International Consultancy UNICEF South Sudan-Social Work Curriculum Development and Academic Support in South Sudan

Consultant Programme & Policy

Overview

Support UNICEF in social work curriculum development in South Sudan.

You have:

• PhD in social work practice and lecturing research into social work delivery
• At least 5 years of post-PhD experience in social work practice and lecturing research into social work delivery
• Experience in developing and delivering tertiary level courses or adult learning materials
• Experience in delivery of social work in low- and middle-income country contexts
• Fluency in English is required
• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset
• Previous experience in South Sudan (desirable)

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, Our future

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The nation of South Sudan has emerged following decades of war and conflict. Soon after independence it fell back into a bloody and fractious civil war that has scarred the new nation and left a weak and fragile protective environment. As in all wars, violence is the fundamental mechanism by which power is exercised. In South Sudan violence, or the threat of violence, remains ever present in the home, in the community, at schools, on the street, and in the instruments of government. Government structures are insufficiently capacitated to implement rights-based laws nor policies and the social norms and protective strategies that people have relied upon for survival through half a century of armed conflict remain dominant.

Within a context such as this, it should neither be surprising nor alarming that vulnerable populations, including women and children, but also the elderly, people with disabilities, and minority groups of all distinctions, are susceptible to abuse, neglect, deprivation and exploitation. South Sudan is transitioning from a protective environment founded upon armed struggle to remove oppressive foreign forces, to a protective environment founded upon laws and policies intended to safeguard the rights of its citizens. This transition may be long and challenging, but it doesn’t need to be. War has manifested values, behaviours and social norms that served to protect during war but are often unhelpful in building peace. While the war has ended, the social norms and protective strategies that emerged throughout these years, have not. They are ingrained in the way children are raised, the way families make decisions, the way men achieve power, the way vulnerable people are treated, the way business is exercised. These norms inherently undermine women, scare children and inhibit free expression and open communication. The weak, poor and vulnerable are routinely abused, exploited, forgotten and/or neglected. They are structurally deprived of opportunities.

The protection of children requires social change led by South Sudanese children, women and men. It must be championed by the government with its international partners. Children need a protective environment that allows them to play, to learn, to grow, to feel love and to build healthy friendships. Children need to live free from fear, free from violence and South Sudan’s wars must be taught about in school, not experienced in their lives.

To support the transition to, or restoration of, a protective environment protecting women, children and other vulnerable groups that are free from violence, UNICEF is working with the Government and civil society organizations to build a long-term structural social welfare strengthening programme, setting up a workforce that will work to prevent all forms of violence, mitigate against the worst effects of violence, and respond with services for survivors of violence.

In 2022/23 UNICEF has been negotiating with the University of Juba (UoJ) and the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare (MGCSW) the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would establish a graduate social work programme, providing meaningful vocational opportunities for the best new graduates of this programme, as well as provide UNICEF and the MGCSW with a motivated and committed young workforce. This programme is to be established on an annual basis with 20 graduate social workers recruited to provide core child protection services at the national and sub-national level.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

The main objective of this consultancy is to support the School of Community Studies and Rural Development (SCSRD), University of Juba, in the implementation of the MoU which relates more specifically to reviewing of the bachelor degree curriculum and staff capabilities, including the provision of basic trainings and recommendations for further trainings, the development of a certificate and diploma programme for community-based practitioners with Child Protection/GBV functions, as well as the provision of recommendations regarding learning materials and social work education at the sub-national level.

Scope of Work:

Main tasks and deliverables related to the consultancy:

