1. Searching for job openings

You search for job openings at the United Nations using the search engine on this website. Most job openings are for a specific position in a particular office and duty station but there are also so-called generic job openings, which are used to create rosters, i.e. pools, of candidates available for immediate selection across the Organization. Generic job openings are recognized by the following text “This Job Opening is for roster purposes”. Typically, positions in field missions are advertised as generic job openings. You can learn more about rosters in the section below, “Understanding Roster Management”. The application process is the same for both types of job openings, whether position-specific or generic.

If you want to receive e-mails letting you know about newly posted jobs, you must first log into your account. You can then perform a Job Search that can be saved to create a Job Alert that matches your search criteria. For instructions on how to create a Job Alert, please see the Applicants Manual (section 5.2, page 55)

• 2. Creating a profile and preparing an application
  A job application at the United Nations is made up of a profile section (My Profile), and an application form that includes a cover letter, all of which should be prepared online on this website (attached resumes are not accepted). When you fill out the information online you should make sure to click Save after each section before exiting the page. Also be aware that the session times out after 60 minutes of inactivity. In order to prepare an application, you must first register on this website (click here to register). After you have registered you will be welcomed to your Careers Home page, which is where you will fill out and manage your profile, application form and all information relating to your application(s). First you should create a user profile (My Profile). The information in My Profile includes your name, nationality, contact information and marital status. You can make changes, such as updating your phone number or family status, to My Profile at any time and the information is automatically updated on all job applications you have already submitted. After you have registered and completed My Profile, you can create one or several job applications. The application form is the part of your application that has information about your education, present and past jobs, experiences, skills etc. You can start preparing an application form without immediately applying for a job by clicking Create Draft Application. After you have entered the data you click Save to save the data without submitting. You can prepare, access, edit and save one or more fully, or partially completed application forms without applying for a job right away. Once you have identified a job opening of interest, it is recommended that you update the application to highlight important facts relevant to the job you are applying for. It is also important to accurately complete and update all the information as it serves as a basis for evaluating your eligibility and suitability for a job opening. After you have prepared the application and after you have identified the job opening for which you want to apply, you should write a cover letter in the section called Cover Letter and Additional Info.
• 3. Submitting a job application
  If you want to apply for a specific job after you have filled out your application, you click Add job to application. Depending on the job you are applying to you may get a set of questions, which are yes/no, true/false or multiple choice questions. Similarly, depending on the position, you may be prompted with a list of skills and be asked to perform a self-assessment on these, giving an indication of your level of proficiency for each skill listed. Your responses will be used in the evaluation and assessment of your candidature. After the job application is complete, you submit your application by clicking Submit. The United Nations does not accept a resume as an attached document and it is neither considered a substitute nor a complementary document to a completed online application. If any additional information or documentation is required, you will be requested to submit it in the course of the application process. If you have submitted your job application successfully, you will promptly receive an automated acknowledgment by e-mail. Also note that once an application has been submitted it cannot be changed for that specific job opening. Each application you have prepared, and the list of job openings to which you have applied, along with the application status, is displayed in the My Career Tools page, which can be found in your Careers Home page. All applications you have submitted are listed under My Applications page with the appropriate status i.e. “Applied”, “Under consideration”, “Rostered” etc.
• 4. Evaluation of the application
  Your application is evaluated in terms of experience, education and skills. Only if it is determined that you meet most or all of the requirements you will be contacted to undergo an assessment i.e. a knowledge-based test or another type of simulation exercise. If it is determined that you are not eligible or only meet some or none of the requirements for a particular job, you will be informed, at the appropriate time, that your application was unsuccessful for this particular job. In this case, you should not be discouraged but apply for other jobs for which you feel you are qualified.
• 5. Assessment exercise
  The assessment exercise could be either a written exam or any other type of simulation exercise or case study. These assessment exercises are conducted in strict confidence and you will be informed in advance of the time, type and length of the assessment. If, based on the result of the assessment, you are short-listed for a competency-based interview, you are informed accordingly. If you are not short-listed for the competency-based interview, you will be so informed at the appropriate time. Please note, however, that the type and frequency of correspondence with individual candidates may vary throughout the application process.
• 6. Competency-based interview
  The competency-based interview can take place either via telephone, video conference or in person. You will be notified in advance of the time, duration and means and/or place of the interview as well as of the names of the interview panel members. During the interview, we learn more about your combination of skills, attributes and behavior that are directly related to your successful performance on the job. Read more about the interview in the section “At your interview“.
• 7. Selection notification
  A pool of qualified candidates is recommended for selection following the outcome of the various assessment stages. Any recommendations are then evaluated by an independent review body, composed of staff and management representatives, to ensure that the applicable procedures were followed correctly. After the review body has endorsed the recommended candidates, a selection decision is made by the head of the department usually for one individual, or if several positions are available, for the corresponding number of vacancies. You will be notified if you are the selected candidate for the job. If you were in the group of candidates recommended for the job opening but were not selected, you will be placed on the roster for similar functions at the level and category of the job opening for possible future selection. As a roster member, you will be notified when new job openings with the same job title, level, category and job family for which you have been rostered are advertised. If you are not included in the pool of candidates recommended for selection, you will be notified accordingly.

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There are 8 variants of getting into the UN system (8 categories):

• Regular Staff
• Temporary staff
• Young Professionals Program
• Language Competitive Examination
• UN Volunteers
• Interns
• Associate Experts
• Consultants

Regular Staff

It is 41 thousand people working all over the world — from New York to Seoul:

• Professionals and directors (P & D categories)
• Administrative Officers (G, General Service)
• Local Officers (National Officers)
• Employees “in the field” (Field Service)
• Senior positions (SG, DSG, USG)

Any of the permanent posts assumes that you have several years of experience behind you, in many cases several diplomas and knowledge of several languages. In some cases, the requirements are less — for example, for local and administrative employees, but even these positions it is not so easy to get.

Temporary staff

Temporary vacancies in the UN are for those who are thinking about career change, are not ready to sign a permanent contract and are not yet sure that they would like to build a career in the UN. Temporary contracts are limited to a year and are designed to attract already experienced candidates.

Young Professionals Program

This scheme of recruitment of young employees in the UN implies the passage of a long selection process, according to which you can be offered a P-1 or P-2 position (initial professional positions). This is one of the most direct ways to start a career in an organization, but there are a lot of restrictions.

Important — only citizens of countries that are poorly represented in the UN can participate in it. In addition, every year the number of professional areas in which the competition is held is reduced.

Language Competitive Examination

Program for translators and editors. In order to become an interpreter at the UN, you need to know perfectly 3 of the 6 official languages of the UN — Russian, English, French, Spanish, Chinese or Arabic, and have the opportunity to work with the German language. The selection process consists of three stages: an application, a written and an oral test. If you become a finalist, you get into the roster, where you can then apply for P-1 and P-2 positions in the UN around the world.

Volunteering

In the UN there are two programs for volunteers: UN Volunteers (from 25 years) and UN Youth Volunteers (from 18 to 29 years). For the first you need to have a diploma, 2 years of experience and speak English, French or Spanish. For the youth program, the requirements depend on specific vacancies, but, as a rule, experience and diploma are not required. There is an opportunity to become a volunteer in your country, for example, if you are from Kazakhstan. Volunteers, unlike trainees, receive a monthly payment, which is enough for daily expenses, accommodation and transport.

Internship

The opportunity to try yourself in any field of activity in UN offices around the world, including at the headquarters in New York. Two huge BUT: the program is not paid and employment right after the internship is prohibited by the rules of the organization. However, if you have the financial means — it’s a great way to make extremely useful acquaintances and get to know the work of the UN from the inside.

There are exceptions to the rules – some UN agencies pay their trainees.

Find out how to get paid internships:

• Internship at UN headquarters: personal experience https://payyourintern.com/internship-at-un-headquarters-personal-experience/
• Internships in the United Nations. How to get? Tips. https://payyourintern.com/internships-in-the-united-nations-how-to-get-tips/
• BEST Paid Internships related to the United Nations and SDGs https://payyourintern.com/best-paid-internships-related-to-the-united-nations-and-sdgs/
• TOP 43 NGOs who Pay their Interns https://payyourintern.com/top-43-ngos-who-pay-their-interns/

Associate Experts

The program of joining the UN system for those who have a master’s degree or above, 2 years of work experience and knowledge of English or French. This program is sponsored by the UN member countries.

Consultants

To fulfill specific, temporary tasks, the UN can hire consultants who work on individual contracts. Requirements for candidates are very different, but, as a rule, these are positions for professionals with work experience.

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A cover letter is an important part of any job application, but it can especially help set your application apart when you apply to UN jobs. The UN looks for specific language, skills, experience, and attitude, and your cover letter is the place for you to show that you meet the qualifications they are looking for. The UN provides some guidance on what they look for in a cover letter, so here Maheen taken some of tips, expanded them, and added a few more to help you write your best cover letter for your UN application.

• Keep it brief

The UN recommends a cover letter consisting of 3 to 4 paragraphs. Most career counselors and job development professionals recommending keeping your cover letter to a page. While you want to get information in your cover letter about your experience and skills, you want to make sure to keep it within a reasonable amount of space. Keep the paragraphs concise so that the person reading the letter can get the most information in the least amount of words.

• Keep it relevant

When you’re writing your cover letter it can be ready to highlight your best experiences and skills, but your best skills and experiences may not always be the best for the job you are applying for. Make sure that your cover letter stays relevant to the job you are applying for, and highlight your best skills that match what the employer is looking for and that are relevant to the job requirements.

• Find ways to make the most of your experience

Even if you are qualified for a job that you’re applying for, your experience may not be an exact match for the skills and description. If this is the case, use your cover letter as an opportunity to highlight transferrable skills and experiences that you can take with you into the job you’re hoping to obtain. Instead of talking about your passion or issues related to the job, focus on your achievements and things that you’ve accomplished. Be specific, and be honest (don’t exaggerate or lie) but take the liberty to frame your experience in a way that shows you have the qualifications and skills they are looking for in a future employer.

• Distinguish yourself

Your cover letter provides a chance for you to set yourself apart from the other applicants. Use it to talk about unique skills and experiences that could lead you to be the best candidate for the job. Find an attention-grabbing opening and closing that will keep the employer engaged in your story from the beginning until the end. Make sure this doesn’t outshine your experience but use your cover letter as a way to distinguish what makes you a unique and qualified candidate for the job you’re applying for.

• Write well

The UN career application tips specifically mention to use action verbs and avoid passive language and clichés. These tips are advisable for any cover letter, but because the UN specifically mentions that they want to see these grammar techniques, make sure to follow them closely. While you want to grab attention with your cover letter, make every word count and don’t include cheesy lines or cliché phrases that take away from your unique skills and experience.

• Target your cover letter

We’ve already talked about how you want to keep the information in your cover letter relevant to the UN job you’re applying for. In addition to relevant experience, you want to make sure that the language you use matches the language the UN uses in their job descriptions. Target your cover letter to the job and to the audience, showing you understand the culture and purpose of the organization in addition to the actual job. If you decide to apply for multiple positions, tailor your cover letter for each position; don’t send one cover letter for multiple jobs. While all the jobs may be under the UN umbrella, each department, bureau, and team is looking for a specific skillset, qualification, attitude, and applicant.

• Use “I” instead of “we”

Your cover letter is about you. So if you’re talking about work you did as part of a team or in a group or as part of an organization, make sure that you avoid “we” statements when talking about achievements and accomplishments. This doesn’t mean you should take credit for work you didn’t do alone, but make sure you spend most of your time highlighting the work you contributed to the team or project to show that you gained real, tangible experience, even as part of a group.

• Demonstrate that you understand the job requirements/description

This might seem like the most obvious tip, but make sure that your cover letter shows that you understand the job requirements and description. How you talk about your experience and skills can make a difference if what you choose to highlight doesn’t match what the employer is looking for. If you’re applying for a position that you don’t fully understand, try to look at similar job postings or even search for articles on the internet that might help you better understand the exact nature of the position you are applying for. Job descriptions, especially for large organizations like the UN, usually don’t go into the day-to-day functions of the position, so make sure that you stay on topic and don’t try to guess what your responsibilities will be outside of what is listed in the posting.

This article was co-authored by John Atkinson and David Nabarro. 
It was first published on November 9, 2019 on HeartOfTheArt.org.

From linear solutions to systems change

As we face into some of the greatest problems of our times a new mantra emerges, the mantra of ‘systems change’.  Why?  The major challenges facing our world cannot be solved for everyone everywhere through discrete solutions.

For example:

• The challenges of climate change call for solutions that go beyond energy use and governance changes.
• The challenge of ensuring everyone can access healthy and nutritious diets cannot be solved just through increasing use of fertilisers or genetically modified crops to boost productivity.
• The care needed by increasing numbers of elders will be hard to fund through existing patterns of state-based support.

We continue to look for single solutions because that is our usual way of working, it feels comfortable and stable. But in these examples, and in many others, there are no single solutions that can be relied on to overcome the challenges. Our comfort is being undermined by the growing sense that though many things we currently do are good, they may also not be sufficient. Hence the shift to thinking in terms of systems change.

