in the field of rehabilitation and the needs remain tremendous in terms of detection and diagnosis, special care, physical rehabilitation, technical aids, integrated education, vocational training, information, counselling and social integration. Negative attitudes towards people with disabilities are abundant and it is common that people see disability as a consequence of bad behaviours in previous lives (“bad karma”). In this context, very few people, even health professionals or governmental leaders, have a real and comprehensive understanding of what disability and rehabilitation are.

Handicap International has been operating in the TAR since 2000, in cooperation with its partner, the Tibet Disabled Persons’ Federation (TDPF) and its branches at prefecture levels through the set up of different projects:

• Vocational Training Base: The VTB Project started in November 2008 in collaboration with the Tibet Disabled Persons’ Federation vocational training canter, Lhasa Special Education School and Handicap International. At the moment this vocational training base is the first structure in the Tibet Autonomous Region that specially targeted the persons with disabilities[VELM1] . The purpose of [VELM2]  providing vocational skills for[VELM3]  people with disabilities, is to  enhance their capacity building and be able to get access to[VELM4]  a job and contribute economically to their families and communities, thereby improving the life of disabled people. The vocational trainings, are, sewing/design, blind people's massage, house and wooden furniture painting[VELM5] . At the moment the duration of the training provision is planned 6 months for each term. After that they have to do the qualification exam of the skill that they've learned and the people who qualified will get certification from the TAR Labour bureau, and it will help the trainees to be referred for the job access in the future. Meanwhile our mandate is also [VELM6]  integrate disabled people at mainstream vocational training for learning skills and to introduce the trainees on a job placement after their 6 months training.

History, context and evolution of the job

The Tibet Disabled Persons’ Federation is a regional branch of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF), a semi-governmental organization. Created in 1996, its purpose is to represent and defend disabled persons’ interests, to ensure that their rights are respected, and to develop rehabilitation services. In particular, the TDPF and its branches at prefecture levels as well as their civil affairs representatives at county levels are in charge to disseminate information on disability and rehabilitation, the main goals being that the rights of people with disabilities be known and respected at each level of the society but also that TDPF be recognised as an essential actor to address the needs of people with disabilities.

Lhasa Special Education School (LSES)[VELM7]  established in 2000, is the only school in Tibet Autonomous Region that provides special education. It has eight classes for stidents with hearing impairment. " Students there use national unified sign language textbooks for the hearing impaired. LSES has initiated a small-scale training program before HI started VTB project. In the first year, VTB project trained students from LSES. In the second and third year, VTB project mainly focuses on training disabled adults.       

Responsibilities

Responsibility 1: 1 July – 1 August: Assess the current situation of the VTB project, its accomplishments and challenges

Responsibility 2: 1 July- end August: Develop training materials, protocol and evaluation 

tools

● Task 1: Assist project manager and key persons to develop training materials   

   and protocol for the types of disabilities

● Task 2: Sharing ideas and experiences of other well developed VTC or VTS for   

   the PwDs in other countries

●  Task 3: Assist VTB to develop screening and evaluation tools so students are 

   being trained in skills based on their interest and aptitude

Responsibility 3: 1 September -end October:

● Task1: Provide training on the teaching methods and curriculum that adapted to   

the types of disabilities and also workstation accessibility (for mainstream VTs 

and HI VTB)

● Task2: Provide relevant training on the vocational training activities for different 

    people from different structure (include the trainees, mainstream VT teachers)

● Task 3: Help/train the VTB to access and scan market for employable jobs so 

   that the vocational training program is in keeping with the demands of the

   market

● Task 4: Assist VTB to identify & access industries, companies, factories, offices

   for possible apprenticeship and employment of trainees/graduates and exposure 

   visits.

Responsibility 4: 1 November -end November:

● Task 1: Assist to develop short-term vocational trainings, which are feasible for  

   the PwDs can be make income generating (e.g; nails make up, flower dealer,   

   computer typing, electricity repair etc)

●  Task 2: Assist VTB to access resources for graduates thinking of setting up their 

   own livelihood projects.

● Task3: Assist VTB to coordinate with other organizations (e.g., Dropenling) for 

             training module development, product development, marketing skills, etc.

Main Interactions

Interface                                                                               Frequency

Internal

1.      HI Project Managers and advisors                            Daily            

2.      Tibet Program Manager                                         Weekly

External

1.      Disabled Persons’ Federation key actors                   Regularly during training,

meetings, etc           

Profile required for the job

Knowledge

·         Graduate Diploma in Vocational Education and Training

·         Fluent oral and written English, oral Chinese is an asset

·         Knwoledge of disability is a strong section

[VELM8] 

Skills

·         Previous experience in working on Vocational Training strategies

·         [VELM9] Good training skills required

·         Previous experience in working with governmental departments

·         Previous experience in working in China is an asset, working experience in Asia is highly desirable

Personal qualities

·         Strong diplomacy required

·         Able to create a dynamic among a group

·         Creative

·         Patient and flexible

·         Psychologically strong

·         Adaptable and respectful to a very different culture

·         Motivation for the associative sector

·         To adhere to Handicap International’s vision: a world in which all forms of disabilities can be prevented, cared for or integrated, and in which the rights of people with disabilities are respected and applied