Organization: IOM Regional Office
Duty Station: Remotely with travels to Pretoria and Project countries, as required.
Duration: 30 days distributed over June – August 2021
Contract Type: Individual Consultant (IC)
Reference: KNBII/CONSULT/2021/02
Submission Deadline: June 14, 2021
Expected Start Date: June 18, 2021
Nature of the consultancy: Consultant to develop and/or update four modules in the Change Agents Handbook for the SRHR-HIV Knows No Borders (KNB) Project – International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Regional office for Southern Africa.**
Context
Since 2016, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Save the Children Netherlands (SC) and The University of Witwatersrand School of Public Health (WSPH) — the SRHR-HIV Knows No Borders (KNB) Consortium — collaborated to implement a holistic, regional project to improve sexual and reproductive health and HIV (SRH-HIV) related outcomes amongst migrant and non-migrant adolescents, young people and sex workers and others living in migration-affected communities in six countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, including Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia. At the end of December 2020, the first phase of the KNB ended. In 2019, a final evaluation of the KNB, that comprise the regional programme was conducted. The goal of the evaluation, applying the standard OECD evaluation criteria, was to assess the extent to which the programme had realised better information and greater freedom of choice, improved access to, and use of, sexual and reproductive health-related commodities and quality health care, and respect for the sexual and reproductive rights of those currently denied. Overall, the programme was found to be relevant, effective and efficient. The evaluation concluded that the programme has contributed to positive change in two of the three focus areas of the programme: namely, improved information and greater freedom of choice for young people about their sexuality, together with increased access to, and use of, SRH commodities and quality health care. As the result of the success of Phase I, IOM received new funding for a continuation phase of the KNB project which will cover the period 2021 to 2026.
The project main approach include:
Change on the demand side: Healthy Choices-Young vulnerable people (YVP) including migrants and sex workers in migration affected communities have safe sexual behaviour and greater freedom of choice about their HIV and SRH rights. Expected outcomes include:
· Increased awareness and coverage of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and SRHR-HIV information, including SGBV.
· Increased referrals and linkages for available SRHR, HIV and SGBV services
Change on the supply side: Access to Services-Young vulnerable people (YVP) including migrants and sex workers in migration affected communities have increased access to and utilization of quality SRH-HIV and other support services. Expected outcomes include.
· Systems for responsive SRHR-HIV services are strengthened and monitored for better access, including mental health and psychosocial support services.
· Strengthened cross-border and community referral and linkages.
· Improved entrepreneurship skills and linkages to livelihoods opportunities for YVP, including migrants and sex workers.
Change in the enabling environment: Young vulnerable people (YVP) including migrants and sex workers in migration affected communities have their SRH-HIV rights and needs progressively addressed in changed socio-cultural norms, and policy reforms and implementation at all levels. Expected outcomes include.
· Governments, partners/allies and youth-led movements have increased capacity to advocate for access to SRH and HIV services, changed social norms and policy reforms.
· Strengthened cross-border collaboration to address SRHR, continuum of care and mixed migration flows.
A stakeholder analysis conducted in May 2020 during the design of the continuation phase of the KNB, a crucial group in for both phases, Change Agents expressed a high interest and influence in the programme. These Change Agents play an important role in programme implementation, service delivery and service demand creation, community mobilization and community engagement. They are the link of the programme to the beneficiaries and service providers. In general, they acknowledged having gained some skills and experience in SRH and HIV health promotion gained. However, more in-depth and continuous training is seen as very necessary during Phase II. Basic counselling skills were mentioned most often as a priority need, but also education skills. Lessons from the field further indicate that COVID-19 crisis has had an impact on incidence of GBV with migrants and women being disproportionately affected. Furthermore, psychological, emotional and social impacts of COVID-19 on migrants and host communities undermine the long-term well-being of the populations. Hence, capacity building for the CAs in basic mental health and psychosocial support will be considered critical in preventing and mitigating such impacts at the community level.
During Phase II, one of the priority areas for community engagement includes building the capacity of community-based Change Agents (CAs) to ensure sustainability and community ownership of the programme. The KNB project seeks to further enhance their capacity by improving knowledge and skills on key SRHR and migration themes which is critical for achieving the intended project objectives and results. In this regard, IOM and Save the Children are currently reviewing and updating the CAs education materials including the CA handbook which is the primary reference material on SRHR and HIV education and promotion. There are also existing manuals on some of the modules whose content will need to be adapted to the KNB project training themes for the CAs. The revised CA handbook will consist of about 10 modules. To finalize the review and revision of the CA handbook, IOM would like to hire a consultant to develop and update the following modules:
Modules
Description
- Understanding migration and health risks and benefits
· Basic definitions and concepts
· Basic understanding of the migration cycle and associated vulnerabilities.
