Apply by
January 1, 2025
Know by
March 1, 2025
Depart on
September 11, 2025
Duration
2 years, plus 3 months training
Project description
The Kingdom of Morocco, located in North Africa, is a country of rich natural resources and beauty, undergoing significant political, social, and economic transitions. Youth development has become a major focus for the Moroccan government due to high youth unemployment and the urgent need for skill advancement among young people. As a Climate-Smart Youth Development Facilitator in Morocco, you will play a vital role in this national priority by empowering Moroccan youth to become healthy, productive, and civically engaged citizens, with a strong emphasis on climate awareness and environmental stewardship.
According to the High Commission for Planning (HCP), the youth population in Morocco has grown to 11.8 million in 2023, representing 31.9% of the total population. Youth unemployment, particularly high among urban residents, women, and graduates, increased to 22.9% in 2022. The unemployment rate for young people with higher education stands at a striking 40.3%, highlighting a critical need for targeted interventions. Additionally, cultural and systemic barriers hinder youth civic engagement, making your role even more essential.
As a Climate-Smart Youth Development Facilitator, you will collaborate with local counterparts to assess youth needs and design empowerment programs that view youth as assets. You will model and promote volunteerism, teach communicative English, and emphasize employability skills such as digital literacy and social-emotional skill development—recognized as vital life skills. Much of this work will be conducted through classes, clubs, and camps, aiming to complement and extend the skills and knowledge youth acquire in school.
A significant aspect of your role will be fostering climate-aware youth leaders in their communities. You will co-facilitate after-school programs focused on climate change and actions that support adaptation and resilience. By designing clubs and camps that promote activities like tree planting, gardening, material transformation (recycling and reusing products), and composting, you will help youth engage in practical, hands-on environmental actions. Leading climate awareness through local hikes will also connect youth with nature, fostering a deeper appreciation and understanding of their environment.
A Climate-Smart Youth Development Facilitator’s daily work schedule will vary. After school and summer programming design can be quite unstructured and will require initiative, relationship-building, and creativity from you to create community opportunities for work. You have got to enjoy engaging with a range of youth age-groups from kids to young adults and feel you are able to approach them and connect. Volunteers will be expected to share their interests or hobbies with youth. This could include theater, music, art, sports, crafts, etc.
Volunteers live and work in diverse settings, including rural, semi-urban, and urban communities. Communities seeking to work with a Volunteer often have at least one institution from the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, such as a youth center (Dar Chabab) or a women’s center (Nedi Neswi). Upon arrival in their assigned communities, Volunteers are expected to build strong relationships with youth and community leaders, initiating and expanding their networks to create responsive activities and programs. These relationships are crucial for the sustainability of the Volunteer’s work.
By investing your time and skills in Morocco, you will make a significant impact on the lives of young people, helping them to realize their potential and contribute positively to their communities. Your work will not only address immediate needs but also lay the groundwork for lasting change, empowering the next generation of Moroccan leaders and fostering a generation of environmentally conscious citizens.
SPECIAL NOTICE ABOUT CITIZENSHIP: Candidates who are either dual citizens of Morocco and the U.S., who were born in Morocco, or whose parent(s) is a/are Moroccan citizens are not eligible to serve in Peace Corps Morocco. Under Moroccan law, an individual who meets any of these criteria is considered a citizen of Morocco and would have responsibilities (including payment of taxes) and treated as a Moroccan citizen while in Morocco which may limit the Peace Corps' ability to intervene in any legal matter or emergency situation. If you fit any of the identified categories, we encourage you to consider other assignments.
Required Skills
Qualified candidates will have an expressed interest in working with youth and one or more of the following criteria:
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field.
- 5 years' professional work experience.
Desired Skills
- Formal or informal classroom teaching experience, particularly English teaching.
- Experience working with youth ages 12-29 in after-school activities or other areas of non-formal education. Highly competitive applicants will have experience with youth in summer camps, clubs, sports, music, art, theater, volunteerism, and service-learning.
- Experience using appropriate technology to accomplish work virtually, including technology to support remote learning and youth programming.
- Demonstrated success working in unstructured or informal assignments; experience applying organizational skills in a community.
