Consultant, Inter-agency Training Package on Child Friendly Spaces

Job Description

Terms of Reference

Consultancy for Development of an Inter-agency Training Package on Child Friendly Spaces/Safe Spaces for Children in Emergencies through a participatory capacity building process

1. 1. Background:

In situations of armed conflict or natural disaster, Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) or Safe spaces - CFS or Safe Spaces will be used interchangeably in this consultancy- have become one of the most widely used interventions to support children’s protection, non-formal education, psychosocial support and fulfilment of child rights. CFS or Safe Spaces referred to here would represent a range of responses that focusses on creating a space for children - sometimes involving a building or a structure but not always so - forcing attention to issues of children and their protection as utmost priority in an emergency. As witnessed in Haiti and other emergencies, there is considerable variation across agencies in how CFSs are implemented and in their quality and likely impact. While the variation in itself is to be welcomed, some agreement on basic principles and the range of issues addressed in CFSs is essential. At present, it is difficult to achieve a coordinated approach and quality of implementation that are needed to support emergency-affected children.

To address these issues, the global Education Cluster, the INEE, the Child Protection Working Group, the IASC Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and the GBV Area of Responsibility (GBV AoR) Working Group are supporting a process of inter-agency reflection, analysis and learning that aims to improve practice concerning CFSs. The work on CFSs, guided by the Child Protection Working Group, is part of a wider program of learning for the strengthening of practice that interconnects CFS, school-based psychosocial support and peace-building.

To date, this effort has yielded three products. First, there was a systematic analysis of inter-agency commonalities and differences of approach in developing, implementing, and evaluating CFSs. Second, draft principles for implementing CFSs were developed that drew on written materials and practitioner insights from many different countries and emergencies. The third output was a preliminary, draft toolkit comprised of tools from many different sources, including the four agency manuals that had been reviewed as part of the inter-agency analysis of commonalities and differences.

The inter-agency review of the draft toolkit revealed that there are very serious gaps in the tools that would enable field workers to implement CFSs in a manner that achieves high levels of quality. In addition, there was agreement on the importance of enabling uptake and effective implementation of the inter-agency guiding principles in different emergency situations worldwide.

This particular assignment, being supported by UNICEF on behalf of the Child Protection Working Group, will primarily focus on the development of a training package along with developing some key tools that would address existing gaps.

The development of the package would be undertaken together with a capacity building process to be initiated in three countries so that the package developed is appropriate for the field and readily accessible.

1. 2. Purpose:

The purpose of the consultancy is to develop a training package that can be used in different contexts by various agencies and actors working in the field of child friendly spaces/safe spaces for children and families.

The intended audiences for the training module are all the front-line workers and managers who are in-charge of CFS/Safe Space programmes. Cultural differences and different country contexts must be taken into account. The package once developed would be translated and made available globally.

1. 3. Expected results: (measurable results)

3.1 CFS Training Package developed to enable quality implementation of the CFS Guidelines

• Eight modules are compiled/developed covering a range of themes such as CFS and current experiences, the principles, programme management cycle, and aspects of community mobilization and reaching the most marginalized.

• The training package to be developed should be accompanied with a training guide to be delivered during 4 days. However, the modules will be designed to be flexible for shorter or a longer training periods to be organized depending on the context (nature of emergency, short term or long term, transition). It is also possible that, following an action learning approach the training can go along with various stages of implementation and can be spread over a few months along with other capacity-strengthening activities.

3.2 Capacity-Strengthening Strategy for 3 pilot countries

• · A Capacity building strategy should be developed and initiated in the three countries for local and national CFS implementers; this should include mentoring as means of enriching CFS and deepening the capacities of CFS workers.

• · Support should be provided to field staff – both UNICEF and partners - by answering their questions and giving advice via email, Skype or other low cost means.

3.3 Key Inter-agency Tools on CFS Management – adaptation from existing tools

• · A rapid assessment tool
• · Practical, step-by-step guides on community mobilization and ‘do no harm’ principles.
• · Tools related to developing and enriching the inter-sectoral dimensions of CFS.
• · Simple, clear, brief information on child development
• · Practical tools on how to reach out to, include and support adolescent girls, children with disabilities, children who are highly vulnerable due to problems such as separation, living and/or working on the streets, displacement and infants and young children etc.
• · Practical tools for CFS workers on how to i) map services, ii) appropriately identify a range of CP issues (including GBV) and iii) how to address them through making referrals, accompaniment, etc.
• · Easy to use, brief guides on how to develop and implement youth-to-child and child-to-child activities in CFS
• · Tools on developing core life skills
• · Agreed upon definitions and measures of outcomes of CFS developed and consolidated

1. 4. Methodology:

The training package, tools and capacity-strengthening strategy will be developed through a very participatory process involving intense field interface. The training modules will be developed drawing heavily from existing resources in various countries across various organizations. The package to be developed thus will draw from the best of existing resources, fill gaps where applicable and in a way set standards for CFS training which can then be adapted to different countries and diverse cultural contexts. This whole process will be guided and supported by a Technical Reference Group already constituted for the process.

1. 5. Duration:

The consultancy is for 140 days spread over a period of 8 months starting July 2012 until March 2013.

1. 6. Location of the consultant

The Consultant may be located anywhere in the world, but should be willing to travel to countries selected for field engagement.

1. 7. Key skills, technical background, and experience required for the consultant:

• At least 10 years’ experience in humanitarian and or development programming, including programming on child protection in emergency
• Senior trainer in humanitarian settings, including experience in the development of training packages and capacity-strengthening strategies
• Field experience in working in CFSs, especially in diverse cultural settings
• Experience in developing or coordinating interagency initiatives
• Advanced degree in social studies, psychology or similar area
• Knowledge of the humanitarian reform
• Excellent communication and management skills, including skills in facilitating interagency collaboration
• Proven writing and editing skills in English
• Experience in action- learning and capacity building initiatives

1. 8. How to apply

• · Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV and signed P11 form (which can be downloaded from our website at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html) to pdconsultants@unicef.org with subject line “Inter-agency Training Package on Safe Spaces”. The deadline for applications is 29 June 2012. Please indicate your ability, daily rate and availability to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily rate will not be considered.

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