Adapting constantly

In truth, references to the ways in which we have always done things are stories we tell more than they are a reality. The ways that we do things are always adapting. New technology, different forms of governance, resource availability or shortages have all over time shaped the way anything gets done. As humans have moved from small communities, to kingdoms, to democracies, the way things get done has adapted. These changes in modes of governance have been emergent. They have arisen from the contingencies and opportunities of the day, unplanned and undirected.

Can systems change be controlled?

Over the last century another thing has also emerged – a mindset that propagates a belief in our ability to direct and control these sorts of systems changes. Fed on a diet of management speak, we have come to have faith in a falsehood and then take it for granted. That falsehood is that we humans are able to direct and control large scale change in our relationship with our environment.

Can systems change be commanded?

Even those who know that systems change cannot be commanded are seduced by the collective view that it is possible. We join with others in writing reports that describe an ideal future state and the ways to get there. We convene workshops to agree policies. We describe and instigate pilot projects in the hope that we can roll these out as global exemplars. We set outcomes, presenting them as objectives for global change. We do all this because we share a belief that those with the power can be convinced of the need both to command change and then to control it for the common good.

Perhaps, but…

It isn’t that reports, policies, pilots and outcomes are bad things. It is that systems change doesn’t occur by focusing on these things in isolation.

Systems change is a new state

When we envision systems change as a new state which emerges from what is currently happening, it leads our thoughts and thus our activity into a different plane. A plane where we appreciate that our current institutions exist in the form of unstable equilibria, and that they can be encouraged to move into new forms of organisation around any issue. But we realise that they cannot be directed to transform in this way – our encouragement cannot define the outcome.

How does system change emerge?

The emergence of a systems change arises when, in the presence of sufficient energy and disturbance, the systems shift in ways that enable new (though still unstable) equilibria to form. The shift happens when there is consistent encouragement for change through the formation of new and positive feedback loops; loops which can exponentially amplify even slight movement in the system.

Supporting the emergence of systems change

As leaders, we do our best to predict how new feedback loops will form, to help make them happen and to anticipate the new equilibrium that will arise. But, we cannot determine how and when the change will happen. We must be content with doing our best to support emergence as it happens (and not doing things that might hinder it).

And yet, much leadership deters emergence

Most leadership activity actually acts to deter the likely emergence of a new state rather than encourage it. Traditional modes of leadership need to hold attention, gain credit, occupy ground and own a message: they can so easily suck energy from those who might otherwise contribute. They may suppress differing opinions in overt ways by use of organisational or personal power.  Sometimes they may do this less obviously by crafting mission, vision or value statements that exclude the diversity of thought and opinion.

These forms of power-play minimise disturbance and prevent its value being fully appreciated. By trying to stabilise situations, reduce variation and harmonise approaches, leaders may unwittingly encourage negative feedback which dampens creativity and stifles the potential for emergence.

The art of connecting

If as leaders, we wish to encourage system change we need to embrace and encourage emergence. To do this we need to:

1. Tap into the energy that already exists for any change and feed it.
2. Create spaces where disturbance can be heard, encouraged and developed.
3. Connect competing and opposing camps in new and novel ways.

Nurturing uncomfortable connections

We cannot just stumble into this. If we are to deliberately foster such disturbance we need to:

1. Create environments that nurture uncomfortable connections.
2. Work with the existing sources of power that are uneasy with what might be perceived as dangerous dissonance.
3. Align with the strands of that power and work with them to weave the cradles within which nascent changes can start to form.

Enquiring wisely – widely and openly

This means the real activity that encourages systems change is not analysis, or programme planning or project management. It is a relational activity that asks us to engage widely and openly, including with those who trouble us. It asks us to enquire into their motive and means. It means we must be ready to listen more than to tell, to connect and not to direct, to propagate and not to control.

Sensing for fluidity and rigidity

As we feel into the existing rhythms within the systems that interest us, we are sensing for their patterns of fluidity and rigidity.

Where might we encourage and accelerate the new?

Where must we pause a while, keep connecting and wait for the readiness?

When the time comes, how will we assemble and use our collective abilities to support the shift?

Power and fragility in our cradle

All the time that we are acting to encourage systems change we must be conscious of the fragility of our endeavour and how easily it can revert back into the existing norm. We must be keenly aware that the environment in which we operate is dynamic, this means that we must constantly attend to that web of relationships and power that forms our cradle.

Credit for the conditions, not for success

And we must train ourselves to let go of our need to be credited with success. As systems leaders we are keenly aware that all systems, in order to preserve their identities, will react rapidly to any attempts at changing. We know that the work we do to form and tend to relationships is what matters the most in creating the conditions for positive emergence – if we focus instead on our personal need to achieve a particular result and receive credit from our peers or beyond, we may fail to see those who we should be seeing and hear the voices that need to be heard.  By letting others take the credit and accolades for whatever emerges, we can be happy in the knowledge that we have contributed as catalysts to the enabling of fundamental change.

We know we matter; that is why it doesn’t matter that we don’t matter to others.

Where we begin

There are many models for how systems are supposed to work. Each has at its core philosophy, sometimes explicitly understood and described, often less so. Most define a route towards an answer, via a prescribed methodology, resulting in seemingly inevitable success. Our experiences have been more varied.

The reality is that leadership through large, complex and politically contested issues can be very tough on the people involved. It challenges our perception as to what is for the best, and how best to achieve it. And it challenges how we can find a connection with all those who need to be involved.

We find that as systems leaders focus on complex global challenges they cannot just rely on neat and ordered, often mechanical approaches to problem-solving like Gantt charts, root cause analysis, and logical frameworks. They need an altogether different set of characteristics, some of which are not easily learned in the seminar room.

There are some important basic competencies that should not be neglected:

An ability to encourage groups of people with similar core values to come together around a shared purpose.
To nurture co-creation of the future by wide groups of stakeholders.
To convene design-focused workshops full of diverse participants and to make records of decisions made, incorporating them in business plans.
All of these things really matter. We organize sessions that help develop the competence to do this: we participate in them, enjoy them, and a sense that colleagues benefit from them greatly.

However, it is our belief and experience that the essence of systems leadership goes beyond acquiring this basic competence. It calls for qualities of thought and action that are unique to effective systems leadership. It involves being able to feel what might be possible, how quickly, and with whom. It also means living with the pain, discord, and conflict that are inherent in getting divergent groups to work effectively together. The emotional core can be dark at times. Systems leaders must be confident that they can preserve their ability to lead in a difficult environment, through being resilient and functioning effectively in messy situations. It also means being capable of helping colleagues find the way along a path ahead, a path that is rarely clear and often needs creating as we go.

As new connections between groups and individuals form, new patterns arise and from that something novel becomes possible. At the same time, something is collapsing. The existing ways of finding coherence are challenged. The fulfilling relationships and certainty as to who we are and where we fit are beginning to crumble. Job roles, departments, even whole organizations may play no part in the new future. This is invariably a political space. It can be deeply painful. People will contest the things that need to happen and in doing so they overtly or covertly fight for the continuation of the present. At such moments, all the doubt, insecurity, and anger can be focused on you.

Three areas in which being confident helps

To be effective in this realm means being confident in working with the politics of living systems, dealing with uncertainty, and coping with adversity.

Politics

The politics of living systems are important whenever complex problems are being addressed, whether on a local or global scale. Decisions must be made about who gets what. The stakes are high, and different options can seem equally unpalatable. There are constant contests about who will win, and who might lose out; who will do what and when; who will pay, and how. So much depends on where the power to make things happen lies, and how that power is used. The real source of power is not always obvious.

Systems leaders must be confident when working with those who seek to accumulate and then use power, and they must be comfortable operating within this deeply political realm. This applies to the ‘big P’ Politics of local, national and international governance as well as the small ‘p’ of power relations within and between organizations.

Systems leaders appreciate the need to understand how power is being gained and the influences over its use within all manner of political processes. They take account of the multiplicity of power plays under way, with constant competition over scarce resources and much appearing to depend on the outcome of seemingly minor decisions. At the same time, there is a conundrum. It sometimes seems that politics are undermining efforts to get vital tasks done. This all means that an ability to work with the politics of living systems is an essential, but sometimes frustrating, aspect of a systems leader’s professional journey. The political processes are neither good nor bad, quite simply they are a part of the job. You have to be confident about working with them.

Uncertainty

Systems leaders must be comfortable with, and manage, uncertainty at all times. It is a given that there is uncertainty in the environment. If the future direction was clear and agreed you would have no work to do. What we are referring to is your own uncertainty; how you manage yourself. Here are two of the doubts we have felt in ourselves.

First, “how do I know whether my contribution is meaningful?” The uncertainty experienced by a system undergoing change can challenge both the systems leader’s existing sense of coherence as well as her or his ability to maintain it.

When any series of systems are undergoing change, those involved start to doubt their relationships and question who they are and where they fit in. Some familiar things seem to crumble and this causes a fear of collapse.

This leads to anxiety and pain with many people holding on to the past, fighting to continue the present and disagreeing that change is needed. When we find ourselves in these moments, what is our escape valve? For both of us, John and David, being able to cope with uncertainty starts with knowing who we are, warts and all, and finding comfort with that.

Second, “how do I know whether I am being successful?” Most systems leaders sense that there is real progress when the systems themselves begin to grow strongly. Fresh and intriguing connections are made and new patterns start to arise. More effective ways to get things done are emerging. But things will not necessarily be better for everyone, at least in the short term.

That is why the systems leadership role means thinking through what happens to the less desirable parts of any system as well as those which we seek to enhance. None of us can make the difficult parts just vanish. Collapse and emergence walk hand-in-hand. The role of the systems leader is to accompany both, helping different actors work out what to resolve for themselves and what they need to resolve together. Then we devise ways in which it might be helpful to work with people, enabling them to develop the means for resolving the challenges they face.

Adversity

Systems leaders encourage connections between living systems in ways that enable them to make better collective sense of what is going on. Helping to make connections among people with a whole raft of pain and hurt is far from pleasant. In these circumstances, getting better connected can be personally challenging and some people will become hostile towards you. The systems leader can become the personification of a new and unwanted direction and is likely to be on the receiving end of hurt and anger. It is important to remember that whatever is conveyed in gestures, words or feelings is likely to be an expression of something deeper. The leader has to be resilient in the face of adversity and must try to avoid taking personal responsibility for the difficulties within systems.

In summary, when our egos cry out for recognition and reward it is a danger signal that should be heeded. If you want too much for yourself in any outcome (a new role, enhanced reputation or influence), you will invariably fail. Both pain and success are not, and cannot be, about you. If you are prepared to sink without trace in the final outcome, almost perversely you become more influential.

Three areas in which it helps to be capable

We have also seen that there are three key capabilities that are of the essence when systems leadership is applied to complex global challenges: being able to scope, evolve, and strop, jointly with those with whom we work.

Scoping

It is sometimes said that the pursuit of ambitious targets is the key to making things happen, but strong allegiance to targeting can have unintended consequences. It leads to wholesale shifts in organizational priorities or operations, and a focus on what is delivered, rather than what is experienced by those for whom services are provided. The negotiations involved in agreeing common milestones can take precious resources away from creativity and innovation and can even be used to block progress.

What is important is to maintain the sense of a meaningful direction that appeals to many, scoping on behalf of all. The direction and destination do not need to be described precisely or entirely. But they do need to draw on different elements that reflect the interests of the various groups of stakeholders. This lets people see how what they want can be achieved if they decide to play along (or at least appear to).

Both of us have experienced working with small groups that rapidly grew and grew by making sure that, while their purpose was clear, the means for getting there was necessarily vague, as well as being open and available. This attracted others who cared about the work to join the effort. This form of constructive ambiguity is a valuable attribute in systems leadership.

Evolving

In our experience there are important ways in which complex organizations influence what their associates do. One way is to use tightly defined purpose statements, project plans and outcome measures. This can stifle the kind of creativity that enables organizations to grow through adaptation. It is prioritizing the relentless pursuit of a pre-determined strategy, together with its milestones, over the gradual build-up of a strong momentum.

We have found that leaders appreciate that allowing for detailed plans and outcome measures to become apparent as the work progresses, allows for more effective ways to tackle complex issues.

It seems to us that being comfortable with this kind of progressive evolution is at the heart of systems leadership. Though it is welcome to many of those with whom we work, some will still struggle to find ways for combining progressive evolution with operational control and accountability.

Stropping

We appreciate that systems leaders will always prefer to work with whole systems – to “get all the system in the room”. What we find in practice is that this strategy is often realized later rather than earlier in the process. We’ve noticed how at first a small group sense that something disturbs the status quo and seem to coalesce. Slowly others who think like them are drawn into their conversations.

And we are also aware that if things shift significantly, it is absolutely necessary to ensure that the right groups are engaged, especially those with much to lose in any change. They often have quieter voices and less capacity than the groups who tend to be already at the table.

This is an example of stropping, pursuing strategy through opportunity. It is letting the strategy find its own place and pace through the opportunities that appear in the journey of change.

Five qualities – of thought and action – that are also helpful

As we encourage colleagues to develop their capabilities as systems leaders we see how their abilities are influenced by their experiences, presence and personalities. The way in which they do that in any given setting really does depend on who they are. From our perspective, David, as a qualified medical practitioner, can take positions in some groups that John simply cannot.

At the same time, we have come to appreciate the several different qualities of thought and action that help systems leaders as they navigate complexity and ambiguity. As before, we recognize that the ways in which these qualities are applied will be highly contextual and highly personal. We are interested to know how others use them as they lead efforts for systems change. We share five of them now:

1          Hold competing perspectives simultaneously

The nature of living systems is that they look different to everyone depending on where we sit in them. People can therefore hold competing views that are in contradiction to each other, and both can still both  true. In the systems leadership role we need to be able to hold multiple competing perspectives simultaneously and give up striving for an objective truth. It isn’t there to be found.

2          See the whole system differently to its separate parts

We don’t arrive at a truth as to how the system works by studying its separate elements. So we shouldn’t do it. There are characteristics of any living system that are a function of that system as a whole and not found in any of its parts. We must focus on how the elements do and don’t relate, and what happens when they act together.

3          Feel into the pace, rhythm and readiness

It doesn’t matter what external timescale or plan is in place, a living system will move at a pace driven by its internal relationships and its relationship with its environment. As systems leaders we need to become adept at feeling into the pace of change that can be handled, the rhythm that underpins that pace and when things are ready, or not ready to move. If it’s not ready, we don’t try to move it. When it is ready to move fast, we don’t slow it down.

4          See the system in relationship to its environment

Living human systems evolve in symbiosis with their environment. An internal focus on the workings of the system tells us only a part of the story. The new stuff is invariably occurring around the points where the system and its environment are in closest contact. We must go and take a look there and reflect on what we’re seeing.

5          Meet people right where they really are

The way people show up is the way they show up. We can’t force them into a different place. We can’t make them move faster than they are prepared to go. So we see them, hear them and engage with them right there, not from where we feel they should be going. Then we’ll find the potential that exists, however great that is or otherwise.

One step at a time with the direction in mind

We constantly remind ourselves that systems leadership is both art and science. It is the artist and scientist in each of us that determines how we respond to what we uncover through our practice of systems leadership.

We hold the key to being good at being ourselves. As each situation unfolds we interpret what we find through our own experiences and emotions. Many of us find that being honest about our real motives, as well as our reactions to what is happening around us, helps us feel our way into the next step. And that, for us, is the beating heart of this art.

We take each situation one step at a time, always enhancing the quality of our thoughts and actions. We become confident within the politics, uncertainty and adversity. We scope, evolve and strop, always together, always trying to remain aware of the direction in which our steps might be leading.

We can’t tell you how to be you. We hope that by sharing our experience of this work it points you at how you might be you a little better. And how, in evolving your capacity to draw on all that you have within, you might make your world a little better too.

When the United Nations commemorates its 75th anniversary next month, it will be in a somber mood. Well before COVID-19 hit, the Trump administration’s “America First” policies had deprived the world body of its traditional leader, the United States, while rising geopolitical frictions had paralyzed the U.N. Security Council. The coronavirus pandemic has reinforced these dynamics, accentuating U.S. unilateralism and exacerbating an increasingly heated rivalry between the U.S. and China. Much of the U.N.’s productive work has been brought to a standstill.

The Security Council dithered for months on a noncontroversial resolution to freeze violent conflict during the pandemic, thanks to the Trump administration’s resistance to an explicit mention of the World Health Organization, and its efforts to include language embarrassing to China. Given the dysfunctional state of U.N. diplomacy, holding the annual General Assembly by videoconference may be a blessing.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has adapted to these realities. Rather than announce a bold reform agenda, he has focused the “UN75” festivities on two broad initiatives. The first is winning intergovernmental endorsement for a general declaration of principles in support of multilateral cooperation, an effort the Trump administration nearly derailed. The second is consulting with global civil society on the directions the U.N. should go in during its next quarter-century—findings he will present to member states in September.

These humble ambitions are a far cry from the sweeping reform proposals that one of Guterres’ predecessors, Kofi Annan, famously unveiled in 2005. They will disappoint those who had hoped that the COVID-19 pandemic, the greatest global crisis since World War II, would inspire creative proposals to update the U.N. and the broader global governance system to the world of 2020.

Guterres has reason to be prudent, however. Animosity between China and the U.S. has infected diplomacy throughout the U.N. system. In July, the Trump administration formally announced plans to leave the WHO, primarily, it said, because the U.N. body was kowtowing to Beijing. The sovereignty-obsessed Trump administration is in no mood for any ambitious multilateral schemes, which would in any event immediately become a political football at home and a geopolitical one abroad.

The best strategy for Guterres, who is eligible for a possible reappointment in September 2021, is a holding pattern until the winner of November’s U.S. presidential election is clear. Should Joe Biden defeat Trump, an American return to the multilateral fold seems certain. Presuming the new administration supports Guterres for a second term, a Biden victory could open possibilities for concrete action to ameliorate not only pandemic disease, but the other major dangers that Guterres believes confront humanity in the 21st century, namely: geopolitical rivalry, global warming, economic inequality and the “dark side of the digital world.”

On Sept. 21, world leaders will meet virtually for a special U.N. session on “The Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism,” when they will formally endorse a political declaration that U.N. member states approved in early July after laborious negotiations. Given the poisonous atmosphere in New York, reaching agreement on this aspirational, if anodyne, document counts as an accomplishment.

Seventy-five years after the U.N.’s creation, its supporters have set themselves a more modest goal: ensuring they are not present at its destruction.

The concise, four-page vision statement reaffirms the imperative of international cooperation and commits U.N. member states to a dozen broad objectives. These aims include realizing the Sustainable Development Goals to “leave no one behind,” protecting the planet from climate change and biodiversity loss, preventing violent conflict, combatting terrorism and nuclear proliferation, abiding by international law and human rights norms, advancing gender equality, combatting inequality within and between nations and improving digital cooperation for the benefit of all.

Member states further pledge to “upgrade the United Nations” to make it more “agile, effective, and accountable,” as well as to ensure its sustainable financing, expand its partnership with nongovernmental stakeholders and engage the world’s youth in its work. Finally, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments agree to cooperate on improving pandemic preparedness and global resilience.

Despite the declaration’s innocuous content and nonbinding nature, the Trump administration threatened several times to walk away from the negotiating table. The most significant dispute concerned the commitment to combat climate change, which the United States, alone among 193 member states, sought to exclude. To mollify the Trump administration, other states grudgingly qualified the document’s reference to the Paris climate agreement by adding the phrase “applicable State commitments to.”