1. Facilitate in person inception meeting and develop report outlining roadmap and workplan to achieve key deliverables. Include key networks and literature review on social work education and present it to the SCSRD, Juba University, the MGCSW, UNICEF and members of National Leading Group (NLG) for Social Services workforce strengthening at the inception meeting. 2. Review of the existing curriculum for the bachelor’s degree - refinement and development into a degree that builds on latest pedagogies and thinking in the field of social work. The review should include practical recommendations and feasible course refinements. Review should compare the curriculum relative to other social work degree courses being offered at comparable campuses and define key recommendations and course content requirements to ensure the course is on a par with comparable courses in the field and appropriate to the context in South Sudan to support a workforce that is professional and ‘fit for purpose’ to prevent, mitigate and respond to Child Protection and GBV issues, as well as meet the needs of other vulnerable populations such as people with disabilities and the elderly. 3. Development of Certificate and revival of the Diploma programmes, including key lessons, materials, teaching aids, facilitator’s guide, and required reading lists, for social workers doing Child Protection / having GBV functions and designed for community-based practitioners with basic education levels. Consultant will support the creation of academic streams for in-service skill/knowledge upgrading and professionalization of the existing workforce. Moreover, the consultant will provide guidance on modes of delivery including the implementation and management of field placements and assessment requirements including advising institutions on recruitment needs and partnerships, infrastructure, staffing and core requirements for delivery of the programme. 4. Review of existing staff capabilities to teach the existing curriculum and provision of basic training packages on core social work subjects and new pedagogical thinking in the profession. 5. Provision of recommendations for further training and support, upgrading learning materials – library collection and other social work texts – and social work education at a sub-national level. 6. Support the university of Juba in joining the International Association of Schools of Social Work https://www.iassw-aiets.org/ for ongoing professional development and networking for the university. 7. Present in person the reviewed/developed curriculums for the bachelor’s degree, as well as certificate and revived Diploma programmes, to the core stakeholders for review and feedback. Any necessary revisions or additional inputs will be provided based on feedback from the core institutions. 8. Document in collaboration with UNICEF and UoJ the collaborative development of South Sudan’s Certificate, Diploma and bachelor’s degree in social work. Article to be published in peer-reviewed journal.

Work Assignment Overview Tasks/Milestone: Deliverables/Outputs: Timeline/Deadline Payment % Facilitate in person inception meeting with the School of Community Studies and Rural Development (SCSRD), University of Juba, the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, UNICEF and NLG, conduct desk review and key informant interviews, and develop report outlining roadmap and workplan to achieve key deliverables, including key networks and literature review on social work education - Inception meeting organized and facilitated - Conduct desk review and key informant interviews - Report submitted to core stakeholders

15/06/2023- 10%

Review of the existing curriculum for the bachelor’s degree, including practical recommendations and feasible course refinements. Review should compare the curriculum relative to other social work degree courses being offered at comparable campuses and define key recommendations and course content requirements to ensure the course is on a par with comparable social work courses in the field and appropriate to the context in South Sudan to support a workforce to prevent, mitigate and respond to Child Protection and GBV issues. - Curriculum review report, including recommendations and course refinements, submitted to core stakeholders

31/07/2023 20%

Development of Certificate and revival of Diploma programmes for community-based social workers, including key lessons, materials, teaching aids and required reading lists. Consultant will provide guidance on modes of delivery including the implementation and management of field placements and assessment requirements including advising institutions on recruitment needs and partnerships, infrastructure, staffing and core requirements for delivery of the programme. - Certificate and Diploma course materials are developed and shared with core stakeholders

30/09/2023 25%

Review of existing staff capabilities to teach the curriculums and provision of basic training packages on core social work subjects and new pedagogical thinking in the profession - Staff capabilities review report submitted to all parties - Basic Training packages on core social work subjects and new pedagogical thinking provided 31/10/2023 15%

Provision of recommendations for further training and support, upgrading learning materials – library collection and other social work texts – and social work education at a sub-national level. - Recommendation report, including further training/support, upgrading learning materials and social work education at the sub-national level, submitted to all parties 30/11/2023 10% Support to Juba university in joining the International Association of Schools of Social Work for ongoing professional development and networking for the university - University of Juba joined the International Association of Schools of Social Work and network is established

31/12/2023 5%

Curriculums for the bachelor’s degree, as well as certificate and revived Diploma programmes, will be presented in person to the core stakeholders for review and feedback. - Curriculums for the degree, certificate and diploma programmes are presented in person and validated 31/01/2024 5%

Document in collaboration with UNICEF and Juba University the collaborative development of South Sudan’s Certificate, Diploma and Bachelor’s Degree in social work. - Article is drafted and submitted for review to UNICEF and University of Juba - Article is submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journal

01/03/2024 10%

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

• PhD in social work practice and lecturing research into social work delivery
• At least 5 years of post-PhD experience in social work practice and lecturing research into social work delivery
• Experience in developing and delivering tertiary level courses or adult learning materials
• Experience in delivery of social work in low- and middle-income country contexts
• Previous experience in South Sudan (desirable)
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

All applicants must submit a very detailed technical and financial proposal

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org