Disability and Inclusion Specialist at UBONGO

[Jamii Opportunities]

UBONGO is Africa’s leading producer of kids’ edutainment. As a non-profit social enterprise, we create fun, localized, and multi-platform educational content that helps kids learn, and leverage their learning to change their lives. Ubongo reaches millions of families across Africa through accessible technologies like TV, radio, and mobile phones.

Our show’s Ubongo Kids and Akili and Me currently air in 31 countries across Africa, in Swahili, English, French, and Kinyarwanda. We are currently adapting the shows to even more languages including Kikuyu, Luo, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Twi. This is a great time to join an organization that’s rapidly growing across the continent, and work with a creative and impact-driven team committed to reaching as many families in Africa with life-changing edutainment.

We’re looking for a dynamic, creative, and flexible Disability and Inclusion Specialist to join and improve our Education & Research department. You’ll work closely with our Head of Education, Pre-Production Coordinator, Innovation Manager, and Production Manager to make Ubongo’s content more inclusive and accessible to all kids!

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct research around inclusive education and Ubongo Learning content

Main Activities:

• Identify and reach out to partners for research relating to inclusive education
• Support user tests and focus groups with kids from underserved groups such as (but not limited to), children with disabilities, refugees, children in institutional care, children from low-income or rural communities, or other stakeholders as needed.
• Contribute to the development of materials for testing.
• Conduct desk research around inclusive education issues for early learners and primary learners.
• Contribute to the preparation of new content, ensuring that it is accessible for learners with disabilities
• Report on and share research findings with Ubongoers for the purpose of improving the inclusivity of our content.
• Analyzing, summarising, and sharing results and learnings across the organization and externally

Main Activities:

• Keeping the Ubongo team up-to-date on best practices and relevant work in the inclusive education space, and making sure we are always applying best practices.
• Building the capacity of Ubongoers, especially the Education and Pre-Production teams on how to conduct user testing and write scripts in an inclusive way.
• Advise the executive team and senior management on making Ubongo an inclusive and accessible place of work for all.

REQUIREMENT:
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS:
Essentials:

• At least 4 years of experience working in inclusive education, especially education for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
• MUST have experience working with children, preferably in conducting research with children
• Well versed in the rights of people with disabilities and best practices in creating accessible and inclusive content
• Highly organized! We have a lot of different projects and shows being created simultaneously, and you will be required to give input on all of these projects
• Able to speak and work fluently in English
• Be experienced in leading capacity development for internal and external stakeholders
• Willing to speak up for what’s right, when you see wrong, or when you think there might be a better way
• Someone who loves kids. They’re why we do what we do. They’re running around our office all the time. Our kids’ music and videos will become part of your life (and constantly stuck in your head!)

PREFERRED:

• Knowledge of Kiswahili
• Located in Tanzania, Kenya, or Uganda or have the right to work in one of these countries
• Experience on gender issues and working with out of school children
• Knowledge and experience applying Universal Design for Learning principles
• Degree/Diploma in Disability Studies, Gender, Education, Research or another related field

Candidates with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply. Please be aware that our office is currently on the second and third floors of a building that only has access via stairs. We are committed to finding solutions to accommodate all staff and encourage all to apply regardless of our current office situation.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Benefits:
Phew! You made it through that. The good thing is that there are also perks, like a delicious healthy lunch at the office, health insurance, pension payments of up to 10% (matching the value of your individual contributions), 28 working days of paid annual leave (in addition to the public holidays) and you get to watch cartoons at work.

Please note that only applicants who apply using this online form will be considered. Those who come directly to the office with a CV or who email their CV to us will simply be referred back to this online form.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY