Individual National Consultant to Support in Frontline Staff Wellbeing Initiative, Lebanon Beirut (63 days)

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, champion

The COVID-19 pandemic, impact of the Beirut Port explosion, socioeconomic situation, and well as recuring safety and security concerns, has had an unprecedented impact on the mental health and well-being of humanitarian frontline workers, who have been on the forefront of providing support and services to vulnerable population groups in this difficult situation.

The risk for mental health conditions and psychosocial problems among individuals is exacerbated when they are exposed to extreme adversity, recurring distress, and traumatic life events. In recent years, the changing humanitarian contexts have created a more dangerous environment for individuals’ well-being and development, including for both children and adults.

There is a rising importance of ensuring access to mental health and psychosocial support for children, adolescents, primary caregivers, and families, and expanding community-based approaches to address and prevent common mental health conditions. In order to do that, it is vital to ensure the frontline staff who are key in delivering MHPSS services, are themselves equipped and well on a mental health level.

Multi-faceted approaches are in development to assist in creating supportive and healthy environments for children adolescents and adults, including those with disabilities; these approaches aim to help individuals better cope with today’s challenges, build resilience and develop skills, from the earliest ages, and to cope with the challenges of today’s world.

Providing the appropriate Mental Health support to frontline staff is vital, including exploring the value of practicing self-care strategies, and implementing evidence-based interventions and organizational measures to help protect and support the mental health and well-being of front liners within various sectors.

Continued mentoring, technical supervision, and training are necessary both to ensure quality in service delivery and to promote staff well-being. The better frontline staff are supported, the more effective programming and service delivery is done to the vulnerable population groups we are serving daily.

Between 2021 and 2022, UNICEF’s Child Protection sector kicked off a Staff Wellbeing Survey for frontline staff to assess their wellbeing at the workplace, the impact of multiple emergencies, and their wellbeing needs. Accordingly, a set of recommendations based on frontliners’ wellbeing needs were put in place. The survey was disseminated to frontline workers within the Child Protection, Education, and Youth sections.

The objective of this consultancy is to develop a package of resources for the mental health and wellbeing of frontline workers in the humanitarian field. The consultant will be responsible to:

1. Carry out a desk review of available resources on Frontliners mental health and wellbeing. The desk review stage will also include carrying out meetings with key stakeholders to get a better understanding on needs, context, and ensure no duplication of efforts are done throughout this initiative.
2. Analyse quantitative and qualitative Staff Wellbeing Survey results from the Child Protection, Youth, and Education sectors.

3. Roll out the key and main recommendations identified by frontline staff on reinforcing and supporting their wellbeing. The recommendations include the following:

4. Development of guidance note with practical tips on taking care of wellbeing in the field: tips to avoid burn out and take care of mental health, how and when to ask for support from others, tips to do in the field and at the office when feeling distressed, how to care for yourself to take care of others… (Specific topics to be confirmed based on the outcome of the analysis of survey findings)

5. Develop a training package on Self-Care for Frontline staff, including training plan, PowerPoint presentation, Pre/Post Tests, Agenda, handouts, including exercises, tools, and training evaluation. (Modality of training to be confirmed, based on desk review and meetings with key stakeholders. )

6. Carry out of 8 trainings (30 Participants per training) to frontline staff in Child Protection, Youth, and Education sectors. (Days per training is subjected to change based on the training package developed. Modality of training is to be confirmed based on desk review and meetings with key stakeholders). To monitor the effectiveness of the training roll out, pre/post tests will need to be developed and conducted.

7. Develop a cumulative report of the above outputs, including desk review, outcome of meetings with key stakeholders, in addition to observations and recommendations of the roll out of the Staff Wellbeing package.

Where it is needed, the consultant should ensure that there are linkages and proper coordination between key stakeholders on MHPSS including regular coordination with the National Mental Health Program. UNICEF MHPSS Focal Point will provide support and guidance as

How can you make a difference?

Work Assignment Expected Results

Tasks/Milestone: Deliverables/Outputs: Timeline Desktop Review and meetings with key stakeholders - Carry out a desktop review of available resources on Staff Wellbeing and Self Care. - Carry out multiple meetings with key stakeholders including Local and International NGO’s with previous experience in the development of wellbeing packages for frontliners, as well as counterparts in the National Mental Health Program

10 daysAnalyze findings of the Staff Wellbeing survey Analyze the findings of the Staff Wellbeing survey results, completed by Child Protection, Education, and Youth section frontliners. 5 daysDevelop Guidance NotesBased on survey findings and results, develop guidance note with practical tips on how frontliners can take better care of their wellbeing. Specific topics will need to be based on recommendations that came out of the survey. 15 daysTraining DevelopmentDevelop training package for Self-Care for Frontline staff, including training plan, tools, training pre/post-test, and additional resources as relevant. Ensure close coordination with UNICEF MHPSS Focal Points. 15 daysTraining Roll out - Roll out 8 trainings (30 Participants per training) to frontline staff in Child Protection, Youth, and Education sectors. (Days per training is subjected to change based on the training package developed). - Roll out focused session with staff involved in provision of Case Management. (Through coordination with the Case Management Task Force)

8 daysAnalysis of Training Findings and Final Reporting - Analyze training pre/post test findings. - Develop a final report on work that has been completed, as well as additional recommendations on needs and suggested way forward.

10 daysTo qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Psychology, Sociology, social work, social sciences or any other related field.
• Experience in child protection and more specifically on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support.
• At least 5 years of work experience in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support.
• Demonstrated experience in the development and delivery of trainings.
• Experience in training and facilitation on MHPSS and wellbeing for humanitarian frontliners.
• Knowledge and experience in carrying out wellbeing initiatives.
• At least 5 years of work experience in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support.
• Demonstrated experience in the development and delivery of trainings.

Technical knowledge:

• Relevant academic qualifications and field experience.
• Knowledge and experience in carrying out wellbeing initiatives.
• Excellent understanding of child rights and protection humanitarian principles.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the current context and humanitarian response.
• Highly creative in design and layout of toolkits and trainings
• Fluent spoken and written communication skills in Arabic and English
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills
• Ability to deliver on tight time frames and meet deadlines within agreed budgets

Languages:

Fluent in Arabic and English reading, writing, and speaking.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.

Remarks:

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

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.