REI - Youth Development Volunteer - Volunteer Position - Onsite in Eswatini - 1 year, plus 3 months training
Peace Corps
United States
Posted on Jul 2, 2025
About The Job
Apply by :
September 1, 2025
Know By
October 1, 2025
Depart On
July 28, 2025
Duration
1 year, plus 3 months training
ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.
Project description
What makes Eswatini unique among African countries is that the Kingdom of Eswatini is one of the smallest countries in Africa and is the only remaining absolute monarchy. What makes Eswatini special is its welcoming, kind people and stunningly beautiful geography
The Kingdom of Eswatini has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world. In 2003, Peace Corps reopened the Eswatini program to focus on halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and combatting its devastating impact on Swati society by engaging Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC)s and Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGWY)s. Peace Corps Eswatini launched the HIV/AIDS prevention focused Youth Development program in 2011 to strengthen the capacity of young people to live healthier and more productive lives and to assist with helping them remain HIV/AIDs free.
With more than 50 percent of Eswatini’s population under the age of 25, there is tremendous opportunity within Eswatini to actively engage young people in planning for their future and the future of their communities.
Education
Youth Development Volunteers empower Swati youth, ranging in age from 9-24 years old, to become healthy, productive, and civically engaged adults. Volunteers support the goals of the Ministry of Education by:
During the first three months in country, Peace Corps Trainees (PCTs) will engage in a newly designed Pre-Service Training (PST) which invites trainees to partner with our post staff to participate in comprehensive learning experiences to prepare trainees for swearing in to become PC Volunteers and for community integration. Trainees will experience an intense, fast paced learning environment comprised of self-directed learning, classroom, and blended learning experiences. Trainees will receive a basic (beginner) understanding of the local language, norms and culture, which include a strong emphasis on gender equity as Peace Corps Eswatini promotes gender awareness and girls’ empowerment as an educational initiative infused within our youth development work.
Additionally, Trainees will come to understand the value of Inter-cultural Competence, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (ICDEI &A) and how this affects all aspects of Peace Corps service. Trainees will fully engage in the principles and practices which explain Peace Corps approach to development known as Participatory Analysis for Community Action (PACA). This methodology places the community at the center of a Volunteer's term of service. Trainees will receive comprehensive safety, security, personal health, and resiliency training. Finally, Trainees will receive the fundamentals of technical (programmatic) training, which will be bolstered by in-service trainings scheduled after swearing-in. Trainees must successfully complete the full training package and achieve the minimum standards for language proficiency to be sworn-in for 24 months of Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) service.
In Eswatini, the distance between homes in a community is often no greater than 1 mile. All Volunteers must be willing and able to walk up to 5 miles a day in some form of mountainous terrain to get to and from work and conduct errands. Volunteers often carry sizable jugs of water up to 1 mile in these same conditions from the community well or community water faucet/tap.
Communication: Almost all communication is conducted by cell phone and Volunteers are provided the option of purchasing a dual-sim local device during Pre-Service Training (PST) with part of their PC provided settling in allowance. Cell service is based on the amount of minutes purchased and use (called Airtime) through one of two local cell service providers and incoming calls and texts (even from the US) are free. It is possible to access very slow Internet by purchasing a data package through the same cell service providers (MTN or Swazi Mobile).
Required Skills
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
Apply by :
September 1, 2025
Know By
October 1, 2025
Depart On
July 28, 2025
Duration
1 year, plus 3 months training
ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.
Project description
What makes Eswatini unique among African countries is that the Kingdom of Eswatini is one of the smallest countries in Africa and is the only remaining absolute monarchy. What makes Eswatini special is its welcoming, kind people and stunningly beautiful geography
The Kingdom of Eswatini has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world. In 2003, Peace Corps reopened the Eswatini program to focus on halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and combatting its devastating impact on Swati society by engaging Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC)s and Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGWY)s. Peace Corps Eswatini launched the HIV/AIDS prevention focused Youth Development program in 2011 to strengthen the capacity of young people to live healthier and more productive lives and to assist with helping them remain HIV/AIDs free.
With more than 50 percent of Eswatini’s population under the age of 25, there is tremendous opportunity within Eswatini to actively engage young people in planning for their future and the future of their communities.
Education
Youth Development Volunteers empower Swati youth, ranging in age from 9-24 years old, to become healthy, productive, and civically engaged adults. Volunteers support the goals of the Ministry of Education by:
- Planning and teaching life skills classes using the ministries Life Skills Curriculum four days per week in both secondary and high schools settings.
- Building the capacity of schools and individual teachers to teach the Life Skills Curriculum through co-planning and co-facilitation.
- Working in partnership with teachers and school committees to form “youth friendly” welcoming school environments.
- Building the capacity of community service providers – including teachers, religious leaders, and coaches – to implement youth programming focused on sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS risk mitigation, job skills, healthy relationships, and life skills.
- Strengthening existing Boys Reaching Out (BRO) and Eswatini Girls Leading Out World (EGLOW) clubs and form new ones to support after-school “youth friendly” programming.
During the first three months in country, Peace Corps Trainees (PCTs) will engage in a newly designed Pre-Service Training (PST) which invites trainees to partner with our post staff to participate in comprehensive learning experiences to prepare trainees for swearing in to become PC Volunteers and for community integration. Trainees will experience an intense, fast paced learning environment comprised of self-directed learning, classroom, and blended learning experiences. Trainees will receive a basic (beginner) understanding of the local language, norms and culture, which include a strong emphasis on gender equity as Peace Corps Eswatini promotes gender awareness and girls’ empowerment as an educational initiative infused within our youth development work.
Additionally, Trainees will come to understand the value of Inter-cultural Competence, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (ICDEI &A) and how this affects all aspects of Peace Corps service. Trainees will fully engage in the principles and practices which explain Peace Corps approach to development known as Participatory Analysis for Community Action (PACA). This methodology places the community at the center of a Volunteer's term of service. Trainees will receive comprehensive safety, security, personal health, and resiliency training. Finally, Trainees will receive the fundamentals of technical (programmatic) training, which will be bolstered by in-service trainings scheduled after swearing-in. Trainees must successfully complete the full training package and achieve the minimum standards for language proficiency to be sworn-in for 24 months of Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) service.
In Eswatini, the distance between homes in a community is often no greater than 1 mile. All Volunteers must be willing and able to walk up to 5 miles a day in some form of mountainous terrain to get to and from work and conduct errands. Volunteers often carry sizable jugs of water up to 1 mile in these same conditions from the community well or community water faucet/tap.
Communication: Almost all communication is conducted by cell phone and Volunteers are provided the option of purchasing a dual-sim local device during Pre-Service Training (PST) with part of their PC provided settling in allowance. Cell service is based on the amount of minutes purchased and use (called Airtime) through one of two local cell service providers and incoming calls and texts (even from the US) are free. It is possible to access very slow Internet by purchasing a data package through the same cell service providers (MTN or Swazi Mobile).
Required Skills
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field
- 5 years' professional work experience