· Impact of migration on migrants and communities.
· Link between gender and migration.
· Gender norms and misconceptions about migrants and how to deal with them.
- Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)
· Types of SGBV
· Survivors and Perpetrators.
· Causes and Contributing Factors
· After-effects/Consequences
· Prevention Strategies
· Response Services, Procedures for Reporting and Referrals
- Mental health and Psychosocial support (MHPSS)
· Definitions and terms in mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS)
· Common mental health and psychosocial problems among young people, migrants and sex workers.
· Community based MHPSS activities for young people, migrants and sex workers
· Basic PSS counselling skills for community-based Change Agents (peer educators)
- Community mapping and referral systems for services
· Community mapping tools for services and services providers
· Effective referral systems from the community to the health care facility – essential to save lives, ensure quality and a continuum of care.
Tasks to be performed under this assignment.
Under the overall supervision of the Regional Director, IOM Southern Africa and the direct supervision of the Regional SRHR Programme Coordinator, and in close collaboration with IOM and SCI project country teams, the consultant will:
1) Conduct a desk review of the current CA handbook, IEC/BCC materials and project documents, including existing IOM, SCI and partners’ training manuals on similar themes;
2) Coordinate with IOM and SCI project teams and implementing partners as well as change agents to enlist their technical input;
3) Work closely with the KNB regional project partnership team to ensure quality control of the process and the modules being developed;
4) Develop a facilitators guide to accompany the training modules;
5) Finalize the report based on inputs from project teams and stakeholders; and
6) Conduct one workshop for Trainers of Trainers on the developed modules.
Key deliverables
1) A draft outline of the four modules, including session objectives and content outline of each module, expected page limit and scheduling of the sessions.
2) Draft and final modules with facilitator guide that incorporate comments and input from the IOM and its partners from the validation processes.
3) One 3-day TOT workshop completed, and report submitted, including post-training evaluation.
Work and Payment Schedule with Deliverables
The total man-day for this assignment is 30 consultancy days distributed over the period of June to August 2021). The table below shows the timelines and deliverables that are required:
Deliverables
Payment schedule **
Deadline
1) Inception report (2-3 pager) and a draft outline of the four modules including objectives and scheduling of sessions.
20% payable upon submission and approval by IOM of deliverable 1
Within 7 days of signing the contract
2) Draft modules with a facilitator guide with technical input from project teams and stakeholders.
40% payable upon submission and approval by IOM of deliverable 2
By July 2
3) Final modules that incorporate with technical input from project teams and stakeholders.
30% payable upon submission and approval by IOM of deliverable 3
By July 25
4) a 3-day TOT orientation workshop for the project teams on the finalised modules
10% payable upon submission and approval by IOM of deliverable 4
By August 8
Performance indicators for evaluation of results (value of services rendered in relation to their cost).
· Ability to work under pressure and deliver results within the tight deadlines.
· Ability to work within minimum supervision.
· Ability to work harmoniously and coordinate with the IOM staff at regional and country staff and partners.
· Ability to produce quality/ well written technical reports that require minimal copyediting.
· Ability to make powerful presentations and disseminate findings to various stakeholders.
· Ability to work within a multi-cultural environment and multi-disciplinary teams and diplomacy.
· Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with people from different backgrounds to deliver quality products within a short time frame.
· Be flexible, responsive to changes and demands and open to feedback.
Qualifications and job requirements
- A post-graduate or equivalent qualification/ degree in public health, social sciences, Development Studies, Humanities or any other relevant discipline or equivalent
- At least 5-7 years of prior work experience in the field of SRH and HIV training, migration health, mental health and psychosocial support, human rights etc. especially in the regional (SADC) and international context.
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience in conducting training needs assessments and developing training modules/curriculum, training materials etc.
- Demonstrated experiences and skills in facilitating stakeholder/working group consultations and training.
- Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills in English.Experience in developing, undertaking, and managing quantitative SRHR and HIV research essential.
- Relevant regional and international experience will be an added advantage.Strong verbal and written communications skills in English; knowledge of another UN language, an asset