Consultant – Trauma Informed Organizational Care/Staff Wellbeing Assessment and Action Plan- 11.5 months

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.

And we never give up.

For every child, Care

How can you make a difference?

Objectives

Conduct a holistic trauma informed organizational care assessment for the UNICEF Lebanon Country Office and develop and implement an organizational care/staff wellbeing action plan to provide psychoeducation on trauma, mental health and wellbeing, self-care and resilience.

Background

Since October 2019 UNICEF Lebanon (230 staff in 3 offices across the country) has been experiencing multiple crisis with severe impact on staff wellbeing, starting with the deterioration of economic and political conditions, various prolonged and extreme lockdowns related to COVID 19 (with a latest surge in January 2021) and the catastrophic Beirut port explosion in August 2020. Prior to that the office with its 230 personnel had gone through various phases of restructuring as well as extreme workload related to the Syria refugee response, adding additional burden to the office. These events have deeply impacting staff economically and mentally, with staff depicting signs of burnout and trauma. The office has been prioritizing UNICEFs value of Care throughout, with a network of local counsellors offering individual and group coaching sessions and providing an enabling work environment as well as accommodating to the various crisis situations in supporting staff in any possible way. This being said, considering the multitude of crisis and severe impact of staff wellbeing, a comprehensive and holistic approach is required to provide an immediate – as well as medium and longer term plan to improve a package of support to staff – including on psychoeducation on trauma, mental health and wellbeing, self-care and resilience.

Scope of work

• Assess the current ‘state of play’ within the UNICEF Lebanon office relating to trauma informed care and staff wellbeing overall. • Develop and implement a trauma informed care programme for the office which is contextualised for Lebanon and culturally appropriate. • Identify and implement specific (individual and group) interventions, tools, resources and strategies, including but not limited to: • Trauma Informed Leadership Training: Equip managers with core skills to support the mental health of their teams and employees. • Group sessions for all staff related to various topics identified during the assessments • Individual psychosocial support a needs basis, including related to traumatic incidents. Provide advice for referral where required. • Monitor and reports on progress made and impact of interventions undertaken, while maintaining utmost confidentiality. • Advise senior management, peer support volunteers and staff association on care and wellbeing activities. • Consult with UNICEF regional and local counsellors in the development and implementation of the action plan as part of UNICEFs overall wellbeing/care strategy as required. Provide virtual and telephone support given the logistical barriers (due to COVID etc.); • Provide trauma support to leaders and managers to ensure an effective plan is in place which can be delivered to provide psychoeducation on trauma, mental health and wellbeing, self care and resilience; • Provide critical incident debriefing and follow up as required – including defusing of individuals to teams and individuals as required; • Provide trauma therapies such as trauma focussed CBT and EMDR as required – including both in-person and virtual solution focussed counselling to individuals and support to families of staff members affected by trauma; • Deliver mental health and wellbeing workshops, Psychological First Aid training to groups of staff (options of both virtual and in-person to be included).

Deliverables and Schedules

1. Conduct trauma informed organizational care assessment (March-April) 2. Propose trauma informed care action plan – including actions for immediate implementation (April) 3. Provide group interventions (20 sessions for 2 hours) (April 2021 – March 2022) 4. Deliver mental health and wellbeing workshops, Psychological First Aid training to groups of staff (options of both virtual and in-person to be included) (June – Dec. 2021) – rolling basis to cover staff turnover 5. Provide trauma informed leadership training – 2 sessions (June 2021) 6. Provide access to individual counselling services (including trauma therapies) on a needs basis (up to 50 sessions) (May – March 2022) 7. Conduct impact assessment/evaluation after 5 and 10 months. Timing The contract will begin 15 March for a period of 1 year. Reporting Requirements Contractor to report to the HR Manager Monthly reporting

To qualify as an advocate for every child the institution will have:

- A minimum of 5 years of experience in trauma informed organizational care assessments and action planning/well-being plans - International experience, preferably in the humanitarian/development sector - Experienced team of professionals who have advanced academic background in Psychology, Psychiatry or Psychotherapy or related degree. - Training/certification to provide psychological counselling is required. - Additional training/certification in areas such as stress management, traumatic stress, cross-cultural communication, change management, coaching, conflict resolution is considered an asset.

The following criteria must be part of the submission, with a total score over 70:

1. Completeness of Response and understanding of UNICEF Requirements (10 points)
2. Overall concord between RFP requirements and proposal (10 points)
3. Provide an outline for the trauma informed care assessment (10 points)
4. Provide an outline of a sample action plan (15 points)
5. Quality of references (5 points)
6. Experience working on similar projects, preferably with international humanitarian organizations (10 points)
7. Key personnel: relevant academic and work experience of the proposed “Care Team” (10 points).

Financial evaluation Criteria:

Only bidders obtaining the minimum pass mark in the technical evaluation (45) will be considered for the financial evaluation. Financial evaluation is composed of 30 points and financial proposals have to be submitted all inclusive in USD. The lowest financial offer will obtain 30 points. Short-listed institutions may be invited for a pilot session should it be deemed necessary for final selection.

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.

To view our competency framework, please visit here. Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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.