In parallel with these intergovernmental negotiations, the U.N. Secretariat has been leading a global consultation with civil society groups around the world since January. Guterres describes this effort as a way to expand the conversation beyond national governments and to fulfill the cosmopolitan promise inherent in the U.N. Charter, which begins, “We the Peoples of the United Nations….” Under the leadership of special adviser Fabrizio Hochschild-Drummond, the Secretariat is consulting with representatives from civil society, youth, the private sector and academia on what sort of world they want and what sort of U.N. they need by 2045, when the United Nations will turn 100. This process encompasses a massive, online “one-minute survey,” to which anybody can respond; countless virtual dialogues and discussions, including some led by national chapters of the United Nations Association; and public opinion polling by the Pew Research Center and other organizations.* The secretary-general will release the main findings of this outreach to world leaders next month.

It is easy to be cynical about these efforts and skeptical about their ultimate impact on high-level U.N. diplomacy, particularly in an era of political polarization and geopolitical antagonism. Yet there is inherent value in getting a clearer sense of which global problems actually matter, not only to officials or experts, but to citizens everywhere. This is especially true today, when social movements are arguably having more impact on domestic and global trends than sovereign governments and international institutions. These soundings may reveal national and regional differences in perceived priorities, but they are also likely to demonstrate strong public support worldwide for enhanced multilateral cooperation, including through the U.N. and its many programs and agencies.

Neither the declaration of principles nor the U.N.’s public consultation will cure what ails this world. They are more about diagnosis than treatment. Nevertheless, there is merit in our turbulent age in reaching for a baseline consensus, at both elite and mass levels, on the need for multilateral action to address the world’s biggest problems, and on principles that should inform that cooperation.

In 1945, a war-weary world birthed the United Nations in a historic “act of creation.” Seventy-five years on, its supporters have set themselves a more modest goal: ensuring they are not present at its destruction.

How Has COVID-19 Affected Employment of Youth With Disabilities?

As the country battles another recession brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment numbers soar. With more than 30 million people not working, the United States is facing the worst unemployment rates since The Great Depression. What does that mean for young people with disabilities who already have a harder time finding work? I spoke to three people about the impact COVID-19 has had on them finding and keeping employment during this unprecedented time. 

Devin Manning is 21, lives in Ashburn, Virginia, and uses the pronouns they/them. Manning lives with several chronic illnesses including fibromyalgia, which causes widespread musculoskeletal pain plus sleep, memory and mood issues, and hypermobility spectrum disorder, a group of conditions related to joint hypermobility. They also have idiopathic intracranial hypertension (high pressure inside the skull), chronic migraines, chronic fatigue, chronic tinnitus, auditory processing issues, neuropathy and other conditions that are undiagnosed.

Devin Manning

Manning said they lost their job due to COVID-19. “In the middle of March, I was laid off from my job due to COVID and I was also forced to relocate from my college city to my hometown. Losing my income was not something I could afford, but there wasn’t any other option. I am now employed again, in food service (as I was before), but COVID makes every shift feel so risky …”

They said that as an advocate and activist in the disabled community the pandemic is a scary thing to navigate: “I think that COVID has had quite a significant impact on disabled youth/disabled people in general … Accessibility is an afterthought (even though at the beginning of the pandemic, things were more accessible by default due to telecommunication measures that [had] to be taken), many people aren’t following restriction guidelines and therefore increasing numbers drastically …”

Jillian “Ryan” Hooks is 19 and lives in Chandler, Arizona. Hooks has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which affects the body’s connective tissue and, in her case, causes a variety of neurosurgical comorbidities. She also suffers from severe postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition that affects blood circulation, as well as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

Jillian “Ryan” Hooks

Like many in the community, she is not able to work due to her disabilities. “I was not employed prior to COVID-19 (due to my disability), so my employment has not changed significantly due to the pandemic.” She sees how the pandemic has affected youth with disabilities in unique ways.

“Disabled youth across the globe have been denied vital care because of COVID-19. I lost my ability to walk in February of this year, and was scheduled to have urgent brain surgery in hopes of saving the use of my legs. That surgery, and the several subsequent operations I have needed, were delayed by three months. I may never truly know whether that time could have saved my ability to walk,” Hooks said.

Some people who work in the arts and entertainment industry have been affected by concert halls being shut down and performances being cancelled or postponed. Tiffany Geigel is 35 and lives in Brooklyn, New York. Shel lives with Jarcho-Levin syndrome (also known as spondylocostal dysostosis), a genetic condition in which the bones of the ribs and spine develop abnormally, causing a short torso and neck. 

Tiffany Geigel

“I am a professional contemporary dancer, a teacher, stage manager and administrator,” she said. “I try to use my skills and voice to help advocate for people like me. For those that think they can’t, I like to tell them and show them that they can!” 

Finding work right now is hard for artists, she said.

“I am not working right [now] … All artists unfortunately have not been able to go back into the studios,” Geigel said. “I am in the process of looking for more administrative/online work. Trying to get a job with a physical disability is difficult in itself but now with COVID it’s even more difficult. I pray every day for those who have been impacted by COVID19.”

The rise of unemployment due to COVID-19 has hit the country hard. Many minority communities, including people with disabilities, are struggling to meet their basic needs. With the country planning to open back up we need to keep an eye on marginalized groups. They should not be just an “afterthought.”

Deandra Mouzon

Deandra Mouzon is a Georgia-based journalist who received a B.A. in journalism from CUNY’s York College. Currently she is working on a publication about youth with disabilities.

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide ministries (e.g. Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Water (MOW)), sub-national public health authorities, and implementing partners with a practical framework of action to both prepare for and mitigate community transmission of COVID-19. The document does not address how to implement the included actions. Parts of this document are relevant for all environments, but the focus is placed on lower-resource settings.

Community Mitigation

Community mitigation measures ^1,2 are actions taken to slow the spread of infectious diseases. The goals for using mitigation strategies in countries that are experiencing community transmission of COVID-19 are to decrease COVID-19 transmission overall and, in particular, to protect:

• Individuals at increased risk for severe illness ³, including:
  • Older adults (65+ years)
  • People of any age with serious underlying medical conditions (e.g. chronic lung disease, immunocompromising conditions, diabetes)
• Vulnerable populations (e.g. refugees, internally displaced persons, prisoners)
• First responders – healthcare personnel and critical infrastructure workers

Governments, individuals, communities, businesses, and healthcare providers are all part of an overall community mitigation strategy used to minimize morbidity and mortality, as well as the social and economic impact of COVID-19. Countries should consider community mitigation measures and choose which ones to put in place to prepare for and respond to community transmission of COVID-19.

