Consultants performing on-the-job-training with partners

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries, the IRC aims to restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC has been operational in Serbia and neighboring countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, and Bulgaria) since October 2015, supporting programs in response to the mass influx of refugees from Middle East and Africa. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine (March 2022), the IRC Balkans office expanded the scope of activities to Ukraine neighboring countries – Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, and Czech Republic. The IRC Balkans works with a group of non-governmental organizations, as well as relevant institutions and international organizations delivering a comprehensive protection program and continues to design new strategies to further address the needs of the refugees, especially children.

Context of the Assignment

Places that are organized to receive people during emergencies are not usually designed to address the needs of women and children. That is why IRC in partnership with the local NGOs, established Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) gathering children from 3 to 12, and Women and Girls Safe Space (WGSS) for girls 15 – 19, and women of all ages.

The purpose of a CFS is to provide children with a protected environment in which they can participate in organized activities to play, socialize, learn, express themselves, and build/strengthen resiliency after an emergency or a crisis. CFS identifies and finds ways to respond to threats to specific groups of children through creative, imaginative, physical, communicative, and manipulative activities that help children feel safe and regain a sense of normalcy.

The WGSS provides access to information and support, resilience strengthening activities, building networks, and facilitating inter-personal relationships. Age-appropriate support group sessions (for girls aged 15 – 19), recreational and creative activities are provided. Furthermore, life skills and handicrafts sessions where young girls learn to knit, sew, and do embroidery helped with anxiety, mood improvements and foster feelings of empowerment.

In partnership with the local partners, the IRC mitigated the unavailability of skilled staff and cultural mediators by engaging teams of frontline workers and cultural mediators. Through training and quality assurance related to the humanitarian framework and principles, GBV prevention, MHPSS, and Safety and Security Awareness, partners are provided with technical assistance and capacity strengthening.

Although beneficiaries report less stress, improvement of children behavior, and express that safe space activities are helping them feel active and productive, additional improvements are necessary.

Purpose of the Assignment

In accordance with the needs and gaps identified through observation, monthly meetings, quarterly reports review, and findings gathered through regular program and monitoring visits, it was estimated that additional capacity building that promote peer learning (shadowing) for the staff directly engaged in the safe spaces is needed. Shadowing was chosen because of its multiple positive effects – it can increase staff skills and confidence, facilitate reflection and support learning.

Safe spaces’ staff (psychologists, educators, facilitators) will have a unique opportunity to see first-hand how another person (in this case an expert), applies skills and knowledge, and understand through observation, the nuances of a job as it is being done. In this way field workers will also learn how to implement activities they might be less familiar with.

The shadowing approach will be used in two different ways:

1. Safe Space staff observe more experienced staff and learn directly how experienced colleagues apply their skills and knowledge. Specific tool (Shadowing Observation Template) is used as a capacity-building tool for the observer.

2. More experienced staff observe how the safe space colleague implements a specific task or activity. Findings and outcomes of the observation are presented from the observer to the observed staff after the session (or during the capacity-assessment meeting).

Observation sessions will last two hours, and the number of sessions will be adjusted to the weekly plan of activities in the safe spaces. In the case of a group activity observation, it will be finalized at the end of the activity. However, the maximum length of the observation session will be discussed and agreed with the filed worker who is being observed. If the observation takes place during a group activity, the observer will avoid taking notes. Instead, s/he will fill in the questionnaire at the end of the activity. That will avoid biased participation and influencing the flow of the activity. The de-briefing will also take place during the capacity assessment and capacity-building plan meeting. In fact, gaps identified through this activity will directly inform the Capacity-Building plan.

The Shadowing Observation Template will be combined with the Facilitation Observation Checklist , in order to build the capacities of less experienced staff in delivering and facilitating group activities. Information gathered using both tools at the same time can better support observers in identifying staff weaknesses and strengths.

Capacity strengthening of local service-providers would not only improve outcomes for refugees who are staying in Ukraine neighboring countries temporarily but would also build local capacity to serve vulnerable individuals in the long term.

Specific objectives of the assignment

1. Strengthened capacities of less experienced CFS and WGSS staff.

2. Ensured quality of activities through observation of staff practice.

3. Created a sense of solidarity between staff members.

Expected results

ON-THE-JOB CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT - Shadowing Covers

Educators/facilitators provided with a unique opportunity to see first-hand how another staff member applies skills and knowledge, and understand through observation, the nuances of a job as it is being done.

For CB purposes For capacity-building purposes, it is effective with new employees but also with staff who want to learn about different safe space (CFS, WGSS) roles, or implement activities they might be less familiar with. It also serves as a means of support whereby a trained and experienced individual follows and observes a less experienced individual and provides constructive feedback.

For supervision purposes For individual supervision, shadowing can also be carried out by a supervisor or capacity-building focal point to monitor performance and provide feedback to the staff they oversee.

Major tasks to be accomplished by the Consultant

1. Organize capacity assessment meetings with the staff, in order to:

- Identify project achievements, specifying the type and timeline of actions that led to the achievements

- Identify specific gaps and weaknesses.

- Agree upon the capacity-building technique they feel most comfortable with

2. Observe staff performing activities with children/women and adolescent girls/lead the activities while staff is observing (using special tools)

3. Conduct Focus Group Discussions (FGD) /interviews with beneficiaries (parents in CFS, and women and girls in WGSS) in order to identify areas for improvement.

4. Capture results (capacity assessment activities findings and scoring; interviews’ findings) to Inform the Capacity-building plan.

5. Organize capacity-development meetings.

6. Develop a tailored Capacity-Building Plan (CBP)

Timeframe

Deliverable title Timeframe

1 Get familiar with the partner assessment report/s, quarterly report/s, CFS/WGSS focus group evaluation reports, Plan of activities for CFS and WGSS, and draft the Plan of the filed visit activities By 1 March 2023 (3 days)

2 Travel to – from Moldova/ Romania/ Slovakia/ Czech Republic/ Bulgaria Starting on 5 March/12 March 2023

(2 days)

3 Working in the field 2 - 4 working days

4 Submit Capacity Development Plan (CDP) By 27 March 2023 (1 day)

5 Submit final shadowing report By 31 March 2022 (2 days)

Competencies and skills

• At least 5 years of relevant professional and technical experience and proven know-how in implementing humanitarian and migration related assistance.

• Previous working experience, excellent knowledge of relevant procedures and technical guidelines for planning, developing, and overseeing the implementation of activities tailored to meet the needs of refugees and migrants (children, youth, and adults).

• Advanced university degree in Social Sciences (Sociology, Education, International Relations, Human Rights) or another related field.

• Excellent knowledge of Serbian and English.

Qualifications