Introduction
Join a dedicated team leading USAID’s efforts to improve early childhood development outcomes through the implementation of the Global Child Thrive Act.
What you'll do
Globally, an estimated 250 million children under the age of five years are at risk of failing to reach their developmental potential due to stunting and poverty alone. Early childhood is a critical time for shaping the life course because it is the most rapid period of brain development–building the foundation for physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. This foundation shapes subsequent capabilities and skills essential for success in school, and employment. Extensive research on the economic benefits of high-quality early childhood development programs, particularly for marginalized and underserved children, concluded that programs can deliver a potential 13 percent return on investment annually through childhood and adulthood.
The passage of the Global Child Thrive Act mandates the incorporation of inclusive approaches to improve early childhood development (ECD) into U.S. government foreign assistance programming. The Global Child Thrive Act builds upon existing commitments by the U.S. government under the “Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity – A U.S. Government Strategy for International Assistance 2019-2023. Working around three core pillars - 1) Build Strong Beginnings; 2) Put Family First; and 3) Protect Children from Violence. The term “ECD” refers to the development and learning of a child from birth to eight years of age, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development, and approaches to learning that allow a child to reach his or her full developmental potential. Programs to support ECD seek to ensure that every child has the conditions for healthy growth; nurturing family-based care; early learning opportunities; and protection from violence, exploitation, abuse, and neglect. Optimal requires holistic approaches and demonstrates the convergence of and synergies between health, nutrition, education, nurturing family support, and safety and security toward helping young children survive and thrive.
USAID is coordinating the implementation of the Global Child Thrive Act and is supporting activities to operationalize this law and advance ECD outcomes. An intern will be of great value in helping to support this work.
The following activities are envisioned: Develop a database of ECD tools, resources and trainings; Support facilitation of a working group that aims to operationalize the Global Child Thrive Act through participation in meetings and completing follow-up actions; Conduct literature reviews on topics of interest (example: child care, male engagement, parenting, integrated approaches, climate change and ECD, etc.); Support the collection of data and information on activities and interventions in ECD for development of knowledgement materials (fact sheets, blogs, etc.); Ability to pursue own projects of interest, provide communications recommendations, and contribute creative ideas for how the team can highlight and expand USAID’s child protection work; Other activities as relevant.
What you'll learn
ECD, research and writing skills
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Virtual Student Federal Service, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be a high school graduate enrolled in a degree-seeking program in an accredited college or university
- Be an Undergraduate, Graduate, or Doctorate Student for the duration of the internship/academic year
- A student is an individual who is enrolled in a degree-seeking program in an accredited college or university
- An individual is still considered a student if he/she has been out of school, between semesters or school years, for not more than five (5) months and has plans to return to school within five (5) months or less
- An individual enrolled in school and receiving credit toward their degree for participating in the Student Internship Program is also considered a student
- A student must be returning to school immediately following the internship in order to qualify for the program. In addition, the student must attach an official or unofficial transcript to their application confirming current student status.
- You are eligible to apply for this program if you have not yet completed your registration at a college or university for graduate or post-graduate studies (including law school) or are awaiting an admissions determination for graduate or post-graduate studies (including law school). However, if selected for an internship, you must provide proof that you have registered, or have been accepted for enrollment for studies in the semester or quarter immediately following the internship before you can begin your internship.
Who we are
USAID’s Children in Adversity Team, within the current Inclusive Development Hub of the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI), coordinates the whole-of-Government response to Public Law 109-95, the Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005, and houses the U.S. Government Special Advisor on Children in Adversity. The Special Advisor leads U.S. Government Interagency Partners in their implementation of the Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity Strategy. The Center also oversees the Displaced Children and Orphans Fund (DCOF), which finances programming for vulnerable children worldwide and works actively to identify opportunities for collaboration across sectors. Visit https://www.childreninadversity.gov/ for more information on this important work.