International consultant on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), Kyiv, Ukraine

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, hope

To achieve the deliverables for Child Protection, Health and Nutrition, Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) and Education as part of a broader MHPSS programme within UNICEF to support MHPSS in emergencies as well as early recovery nexus and to strengthen coordination across sectors and with multiple partners, a technical specialist (consultant) is required. This expertise and capacity currently do not exist within the Country Office. Also, this consultancy is expected to develop capacities of UNICEF staff and relevant national and implementing partners in the aspects related to MHPSS to maximize and sustain the planned interventions and results. The consultant is expected to provide technical guidance and operational support for coordination of MHPSS interventions throughout the programming processes

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of assignment:

The consultant will support the Country Office in the following areas of work and tasks in line with the MHPSS initiatives undertaken in the country:

1. Provide technical guidance and operational support in coordination (which is led by the Child Protection team) among Child Protection, Education, SBC and Health and Nutrition sections:
   1. Support establishment, formalization and coordination of the UNICEF Ukraine MHPSS task force;
   2. Support rapid mapping of the existing initiatives, programming and tools on MHPSS in various sectors (e.g. Child Protection. Education, Health and Nutrition and SBC) and draft an analysis highlighting gaps as well as innovative approaches/roadmap for addressing these gaps and contribute in scaling-up the existing and planned MHPSS interventions;
   3. Provide technical review and inputs related to the MHPSS planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and documentation done by the Country Office along with national, international and implementing partners.
   4. Develop the capacity of relevant national and international staff across the Country Office sections in international standards of MHPSS, including the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) frameworks.

2. Provide technical support to Child Protection, Health, SBC and Education sectors to achieve the following components in the draft workplan:

   1. Child Protection
   2. Institutionalizing MHPSS within the curriculum for the Social Workers and other service providers, which includes minimum standards and tools for MHPSS service provision and referrals through different settings: center-based; family-based; digital; mobile teams; groups facilitation etc.. This includes revision of available practices of the MHPSS delivery through community professionals and inter-disciplinary mobile teams, revision of the Ukrainian legislation related to MHPSS provision, review of global recommendations on MHPSS community-based provision, adaptation and development of the minimum standards for Ukraine, development of training and learning materials.
   3. Development and delivery of 5 child protection case management training programmes (3 online and 2 offline) that include MHPSS for state social workers and community professionals. Training Curriculum and training materials to be adjusted to the Ukrainian context, presented to the state counterparts (Regional Centers for Social Services, State Social Service Entity, Ministry of Social Policy).
   4. Community-based MHPSS (as part of the system strengthening) to complement systemic interventions at the child protection system level (and given the availability of other and emergency resources). This includes technical inputs to design the Programme Documents (PD), development of focused advocacy messages on MHPSS to: (a) raise awareness on mental health and psychosocial well-being, (b) self-care and childcare, and care-seeking behaviors; and (c) messaging that reduces stigma towards people with mental health conditions.
   5. Provision of capacity development interventions (2 webinars) on MHPSS global framework and the minimum standards for MHPSS provision and referrals to: a) UNICEF implementing partners; and 2) relevant UNICEF staff,
   6. Development of quality monitoring tools for MHPSS provision at layers of: a) universal preventive interventions and social considerations in basic services and security; b) family and community support (selective prevention); c) focused care (indicated prevention).
   7. Health
   8. Technical support on inclusion of MHPSS in Health Extension Programme skills building initiatives.
   9. Support the Health and Nutrition section in provision of technical assistance to the Ministry of Health in the development of the MHPSS strategy documents and guidance with references to modern examples of integration of MHPSS services in the healthcare system, examples of services, efficient referral systems, overcoming stigma.
   10. Advocacy with stakeholders and relevant audiences on strengthening MHPSS system (incl.within MHPSS taskforce group led by WHO)
   11. Capacity building of healthcare workers and public speaking on MHPSS for various audiences in formats including lectures (3), trainings (3), webinars (3), Ted Talks (1).
   12. Education
   13. Technical support to institutionalize MHPSS in teachers’ pre-service training.
   14. Technical support to mainstream/integrate MHPSS through ADAP programme
   15. Advocacy with stakeholders and relevant audiences on strengthening MHPSS system (incl.within MHPSS taskforce group led by UNESCO)
3. 4. Social and Behavioral Change
   5. Technical support in designing, implementing and interpreting data received from the evidence generation interventions related to MHPSS, engaging a variety of stakeholders.
   6. Technical support in designing, monitoring and evaluation of SBC interventions related to MHPSS in support of the programme sectors, and in line with the national communication strategy on MHPSS, which is currently under development in Ukraine.
4. Strengthen knowledge management and resource mobilization:
   1. Contribute to development of the funding proposals, briefing notes and presentations to support MHPSS in emergencies and MHPSS system strengthening in Ukraine, across the sectors mentioned above .
   2. Set up, populate and maintain a knowledge management database related to MHPSS for UNICEF Ukraine Office
   3. Highlight the needs and solutions related to MHPSS in UNICEF internal and external communication products and ensure that MHPSS related issues are reflected in the relevant regional situation reports, case studies and human-interest stories.

