Consultancy: Participatory Research on Climate Change and other Shocks on the Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-Being of Adolescents and Youth in the Eastern Caribbean Area

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

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Location: Home-based

Duration: 78 days over 4.5 months

Start Date: 9/20/2021 End Date: 2/11/2022

Supervisor: Child Protection Specialist (UNICEF ECA)

BACKGROUND:

Concerted efforts have been made to learn lessons from the devastating 2017 hurricane season across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), with respect to protecting children in emergencies. Countries’ and territories’ capacity to deliver psychosocial support (PSS) via UNICEF’s Return to Happiness (RTH) programme has been strengthened for future emergencies. The RTH programme has been extended to children under 5, and to adolescents, while considering the specific needs of particularly vulnerable children. In collaboration with UNICEF, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) has developed a regional protocol on child protection in emergencies, which includes specific consideration of gender-based violence, children with disabilities and those affected by chronic diseases. Over recent years, other shocks (currently the COVID-19 pandemic) have affected the mental health and psychosocial well-being of adolescents and youth, emphasizing the need to formulate adequate mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) responses for adolescents, young people and their families in the region.

Despite the recognition of the impacts of extreme weather events on child protection matters, major gaps remain in the understanding of how climate change affects the mental health and psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents in the Eastern Caribbean. While global evidence shows that slow onset climate risks (such as rising temperatures and increased rainfall), and natural hazards and disasters (such as hurricanes, volcanoes and land slides) are also associated with stress, depression and other mental health issues among children and adolescents, whether and how this plays out, as well as the accessibility to quality response systems in the Eastern Caribbean context, remains largely unknown. Likewise, children and adolescents across the region are exposed to a plethora of information (and misinformation) about the threats associated with climate change, shaping their perceptions of the future of the Planet, as well as their own future as inhabitants of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS). The ways in which this affects their mental health and psychosocial well-being has not been studied. The same applies to whether and how this contributes to the emergence of resilience-building skillsets among children and adolescents.

Early findings from a consultation with adolescents conducted in February 2021 by the UNICEF Office for the Eastern Caribbean Area (UNICEF ECA) as part of a global consultation exercise, confirmed that climate change, natural disasters and COVID-19 impacts on mental health are real. Furthermore, these adolescents have concerns about their perceived lack of access to national, adolescent-friendly, confidential support systems.

PURPOSE/SCOPE OF ASSIGNMENT:

Goal and Objective:

Under the supervision of the Child Protection Specialist, the consultant will:

1. Generate evidence to fill gaps in the understanding of the multi-faceted impacts of climate change and other shocks on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of adolescents and youth within the OECS
2. Inform UNICEF, the OECS Commission, ECA governments and collaborating partners on interventions and strategies in line with UNICEF’s multi-layered and multi-sectoral approach to Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) programming at global level https://www.unicef.org/media/52171/file

Linkage to Governments of the Eastern Caribbean/UNICEF Programme of Cooperation:

This activity is part of the OECS Commission/UNICEF ECA cooperative agreement and seeks to better understand the policy and programmatic responses required to improve accessibility to and uptake of services that can better support the MHPSS of adolescents, young people and their families.

Activities and Tasks:

The specific geographical focus for the study will cover the following justified country sites to gain a deep-dive understanding of the impact of climate change, natural disasters, COVID-19 pandemic and other shocks on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of adolescents and youth (herein after referred to as ‘shocks’):

• Barbuda - Entire island was relocated to Antigua following impacts of Hurricane Irma in 2017
• British Virgin Islands - Severe impact of Hurricane Maria 2017 and possible differences in access to support for belonger and non-belonger families
• Dominica - Series of severe weather systems including devastation by Hurricane Maria in 2017
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Dislocations caused by the 2021 volcanic eruption
• Trinidad and Tobago - Decreasing but significant levels of crime and irregular migration into the country

To support evidence generation and advocacy for policy shifts and appropriate interventions, the study findings will help to build critical knowledge about the impacts of shocks on the mental wellness of adolescents and youth, assess the current support systems, and better inform future policy and programme decisions for improving access to quality mental health supports for adolescents and youth in the Eastern Caribbean, in a highly participatory research process.

