Maternal and Child Health Program Mentor

We’re looking for a Maternal and Child Health Program Mentor who can live and volunteer for 8 months in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. 

• This assignment seeks to mentor the MCH Manager to develop effective leadership skills necessary for overseeing the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program.
• To be considered for this role, you’ll need a degree or professional qualification in Public Health, Nursing, Health Management, or a related field.
• As a volunteer, you will assist in developing, implementing, and refining strategic plans for the MCH program to ensure its long-term sustainability and alignment with community health needs.

About the Partner Organisation 

Waniati Development Association Incorporated is a community initiative organization (Non-Government Organization), operating in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province. The organization aims to promote and provide quality health services through innovative approaches supporting maternal and Child healthcare through health education for rural majority and urban pregnant mothers or girls in the communities and schools to be informed on the risks associated during and after childbirth or lack of public health care information.

The organization's vision is to see our urban disadvantaged and rural majority of the pregnant mothers be accommodated and cared with necessities before delivery, thereby increasing the level of safe delivery and reducing the maternal mortality throughout PNG.

This volunteer assignment is essential to the success of Waniati Development Association Incorporated's (WDAI) Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program. Operating on membership contributions, WDAI has limited resources to recruit additional skilled professionals. While the organization has a dedicated local certified midwife serving as the MCH Manager, there remains a significant gap in leadership skills and strategic program planning, which are vital for the program’s long-term sustainability and effectiveness.

The volunteer Maternal and Child Health Program Mentor will provide critical support by building the capacity of the MCH Manager in leadership, program coordination, and strategic planning. Through mentorship and guidance, the volunteer will help develop systems and processes to ensure the effective implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the MCH program. This role will also focus on enhancing collaboration between multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality health services to mothers and children.

About the Australian Volunteers Program  

The Australian Volunteers Program is an Australian government-funded initiative. We support partner inclusion. Maternal across the Pacific, Asia, and Africa to achieve locally led change.  

Volunteers are supported throughout their volunteer journey. We actively support and encourage people of all backgrounds and abilities to volunteer and aim to make the program as accessible and inclusive as possible. If you have accessibility requirements, please contact us to discuss how we can support you to volunteer with us - inclusion@australianvolunteers.com. Learn more about our commitment to inclusion.