Consultant to support the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population in Kazakhstan in social service workforce (SSWF) assessment process and development of tailored in-service tr

Consultant

Overview

Support assessment of social service workforce and develop training modules

You have:

• PhD in any of the following disciplines: Law, Social Work, Social Sciences
• Minimum 7 years work experience in child rights related fields, including child social protection and social work
• Good knowledge on child rights, social work standards, social protection services and current political and social trends and social reform processes in CEE and/or CIS countries
• Knowledge on recent international trends in social work development and training curriculum
• Experience in conducting the SSWF assessment and development of training modules with the practical application component
• Ability to develop research questions and provide feedback
• Very good communication and presentation skills with government and community members
• High analytical and conceptual skills and ability
• Fluency in English (written and spoken), knowledge of Russian and Kazakh is an asset
• Ability to work within the international and multicultural environment
• Good knowledge of computer applications
• Competencies: Communication; Working with people; Drive for results; Deciding and initiating action; Relating and Networking; Persuading and Influencing; Analyzing; Learning and Researching; Creating and Innovating; Formulating strategies and concepts; Planning and Organizing; Following Instructions and Procedures; Adapting and Responding to Change; Coping with Pressure and Setbacks; Entrepreneurial Thinking

Contract

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Consultant to support the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population in Kazakhstan in social service workforce (SSWF) assessment process and development of tailored in-service training modules

Type of contract: Consultant contract Hiring unit: Kazakhstan Country Office Workplace: remote-based (online) Timeframe: September 2020 – January 2021 (51 working days)

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. And we never give up. For every child, a fair chance

Background

The Republic of Kazakhstan has been driving forward a modernisation of social protection system including progressively developing the provision of social assistance, special social services and other targeted social sector programmes. The government is committed to strengthening the existing system, as demonstrated by the recent development of a draft Concept on Further Modernization of the System of Social Services by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP - Formerly the Ministry of Social Protection of the Population) (UNICEF, 2018), the holding of the first Social Worker Forum in 2017 and the opening of a Social Work Reference Centre. According to the Kazakhstan Case Study Report (Kazakhstan Case Study Report, OPM for UNICEF in Europe and Central Asia, 2018) the role and functions of social workers within the social protection sector has expanded since 2011 when the standards were first introduced on social service workforce. Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population order No.360 of 25 October 2017 on "Typical qualification characteristics of the positions of leaders, specialists and other employees of the system of social protection and employment of the population (https://tengrinews.kz/zakon/pravitelstvo_respubliki_kazahstan_premer_ministr_rk/trud/id-V1700016057/#4)" names four types of social workers: - Social worker for assessment and identification of need for special social services - with functions focused on assessment of persons with disabilities, but also on assessment and referral for children living in poverty or deprivation, case management and coordination with health, education and other agencies. - Consultant on social work – employed in departments of home support and in organisations providing temporary or residential special social services to victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. These consultants have a wide-ranging set of functions including assessment, individual casework and consultations on a range of social issues, support in accessing social benefits, referrals to social protection institutions. - Specialist in social work – employed in organisations providing specialised social services and with functions including individual casework, case coordination with other agencies, supporting access to other services. - Consultant in social work in the employment centre – supporting access to cash assistance and employment, but also with individual casework and coordination responsibilities and referral. Only 20% of active social workers have a social work related education, and other specialists in social protection sector have received their education in medicine, law, pedagogy, economics, etc. The Ministry of labour and social protection of population in Kazakhstan has commissioned an assessment of social services workforce to enable formulation of the next steps in the reforms, but also identify the current gaps in knowledge among practitioners working with children. The Social Work Center is working on development of the assessment methodology covering 50 questions on legislation, principles of social work and ethical considerations. The methodology requires some improvement with the focus on highly professional services delivered to children with disability in social welfare system including day care and residential institutions with the focus on family-type and family-based care. Currently, it is necessary to develop an in-service professional development program for specialists in social work in the system of social protection. It is necessary to develop a systematic approach to the design and content of social work in-service training curricula.

How can you make a difference?

The consultancy is needed to improve the methodology for assessment of social service workforce and assist with finalization of the in-service training modules. It is anticipated that the local team of experts will work on design and testing of the following training modules: "Algorithm of case management", "Communication skills of a social worker: Theory and practice", "Prevention of stigma", "Supervision in social work" and "Modern types of services for children with disability". The international consultant will review the modules and provide detailed feedback on the content and during testing of the modules with the social service workforce at the medical social organisations.

Purpose of the Assignment

To contribute to improvement of existing social service workforce (SSWF) assessment process and finalisation of tailored in-service training modules for the medical social organisations

Specific objectives are: - to contribute to the development and work on improvement of existing methodology being developed by MLSP for SSWF assessment covering the ethical principles and technologies of social work in the social welfare system, with specific focus on highly professional services for children with disability, at risk of institutionalisation, in residential institutions, victims of violence and child rights violations in line with international standards and provide recommendations for improvement; - to provide guidance to the group of trainers under the MLSP on formulation and finalisation of the tailor made modules for social service workforce development in medical social organisations based on the identified training needs.