Signals of ongoing community transmission include:

• Detection of confirmed cases of COVID-19 with no epidemiologic link to known cases, or
• More than three generations of local transmission.

Implementation of community mitigation measures is based on:

• Emphasizing individual responsibility to follow recommended personal-level actions
• Emphasizing government and community responsibility to make sure individuals have access to policies and resources required to follow recommended personal-level actions
• Ensuring government, community institutions (e.g. schools, places of worship, marketplaces, childcare providers), businesses, and households put in place the recommended actions, with a focus on actions that protect those at increased risk of severe illness, those who are most vulnerable, and first responders
• Focusing on settings that provide critical infrastructure or services to minimize the risk of disruption to critical infrastructure or services
• Minimizing disruptions to daily life to the extent possible
• Adapting interventions supported by existing public health programs to address the immediate community mitigation needs

Principal Considerations for Implementing Community Mitigation Strategies

• Each community is unique, and appropriate mitigation strategies will vary, and can be scaled up or down, depending on the epidemiology, community characteristics, and public health capacity (refer to Section 7 below).
• Leadership can select appropriate actions to implement after considering all aspects of a community that might be impacted. In particular, leadership should consider populations most vulnerable to severe illness and those at greatest risk for negative social and economic impact to ensure the safety and social wellbeing of those impacted by the mitigation strategies.
• Implementation of mitigation measures may require legal authorities to be in place. Activating emergency plans is critical to provide additional authorities or coordination mechanisms to implement the recommended mitigation interventions (refer to Section 8 below).
• Some activities (refer to Section 8 below) may be implemented at any time, regardless of the level of community transmission, based on guidance from public health officials.
• In situations where mandatory quarantine or stay-at-home orders are put in place, governments should identify ways to make sure that individuals have access to sufficient safety, healthcare, food, water, and sanitation and hygiene products and services.

Transmission Scenarios

Countries or subnational areas will have to respond rapidly to one or more of the following transmission scenarios:

• No cases
• One or more cases, imported or locally detected (Sporadic cases)
• Case clusters in time, geographic location, or common exposure (Clusters of cases)
• Larger outbreaks of local transmission (Community transmission)

Note: Worldwide experience with COVID-19 has demonstrated that in many regions with sporadic cases (one or more cases, imported or locally detected), aggressive testing strategies focused on persons with undiagnosed respiratory infections may reveal underlying community transmission. This can result in a rapid progression to scenario 4 (community transmission). Thus, it is critical that countries prepare aggressively for future transmission scenarios, even as they implement activities for their current situation. Ministries of health, sub-national public health authorities, and implementing partners must act quickly once cases are identified to prevent and prepare for scenario 4 (community transmission).

Priority Community Settings and Groups of People for Community Mitigation

National and sub-national leadership can target community mitigation measures for priority community settings and population groups, which may include but are not limited to:

• Households (urban and rural)
• Informal settlements
• Displaced persons camps
• Homeless populations
• Schools or childcare providers
• Caregivers for the elderly
• Workplaces (formal and informal)
• Critical infrastructure workforce (e.g. water vendors, food market operators, sanitation workers)
• Community gathering points (formal and informal, including public water sources, transport hubs, marketplaces, places of worship)
• Prisons and other closed settings (e.g. orphanages, institutions for the physically disabled or mentally ill)

Activities to Support and Enable Community Mitigation Measures

National and sub-national public health authorities play a critical role in designing and implementing priority mitigation measures in a variety of community settings. Specific areas of focus should include:

• Development of national or sub-national policies, guidance, and plans on implementing community- level priority measures outlined in Section 8 below
• Improving communication and coordination among national and sub-national administrative levels and implementing partners for COVID-19 preparedness and response work (e.g. epidemiology and risk communication)
• Assessment of national and sub-national readiness to implement priority activities and use the results to:
  • Identify geographic areas (e.g. communities with high connectivity to outbreak areas) or settings (e.g. community gathering points) at increased risk for community transmission
  • Identify partners who can provide support for implementing or facilitating community mitigation activities
• Development of guidance for specific community settings (e.g. households, displaced persons camps, workplaces, community gathering points) on how to implement the activities outlined in Section 9
• Development of communication plans to ensure adequate communication regarding COVID-19 and community mitigation measures
• Development of messaging on community mitigation for the general population and targeted population groups, making sure that messages are easy to understand and follow.
• Educating community members on COVID-19 signs and symptoms, what to do when they are sick, and how the disease is impacting their community and communities around them
• Identifying and addressing COVID-19 related rumors and misinformation

Local Factors to Consider for Determining Community Mitigation Strategies

Factor: Epidemiology

Characteristics

• Level of transmission and disease dynamics
• Number, setting (e.g., schools, workplaces), and source of outbreaks (e.g., community gathering points)
• Impact of outbreaks (COVID-19 or other disease outbreaks) on delivery of healthcare or other critical infrastructure or services
• Epidemiology of COVID-19 in surrounding communities, districts, provinces and neighboring countries

Factor: Community Characteristics

Characteristics

• Size of community and population density
• Level of community engagement in or support for public health initiatives
• Size and characteristics of vulnerable populations
• Access to healthcare
• Access to potable water and sanitation
• Transportation (e.g., public, walking)
• Planned large events or mass gatherings
• How connected the community is to other communities or countries (e.g., transportation hub, market or industrial center)

Factor: Public health capacity

Characteristics

• Public health workforce
• Testing capacity
• Availability of resources to implement mitigation strategies
• Ability to monitor and evaluate implementation and impact of strategies
• Available support from other government agencies and partner organizations

Community Mitigation Activities by Epidemiologic Scenario

Potential mitigation activities according to transmission scenario

Personal protective measures 

Scenario 1: No cases

• Provide guidance on implementation of personal protective measures (e.g., staying home when sick unless to seek medical care, handwashing or using alcohol-based sanitizer**, covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, use of cloth face coverings, cleaning frequently touched surfaces daily, maintaining a distance of 2 meters/6 feet from others ).

Scenarios 2 and 3: Sporadic cases and clusters of cases*

• Direct community members to continue practicing personal protective measures.
• Provide guidance on how to implement physical distancing measures such as reducing the frequency of and participation in large gatherings, altering schedules or operating hours to reduce mixing, increasing physical space between individuals.
• Provide guidance on source control measures (e.g., face mask, if available, or covering), as appropriate based on context.
• Provide guidance on how to take care of sick people and self at home.

Scenario 4: Community transmission

• Direct community members to continue practicing personal protective measures.
• Provide guidance on how to implement physical distancing measures such as cancelling gatherings, altering schedules or operating hours to reduce mixing, increasing physical space between individuals.
• Continue to provide guidance on source control measures (e.g., face mask, if available or covering), as appropriate based on context.
• Continue to provide guidance on how to take care of sick people and self at home.