5. Provide technical assistance for reporting against the progress, learnings, constraints and solutions as part of the implementation of the MHPSS framework interventions.

6. Provide support with other MHPSS strengthening activities that relate to advancing the MHPSS agenda across the sectors mentioned above, in consultation with the Supervisor and staff engaged in the MHPSS implementation from different sectors.

The consultant will work closely with a cross-sectoral team of UNICEF Country Office staff under overall supervision of the Child Protection Specialist.

Work assignment overview:

Deliverable

Deadline

# of w/days

1. Inception Report.

Approved Inception Report including a Methodology and Workplan, an approved Outline, as well as lists of Indicators, Activities and Sources of Information.

20/03/2023

5

2. Protocols/minutes on coordination meetings of UNICEF internal MHPSS taskforce group (monthly, within 12 months) with taken and follow-up action plan

19/02/2024

12

2. Guidelines on Minimum standards and tools for MHPSS service provision through different settings: center-based; family-based; digital; mobile teams; groups facilitation. This includes revision of available practice of MHPSS delivery through community professionals and inter-disciplinary mobile teams, revision of the Ukrainian legislation related to MHPSS provision, review of global recommendations on MHPSS community-based provision, adaptation and development of minimum standards for Ukraine, development of training and learning materials.

20/07/2023

35

3. Report on development and delivery of 5 child protection case management training programmes (3 online and 2 offline) that include MHPSS for state social workers and community professionals. Training Curriculum and training materials to be adjusted to the Ukrainian context, presented to state counterparts (Regional Centers for Social Services, State Social Service Entity, Ministry of Social Policy).

20/10/2023

20

4. Report on provided capacity development activities (2 webinars) on the minimum standards for MHPSS provision and referrals to: 1) UNICEF implementing partners; 2) UNICEF staff involved.

20/05/2023

6

5. Report on developed quality monitoring tools for MHPSS provision at layers of: 1) universal preventive interventions and social considerations in basic services and security; 2) family and community support (selective prevention); 3) focused care (indicated prevention).

20/04/2023

10

6. Report on capacity building of healthcare workers and public speaking on MHPSS for various audiences in formats including lectures (3), trainings (3), webinars (3), Ted Talks (1).

19/01/2024

30

7.Report on technical inputs to design of Programme Documents (PD/HPD), development of focused advocacy messages on MHPSS to: 1) raise awareness on mental health and psychosocial well-being; 2) self-care and childcare, and care-seeking behaviors; and 3) messaging that reduces stigma towards people with mental health conditions.

19/01/2024

20

8.Final report with recommendations on MHPSS nexus

19/02/2024

4

Sub-total:

142

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

• Minimum requirements:

  Education

  Master's degree

  An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: psychology, social work, psychiatry, mental health nursing or another relevant field

  Professional experience

  A minimum of eight years of professional experience in social development planning and management of MHPSS interventions with focus on children and families . Experience working in a humanitarian setting is required. Experience working at a strategic level across countries is required.

  Relevant experience in programme development in MHPSS within a UN agency or international aid organization is considered as an asset. Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is considered as an added advantage.

  Language

  English

  Advanced [C1]

  Ukrainian

  is an advantage

  Skills and competencies

  • Good analytical skills
  • Good communication skills
  • Support to programme/project development and planning
  • Networking and partnership building
  • Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
  • Impact of Results

Please provide an all-inclusive financial proposal to carry out the deliverables listed above.

i Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

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.

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.

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.