International Consultant: Adapting Maternal, Infant, Young, Child and Adolescent Nutrition (MIYCAN) Package in line with UNICEF Community IYCF Counselling Package 2024 and Conducting Trainin

Contract

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For every child, Health

Background

The Somali children and their mothers continue to suffer from multiple nutrition deprivations and the burden of undernutrition is high as evidenced by the high prevalence of acute malnutrition, underweight and stunting combined with a high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies and suboptimal breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. According to latest national surveys, 28% of children under five are stunted (SDHS 2020), 13% are wasted (FSNAU 2023) and 23% are underweight (SHDS 2020). Although 60% of infants are initiated to breastfeeding within an hour of birth, only 34% are exclusively breastfed for six months while 41% are introduced to complementary foods at six to eight months. Among the children 6-23 months, only 23% children are fed with minimum meal frequency, 12% children are fed with minimum dietary diversity and 5% children are fed minimum acceptable diets (SHDS 2020).

In order to increase access to skilled support for Maternal infant and young child adolescent Nutrition (MIYCAN) counselling and promotion in Somalia, UNICEF has been supporting roll-out of a capacity development plan for health workers including the IYCF counsellors based on the UNICEF global Community IYCF Counselling package. In 2023 UNICEF, in coordination with the IYCF working group of the Somalia Nutrition cluster developed MIYCAN package (Operational Guidelines, Trainer’s Manual, Participant’s Manual and Counselling Cards). These materials were reviewed by national stakeholders through series of workshops at State and national level, including the review by national IYCF Technical Working group in April 2024. Meanwhile, in late April 2024, the ‘Community IYCF counselling Package 2024’ is launched globally by UNICEF. This consists of new counselling cards, Counsellor’s Book (Key Practices and Technical Notes), facilitator’s Guide, Orientation Training of Supervisors and Mentors, Planning and Adaptation Guide and Training Aids.

This assignment is for adaptation of the MIYCAN package (Operational Guidelines, Trainer’s Manual, Participant’s Manual and Counselling Cards) in line with the UNICEF community IYCF counselling package. Once the package is finalized, this assignment also includes facilitating the ‘training of trainers’ for rolling-out of the MIYCAN package. This includes two ToT trainings (one at national and one at State level) as well as supervision of cascade training process, which will support creation of capacity for Master trainers, Trainers, and Counsellors to deliver the MIYCAN counselling package whilst ensuring on-going, sustained supportive supervision and post training follow-up.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of assignment:

The purpose of this consultancy is to adapt the MIYCAN Package (Operational Guidelines, Trainer’s Manual, Participant’s Manual and Counselling Cards) in line with UNICEF Community IYCF Counselling Package 2024 and Conducting Training of Trainers in Somalia.

Scope of work:

The consultant will be responsible for adapting the MIYCAN package (Operational Guidelines, Trainer’s Manual, Participant’s Manual and Counselling Cards) in line with the UNICEF community IYCF counselling package 2024. The current draft MIYCAN package including protocols, guidelines, and other resources have been recently developed by UNICEF, in coordination with the IYCF Technical Working Group of the Nutrition Cluster and was reviewed through series of stakeholder workshops. Hence, the consultancy is to finalize the MIYCAN package, facilitate the MIYCAN ToT and supervise the cascade training process in Somalia.

Specific objectives are:

• To update the draft MIYCAN package (MIYCAN operational guidelines, training materials and Counselling Cards) in line with UNICEF global community IYCF Counselling package
• To conduct two MIYCAN ToT training workshops
• To support and supervise MIYCAN cascade rollout training.
• To provide recommendations for future capacity development on MIYCAN in Somalia

Two ToT trainings (one at national and one at State level) training will be conducted over a period as follows:

• Week 1 and 2: two rounds of Training of Trainers (ToT)
• Week 3/4: Support and supervise a cascade training by ToT participants.

Training methodology will be participatory and based on adult learning methodologies. It will be based on comprehensive MIYCAN training package and IYCF counselling materials. The ToT will include practical sessions organized with various hospitals or health facilities to provide hands-on supervised counseling experiences. The supervised cascade training will help impart skills in the ToT trainers in planning and delivery of MIYCAN counseling training at district/community levels.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

Desk review of the draft MIYCAN package in line with the cIYCF Counselling package 2024 and the ToR

Inception report

3 working days

By 15 August 2024

Update/Finalize the MIYCAN Package in line with the cIYCF Counselling Package 2024 as well as incorporating the feedback from stakeholders

Updated and Finalized MIYCAN Package

24 working days

By 15 September 2024

Conduct one MIYCAN ToT workshop and one supervised cascade training

Quality ToT and supervised cascade training conducted in, and training report drafted.

14 working days (including 2 preparation day)

By 15 October 2024

Conduct second MIYCAN ToT workshop and one supervised cascade training

Quality ToT and supervised cascade training conducted in, and training report drafted.

14 working days (including 2 preparation day)

BY 15 Nov 2024

Draft final training report

Final training report submitted with recommendations for further capacity development on IYCF as well as specific feedback on strength and weaknesses of cascade training and the package in use

5 working days

6 December, 2024

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Public Health, or related technical field preferred OR Bachelor in combination with Qualified as a Master Trainer on C-IYCF Counseling based on the UNICEF package (2010-2011) is a desirable qualification.
• A minimum of [eight years] of relevant professional experience, with specialization on maternal infant and young child feeding programs and High Impact Nutrition Interventions.
• Technical knowledge and understanding of MIYCAN and IYCF programming including experience of community-based programming in resource poor settings, and in settings of high levels of acute malnutrition. Experience in the ESAR and with Somali populations is desirable.
• Extensive and documented experience in development of policies, strategies and guidelines on nutrition, organizing and conducting ToTs, as well as training individuals in how to conduct ToTs, focused on IYCF/MIYCAN counseling required.
• Experience of delivering training with application of adult learning methodologies.
• Previous experience and engagement with UNICEF with IYCF training package in Somalia will be added advantage.
• Strong communication and training skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimum supervision.
• Knowledge of Somalia operational context, and readiness to travel to Somalia. Some knowledge of Somali language will be added asset.
• Fluency in English with excellent facilitation skills.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

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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.