Required Language Skills
There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position. Language is an essential component of volunteer training. Through PST, Trainees will learn Moroccan Arabic (Darija), which is spoken by most Moroccans. They will have the chance to pick up more local Amazigh languages (Tarifit, Tashlhit and Tamazight) later in their service depending on where they will be serving. All Trainees are expected to achieve an Intermediate- Low level of proficiency by the end of Pre-Service Training. Volunteers are expected to build on their language skills throughout the service; ongoing language support is available for them in the form of tutoring and additional online language training.
Living conditions
Morocco, a country known for its rich history, unique traditions, and wonderful cuisine, offers diverse living conditions for Peace Corps Volunteers. Depending on the region and climate, Volunteers may live in desert areas, mountainous regions, or rural villages. Accommodations vary from apartments to houses, similar to those of local families. As members of their communities, Volunteers will experience the same utility availability as their neighbors, including electricity, hot water, and internet, but should not expect consistent connectivity.
During the 10-week Pre-Service Training (PST), Volunteers will stay with a host family to foster community integration and language acquisition. This homestay experience continues for at least one month after arriving at their permanent communities. Living with host families offers invaluable insights into local culture, traditions, and customs, and helps Volunteers build strong connections within their communities.
Morocco is a traditional, family-centered society with hierarchical and patriarchal leanings. Volunteers must possess mature interpersonal skills, the willingness to suspend judgment around traditional gender and religious norms and be willing to adapt to local social customs. It is essential to navigate these cultural dynamics with sensitivity and respect.
As foreigners, Volunteers may attract significant attention in their communities. Same-sex relationships are illegal, and discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity are considered taboo. Volunteers must be discreet about their personal identities within their host communities. All Peace Corps Morocco Volunteers receive training on measures to mitigate and respond to harassment.
Volunteers of Color, particularly Black and Asian-American Volunteers, often experience high levels of unwanted attention, harassment, and discrimination. Black Volunteers report significant harassment due to prevailing attitudes toward West African immigrants. Asian-American Volunteers face additional challenges, including discrimination linked to the pandemic. Volunteers who do not fit the stereotypical image of an American (white skin, blond hair, blue eyes) may be asked probing questions around their family history and “origin.” Conversely, Volunteers of Color that may be “Moroccan passing” such as some Arab and Latino PCVs, note that they do not experience similar levels of attention.
Despite these challenges, Peace Corps is committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all Volunteers. Peace Corps Morocco has a variety of support structures, including a Volunteer Support Network and a Diversity Committee, ensuring that Volunteers can confidentially discuss their concerns with peers and staff. Volunteers of diverse backgrounds have successfully served in Morocco, contributing to the richness of the Peace Corps community.
Living conditions in Morocco require flexibility, creativity, and a proactive approach to identifying and addressing community needs. Volunteers must be prepared for physical and social demands, including transportation limitations and the need to adapt to local modes of travel, which may include walking long distances, using pick-up trucks, vans, or collective taxis. Personal appearance is important, and Volunteers are expected to dress to local standards, typically involving clean, modest clothing appropriate for their roles.
Peace Corps Morocco continues to evolve its activities and seeks Volunteers who are eager to embrace these challenges. For additional information, please visit the [Peace Corps Morocco website](https://www.peacecorps.gov/morocco/).
Learn more about the Volunteer experience in Morocco: Get detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics in order to make a well-informed decision about serving.
Medical considerations
Before you apply, please review medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.
Couples information
The Peace Corps works to foster safe and productive assignments for same-sex couples, and same-sex couples are not placed in countries where homosexual acts are criminalized. At this time, Peace Corps Morocco is only able to place heterosexual couples who are legally married at the time of their arrival to Morocco. During the application process recruiters and placement officers work closely with same-sex couple applicants to understand current placement opportunities. For more information please visit: https://www.peacecorps.gov/faqs/lgbtq/.” Due to Morocco’s national laws and potential safety and security implications relating to relationships outside of marriage, domestic partners who are not legally married also may not serve together as a couple with Peace Corps Morocco.
Heterosexual married couples will live together for the duration of Peace Corps service. During Pre-Service Training and for a time in their permanent communities, couples will live together in a homestay environment.
After the initial mandatory homestay, couples may choose to move into independent housing. Please note that married couples may have separate work assignments with different organizations but will be placed within the same community.