Activities: Activities of SSWF Consultant - attachment.docx

Work Assignment Overview

Improvement of SSWF assessment methodology 1. Tasks/Milestone: the narrative report with desk review of recent studies, policies and standards, international practices defining the scope of SSWF assessment (5 days), home-based Deliverables/Outputs: Narrative report of appx 10-15 pages, including the purpose of the SSWF assessment, sampling and key competencies, list of survey questions as they are defined in national and international practices Date: 29 September 2020

2. Tasks/Milestone: On-line consultations with the SSWF assessment expert groups during development, testing and finalising the methodology and tools; revision of draft documents, (12 days), home-based Deliverables/Outputs: • At least three on-line consultations are organised to finalise: - Sampling - Survey questions - Plan for testing and full fledge assessment - Observation checklist - Final comments to the SSWF methodology • Inputs and presentations are made during consultations Date: 20 November 2020

3. Tasks/Milestone: Final narrative report about SSWF assessment methodology testing process with recommendations for scale up, (5 days) Deliverables/Outputs: Narrative report of appx 10-15 pages, including lessons learnt from SSWF testing and recommendations for scale up Date: 10 December 2020

Structuring and finalising in-service training modules for social welfare SSWF 4. Tasks/Milestone: on-line consultations with the national expert group on the development of modules including structure, quality and compliance with international standards at least twice a month, (4 days) Deliverables/Outputs: - At least 4 consultations are held on improvement of in-service training modules - Inputs and presentations are made during consultations Date: 15 November 2020

5. Tasks/Milestone: Feedback to the draft and final versions of modules before and after testing; observation during the testing of modules at on-line webinars for medical social organisations, (20 days) Deliverables/Outputs: - 5 modules are tested and finalized "Algorithm of case management", "Communication skills of a social worker: Theory and practice", "Prevention of stigma", "Supervision in social work", "Modern types of services for children with disability" - two on-line cascade sessions for medical social organisations (approx. 2 hours each) are observed Date: 25 December 2020

6. Tasks/Milestone: Reviewing and improving draft concept and educational standards for teaching social work in social welfare system, (5 days) Deliverables/Outputs: - Comments to the draft concept and educational standards for teaching social work in social welfare system (format for presenting the comments will be agreed with UNICEF and MLSP) - Inputs and presentations are made during discussion Date: 20 January 2021

The provisional list of documents for desk reviews: 1. SSWF assessment methodology - The National Concept of family and gender policy - http://egov.kz/cms/ru/law/list/U1600000384 - The law on specialize social services – as of 29 December 2008 № 114-IV, http://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/Z080000114 - The law on the targeted social assistance updated - https://online.zakon.kz/Document/?doc_id=1023553 - The standards on specialized social services in social protection - The standards on support services to victims of domestic violence - The standard on support services to victims of trafficking - Regulation «on approving the qualification requirements to social workers and rules of their attestation» by the Minister of Education and Science of Kazakhstan dated 21 August 2015 № 538 (http://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V1500012104) , - Regulation «on approving the standard job characteristics of managers, specialists and other employees in social protection sector» by the Minister of labour and social protection dated 2 February 2012 № 31-ө-м (http://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V1200007442), - Regulation «on approving the rules of attestation of social workers in social protection» by the Minister of labour and social protection of Kazakhstan dated 28 June 2011 № 237-ө (http://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V1100007075) - Job descriptions of social workers - UNICEF Kazakhstan case study on social work, OPM for UNICEF Kazakhstan, 2018 - UNICEF policy brief on social work development with the focus on quality

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• PhD in any of the following disciplines: Law, Social Work, Social Sciences • Minimum 7 years work experience in child rights related fields, including child social protection and social work; • Good knowledge on child rights, social work standards, social protection services and current political and social trends and social reform processes in CEE and/or CIS countries; • Knowledge on recent international trends in social work development and training curriculum; • Experience in conducting the SSWF assessment and development of training modules with the practical application component; • Ability to develop research questions and provide feedback; • Very good communication and presentation skills with government and community members; • High analytical and conceptual skills and ability; • Fluency in English (written and spoken), knowledge of Russian and Kazakh is an asset; • Ability to work within the international and multicultural environment. • Good knowledge of computer applications • Competencies: - Communication; - Working with people; - Drive for results; - Deciding and initiating action; - Relating and Networking; - Persuading and Influencing; - Analyzing; - Learning and Researching; - Creating and Innovating; - Formulating strategies and concepts; - Planning and Organizing; - Following Instructions and Procedures; - Adapting and Responding to Change; - Coping with Pressure and Setbacks; - Entrepreneurial Thinking; - Technical competencies: 1) child rights, social work standards, social protection services and current political and social trends and social reform processes in CEE and/or CIS countries; 2) recent international trends in social work development and training curriculum; 3) conducting the SSWF assessment and development of training modules with the practical application component; 4) analytical and conceptual skills and ability;

For every Child, you demonstrate… UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (https://www.unicef.org/about/unicef-culture)

View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Remarks: • Completion of the UN/UNICEF mandatory trainings is obligatory upon commencement of the consultancy. • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. • 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. • 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. • All deliverables will be reviewed by UNICEF and relevant partners. • All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. • UNICEF reserves the right to use interim project products (all type ones) in other project sites. • The Consultant will perform his/her duties in line with UNICEF standards and procedures. • The successful candidate will be required to have medical insurance (at his/her own cost), covering the whole period of contract, including travel. • Deadlines may shift and the exact schedule of activities, being agreed with the consultant. • 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. • Payment, upon completion of each deliverable according to schedule.

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Potential interview questions

Added 5 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org