Note Taking Support for the Africa Foundational Learning Exchange (FLEX) 2026

Description of assignment (DoA) details

Attention! Please note that this is an Online Volunteering assignment. It's a short-term, task-based and non-contractual remote assignment; Online Volunteers are not UN Volunteers and do not receive any allowance or entitlements as part of the Online Volunteer assignment but receive a certificate of appreciation after successful completion. In addition, UNV is not involved in the selection process or collaboration.

Mission and objectives

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up. UNICEF Malawi Country Programme (2019-2023) is aligned with the Government of Malawi’s Growth and Development Strategy (MDGS III) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). The programme supports the Government of Malawi to meet its commitment to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights in line with international conventions and standards. The country programme is guided by the principles of children’s rights, equity, gender equality, inclusion and resilience, and supports evidence-based, integrative and innovative programming. The vision is that ”all girls and boys in Malawi especially the most disadvantaged and deprived, realize their rights”. The programme focuses on early childhood (parenting, high-impact social services, early stimulation and learning), middle childhood and adolescence (learning, multi-sectoral services, active citizenship), communities (decentralized services and systems, community ownership, social norms), programme effectiveness (monitoring, evaluation, HACT, Innovation, Social Protection and Social Policy and External Communication. The programme is based on “leaving no child behind”, realizing ‘rights for all children in Malawi’.

Context

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Malawi, the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), and other partners are pleased to announce that the Government of the Republic of Malawi will host the third edition of the Africa Foundational Learning Exchange (FLEX) from 14–17 July 2026 in Lilongwe. FLEX is the largest platform for country-to-country exchange on foundational learning in Africa, convening policymakers, thought leaders, development partners, implementers, and other education actors across the continent and beyond. Following up on commitments made at FLEX2024 and the 2025 ADEA Triennale, participants will exchange knowledge to jointly plan the way forward toward ending learning poverty by 2035. UNICEF Malawi is launching a global online awareness campaign to maximize the visibility of this crucial educational summit.

Task type

Writing and Editing

Task description

We are seeking 15 highly motivated online volunteers from all over the world to support our communication team in capturing key discussion points to be shared by diverse stakeholders at the FLEX 2026. Online volunteers will be expected to take on these specific tasks: We are seeking 10 highly motivated online volunteers from all over the world to support the communications team in documenting, capturing, and summarizing key strategic discussions at the Africa Foundational Learning Exchange (FLEX) 2026. Specialized Task Teams (5 Volunteers per Team) 1. Key Takeaways Report Team (5 Volunteers)

• Focus: Actionable Insights & Highlights
• Specific Tasks: o Attend panel discussions to identify high-level priorities and strategic outcomes. o Extract key action points, main recommendations, and critical insights from speakers and participants. o Deliverable: A polished, high-impact Key Takeaways Report that highlights the most critical, actionable outputs of the event. 2. Quotations Team (5 Volunteers)
• Focus: Speaker Insights & Dialogue Capture
• Specific Tasks: o Attend the sessions and actively listen for compelling, impactful statements made by speakers and panelists. o Transcribe and verify notable quotes, ensuring proper spelling of names and accurate attribution to the correct speakers and organizations. o Deliverable: A curated Quotations Document organizing key quotes by speaker and session, designed to support post-event communication and social media outreach. General Requirements for All Volunteers
• All notes and reports must be produced in high-quality, professional English.
• Work collaboratively within your assigned 5-member task team.
• Provide all final documents in electronic format (Word or PDF). Expected Outcomes
• Two high-quality, finalized products (Overall Report, Key Takeaways Report, and Quotations Document) delivered in electronic format.
• Strong collaboration and teamwork within the volunteer cohorts and with the UNICEF team. Online volunteers will be responsible for disseminating pre-approved campaign materials, graphics, and key messages across various social media platforms to raise awareness about the event, its objectives, and the critical importance of foundational learning in Africa. All promotional materials, toolkits, and posting guidelines have already been created and will be provided by UNICEF. Through this campaign, UNICEF aims to generate widespread public interest and digital engagement globally leading up to and during the event. NOTE: Online Volunteers must exclusively use the provided, pre-approved materials. Volunteers may not alter messaging, redesign graphics, or create unauthorized content using the UNICEF logo, name, or visual identity. Online Volunteers should not engage in debates, political discussions, or respond to hostile comments on behalf of UNICEF or the FLEX organizing committee.

Assignment requirements

Required Experience

Required experience: Demonstrated experience in note-taking, rapporteuring, transcription, or documenting high-level meetings, webinars, or strategic dialogues. Prior exposure to thematic discussions in international development, advocacy, or the education sector is highly desirable. Experience working in collaborative virtual team environments is an asset. Skills: Analytical & Synthesis Skills: Strong active listening and comprehension skills; ability to rapidly identify, distill, and summarize key themes, complex ideas, and actionable recommendations. Communication: Exceptional written English communication, proofreading skills, and strict attention to detail. Technical Proficiency: Advanced proficiency in collaborative word processing tools (Microsoft Word, Google Docs) and virtual meeting platforms (Zoom, MS Teams). Self-Management: Highly organized, with the ability to work independently, coordinate with team members asynchronously, and meet tight event-driven deadlines.

Languages

English, Level: Fluent, Required French, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable Portuguese, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable

Other information

Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Reasonable accommodation

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.