Water, sanitation, and hygiene 

Scenario 1: No cases

• Identify mechanism for making water, soap, and cleaning and disinfection supplies available to the public.
• Identify at-risk community settings and ensure supply chains are available to enable rapid establishment of handwashing stations or provision of alcohol-based sanitizer**.

Scenarios 2 and 3: Sporadic cases and clusters of cases*

• Prioritize availability of water, soap, and cleaning and disinfection supplies to the public.
• Provide guidance for establishing handwashing stations that include soap and water, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, or chlorine solution**.
• Require every person to wash their hands before entering community settings.

Scenario 4: Community transmission

• Prioritize availability of water, soap, and cleaning and disinfection supplies to the public.
• Continue to provide guidance for establishing handwashing stations that include soap and water, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, or chlorine solution**.
• Require every person to wash their hands before entering community setting.

Cleaning and disinfection 

Scenario 1: No cases

• Provide guidance on cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and the importance of ensuring water, soap, and cleaning and disinfection supplies are readily available.

Scenarios 2 and 3: Sporadic cases and clusters of cases*

• Continue to provide guidance on cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and importance of ensuring water, soap, and cleaning and disinfection supplies are readily available.
• Provide guidance on how to clean and disinfect home when someone is sick.
• Require thorough cleaning and disinfection of closed community settings.

Scenario 4: Community transmission

• Continue to provide guidance on cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, and importance of ensuring water, soap, and cleaning and disinfection supplies are readily available.
• Continue to provide guidance on how to clean and disinfect home when someone is sick.
• Require thorough cleaning and disinfection of closed community settings.

Case investigation and contact tracing 

Scenario 1: No cases

• Identify and train contact tracing workforce
• Develop guidance for monitoring close contacts and implementing movement restrictions, including quarantine
• Determine methods to streamline contact tracing through simplified data collection and monitoring and allocating additional resources if needed (including staffing through field epidemiology training programs, technology etc.).

Scenarios 2 and 3: Sporadic cases and clusters of cases*

• Conduct contact tracing and managing and monitoring of contacts as advised in MOH guidance to maximize containment around cases.
• Monitor close contacts through culturally appropriate and community-based efforts to the extent possible, based on local priorities and resources.
• Isolate confirmed COVID-19 cases until no longer considered infectious according to MOH guidance.
• Consider movement restrictions and physical distancing based on exposure risk level of close contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case.

Scenario 4: Community transmission

• May reduce contact tracing if resources are limited, prioritizing those in high-risk settings (e.g. critical infrastructure, vulnerable populations)
• Isolate confirmed COVID-19 cases until no longer considered infectious according to MOH guidance.

Risk communication 

Scenario 1: No cases

• Develop, test, and distribute to community settings COVID-19 risk communication materials (e.g. printed materials, banners, loudspeaker announcements, radio messages).
• Develop, test, and distribute messaging to address rumors and misinformation
• Establish feedback loop on messages and material to refine and adapt.
• Establish clearance process for material before sharing with communities, making sure the materials are appropriate for the community literacy and education levels

Scenarios 2 and 3: Sporadic cases and clusters of cases

• Continue to develop, test, and distribute COVID-19 risk communication materials that address the change in epidemiologic scenarios and associated community mitigation activities
• Continue to develop, test and distribute messaging to address rumors and misinformation, updating the messaging as rumors and misinformation changes
• Continue to seek feedback on messages and material

Scenario 4: Community transmission

• Continue to develop, test, and distribute COVID-19 risk communication materials that address the change in epidemiologic scenario and associated community mitigation activities
• Continue to develop, test. And distribute messaging to address rumors and misinformation, updating the messaging as rumors and misinformation changes
• Continue to seek feedback on messages and material

Disease education

Scenario 1: No cases

• Educate community members on the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (i.e. fever, cough, difficulty breathing), what to do if they develop symptoms.
• Provide information on the epidemiology of COVID-19.
• Educate community members on groups at increased risk of severe illness and what additional measures they should take to prevent infection.

Scenarios 2 and 3: Sporadic cases and clusters of cases

• Continue to provide and update information about COVID-19 disease and epidemiology.

Scenario 4: Community transmission

• Continue to provide and update information about COVID-19 disease and epidemiology.

Community action plans

Scenario 1: No cases

• Provide guidance to community members on how to create and adjust community setting-specific action plans in case of illness in the community or disruption of daily activities due to COVID-19 transmission in the wider community (e.g. implementation of physical distancing measures, securing necessary supplies, special considerations for individuals at increased risk of severe illness).

Scenarios 2 and 3: Sporadic cases and clusters of cases

• Direct community members to implement the established action plan and adjust as needed based on the epidemiologic situation.
• Provide guidance for provision of services and supplies to individuals at increased risk of severe disease (e.g. medical care, food, and water) while limiting close contact and group gatherings
• Provide guidance for establishing screening (e.g., for temperature, respiratory symptoms, exposure history) of persons entering the community setting.
• Direct community members to limit non-essential travel (personal and work- related).

Scenario 4: Community transmission

• Direct community members to continue following the established action plan and adjust as needed based on epidemiologic situation.
• Direct communities that all individuals should limit community movement, not participate in social gatherings or community events, and adapt to disruptions in routine activities (e.g. school, work, business closures) according to guidance from local officials.
• Direct community members to cancel non-essential travel and non-essential gatherings
• Instruct communities to limit or restrict the number of people allowed to visit the community settings (refer to Section 4 above).
• Provide guidance for provision of services and supplies to individuals required to shelter in place (e.g. medical care, food, and water) while limiting close contact or group settings and exposures

Schools and workplaces 

Scenario 1: No cases

• Educate community members on the need to stay home when sick.
• Educate administrators on the need for sick leave allowance, and provision of distance learning or working from home, if possible.

Scenarios 2 and 3: Sporadic cases and clusters of cases

• Provide guidance to implement short-term closures as needed (e.g. if cases in schools) for cleaning and contact tracing.
• Instruct administrators to implement distance learning or work from home arrangements (if possible) for individuals at increased risk of severe illness or those with close family or household members at increased risk of severe illness.

Scenario 4: Community transmission

• Instruct administrators to implement broader or longer- term closures.
• Direct administrators to implement extended distance learning and work from home arrangements (when possible) or ensure appropriate physical distancing between staff at workplaces deemed essential.
• Direct administrators to ensure flexible leave or work schedules for those who need to stay home due to school closures, childcare dismissals, or to care for elderly or ill persons.