Specifically, the Consultant will be required to:

1: Conduct research on the multi-faceted impacts of shocks on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of adolescents and youth across the Eastern Caribbean (to be undertaken in 60 person days)

Result 1 will include the following activities:

• Prepare an inception report describing the methodology (surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews), timeline, interview questions etc., to conduct the research
• Undertake a concise desk review of global and regional evidence of the impact of shocks on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents (approximately 5 pages).
• Conduct primary research in the area. This should at least include twenty (20) interviews, two (2) discussion and validation workshops with young people and other relevant stakeholders, and a U-Survey targeted at children and adolescents to assess their general understanding and perspectives on shocks and their impacts on their mental health and psychosocial well-being.
• Develop a research brief covering key findings on the impacts, assessment of existing channels of support and recommendations for improvements to inform programmatic recommendations for UNICEF ECA, OECS Commission, and other relevant stakeholders (approximately 15 pages).
• Prepare presentation material including a Powerpoint presentation of the research brief.

2: Develop an interactive presentation of research findings to key stakeholders (to be undertaken in 18 person days)

Result 2 will include the following activities:

• Draft a short guide on “Using the climate crisis to re-imagine the world and its communities”, targeted at children and adolescents (format to be determined with the Consultant).
• Facilitate two (2) training/awareness-raising workshops (up to 3 hours each) for adolescents and young people (aged 12-25) and government partners.
• Support the design and conceptualization of a series of video testimonies filmed by locally-based videographers recruited by UNICEF ECA.

WORK RELATIONSHIPS:

Below are the responsibilities of the parties involved in the assignment:

UNICEF will be the lead agency, and this consultancy will be directed by the UNICEF Safety and Justice for Children Section with technical support from the UNICEF Communications Specialist and Programme Officer – Climate Environment & Disaster Rsk Reduction as well as assigned OECS Officers. UNICEF ECA will be responsible for securing clearance from the ethical review board in Trinidad and Tobago.

The OECS Commission will be responsible for securing clearance from the ethical review boards in the OECS study countries and for facilitating interaction with the OECS Youth Advisory Network.

The Consultant will collaborate with Trinidad and Tobago and OECS government partners (from the youth, child protection and education sectors) and civil society organizations (CSO) partners, and adolescents and young people to collect and analyse data. He/she/they will receive input and feedback from the OECS Youth Advisory Network and Trinidad and Tobago Youth Organisations.

The Consultant will support locally based videographers, recruited by UNICEF ECA, to design and conceptualize a series of video testimonies that will be used to disseminate the research findings, raise awareness among stakeholders, and support fundraising and advocacy efforts.

Outputs/Deliverables****:

Quality deliverables must be presented on time and must be responsive to feedback from UNICEF and the OECS:

See full attached ToR for Work Assignment Overview (Key Tasks, Deliverables/Outputs, Duration & Due Date): ToR - Impact of Shocks MPHSS of Adolescents and Young People in ECA Adv.pdf

PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables which receive satisfactory quality review. In general, individual contracts shall not allow for fee advances. However, a maximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value may be authorized by the Approving Authority in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Master’s degree in Psychology, Behavioural Sciences, Anthropology, Social Work, Development Studies, Education and related fields.
• A minimum 8 years progressively responsible combined professional work experience at the regional and/or international level in coordination and management of research, where there is a requirement for experience in research involving adolescents and youth
• Demonstrated understanding of issues related to confidentiality, data safety/security and other ethical concerns related protection issues.
• Demonstrated understanding of mental health for adolescents and youth.
• In depth experience in organizing and facilitating training and presentations.
• Proven ability to communicate and work remotely within strict timeframes.
• Excellent writing and oral skills in English (fluency required) and ability to synthetize complex information.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct qualitative research including the design of instruments and undertaking interviews
• Experience working directly with adolescents and youth
• Experience working in the Eastern Caribbean area would be an asset.
• Proficiency in English (written and oral)

For every Child, you demonstrate UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS:

The Consultant is expected to work remotely from his/her home base and provide his/her own laptop, printer and telephone service. UNICEF and the OECS Commission will provide focal points and their contacts.

Weekly progress meetings will be scheduled throughout the contract duration, as required.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE:

Before commencing work, a consultant or individual contractor shall submit a statement of good health and take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement, including confirmation that he or she has been informed of the inoculations required for the country or countries to which travel is authorized. Consultants and individual contractors shall assume all costs that may occur in relation to the statement of good health. Consultants and individual contractors are required to certify that they are covered by medical/health insurance.

TRAININGS:

See attached full ToR for required trainings.

HOW TO APPLY:

Prospective consultants should apply through UNICEF jobs website using the link here no later than Friday, 3rd September 2021. The application package should include the following:

1. A cover letter;
2. Detailed curriculum vitae
3. A proposal stipulating all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.