National Consultant to support MoESY in developing the National Youth Strategy 2022-2029

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, Education

The Government of the Republic of Albania officially approved National Youth Action Plan 2015-2020 (NYAP) in May 2015. The vision of the National Action Plan for Youth 2015-2020 was to create for youth the conditions for a safe social, health and political environment for active and equal action in all areas of life. It represents the basic document for the coordination and implementation of cross-sectoral policies for youth focusing in the main strategic objectives:

• Engagement and participation of youth in democratic decision-making processes
• Promoting youth employment through effective labor market policies
• Health, sports, and environment
• Youth education
• Social protection culture and volunteering

To assess the progress made towards the objectives set forth in the Youth Action Plan, the Ministry of Education Sport and Youth (MOESY) with the support from the UNFPA undertook in 2021 an appraisal of the action plan which showed that more efforts are needed to better engage young people in the decision making process and strengthen youth structures to effectively help young people to dael with challenges and grow further.

Other studies in Albania confirm that life skills, employability and soft skills are not given an ample space in curricula implementation and schools do not offer a program for career counselling and orientation for youth people which is key to supporting them in the pathways of their career prospects.

In order to advance youth agenda in the country in line with EU Youth Strategy, the MOESY in Albania will start developing a visionary National Youth Strategy 2022-2029. The National Strategy of Youth will be guided at national level by the “National Strategy for Development and Integration” vision on youth: “Active and equal youth in all areas of social life, healthy, educated and with a consolidated status in society.” The new NSDI is in process of being drafted.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF, UNFPA and UNDP, upon request of MOESY will provide technical assistance in the development of the new National Youth Strategy 2022-2029. In order to do so UNICEF Albania is seeking to hire a national consultant that will be engaged in drafting the National Youth Strategy 2022-2029 in collaboration with another international consultant (in a separate TORS).

Purpose

Assist MOESY in Albania to develop an all-encompassing National Youth Strategy 2022-2029 in line with SDG-s objectives and other important Youth initiatives in the country. The main objective will be to develop a participatory, visionary, costed, Strategy which will guide the youth sector. The assignment will be conducted by the national consultant in cooperation with an international consultant (separate Tor-s), in a collaborative effort with UNICEF, UNFPA and UNDP team and focal points assigned by MOESY. The consultant is expected to use his/her own computer and working space as well as to participate in meetings in the MOESY or UNICEF office as per COVID- 19 rules in place.

Key deliverables & timeframe

Deliverable 1. Preparation of the briefs on the Youth legal framework in Albania and the revision of the Inception report

Tasks

• In-depth desk review of available documents related to Youth in Albania (i.e. Education and Youth related Albanian laws, policies, and strategies, SDGs, situation analyses, system reviews) and preparation of the briefs and share it with the international consultant (8 working days).
• Conduct focus group discussions, interviews with the MOESY, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA and the international consultant to facilitate a common in-depth understanding of the NYS conceptual framework and institutional structure to support NYS development (4 working days).
• Provide feedback as needed for the preparation of the inception report and working plan prepared to the international consultant for the NYS development (4 working days).
• Coordination of the meetings and work with MOESY, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, the international consultant and the working team (3 working days).

Number of days: 19

Deliverable 2. Strategic Context (Problem analysis)- Situational analysis report based on the approved strategy drafting templates

Tasks:

• In-depth interviews with national stakeholders (5 working days).
• Focus group discussions with civil society, trade unions, donors, young people (UNICEF U- report to be used as well to gather opinions of young people (5 working days).
• Analysis of the data (2 working days).
• Facilitating workshop for conducting - an Analysis of Political, Economic, Social, Technological and Legal factors PESTL and Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat (SWOT)/Problem analysis with the Steering Committee (2 working days).
• Drafting the strategic context (situational and institutional analysis) report with help from the international consultant and from Steering Committee group members, thematic/sub-sector working groups and deliver it for final feedback to the Steering Committee. All the analysis and draft report will have strong focus on equity issues including gender as well (5 working days).
• Coordination of the meetings and work with MOESY, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, the international consultant and the working team (3 working days).

Number of days: 22

Deliverable 3. Strategy development process-First Draft of the NYS

Tasks:

• Defining vision, overall goals, and thematic/sub-sector policy priorities in consultation with the Steering Committee and the international consultant (4 working days).
• Setting specific objectives, defining key activities and results, performance indicators and milestones, and assessing the risks in consultation with thematic/sub-sector working groups and the Steering Committee (2 working days).
• Drafting the NYS with help from Steering Committee group members, thematic/sub-sector working groups based on the approved strategy drafting templates and presenting it to the international consultant and the Steering Committee for final feedback (5 working days).
• Coordination of the meetings and work with MOESY, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, the international consultant and the working team (4 working days).

Number of days: 15

Deliverable 4. Strategy costing and action plan -NYS Action Plan and Budget feedback

Tasks:

• Provide support to the MOESY focal point and the costing consultant for aligning the budged to the strategy activities (5 working days).

Number of days: 5

Deliverable 5**. Finalizing the National Youth Strategy -**Final NYS Document and budget as per format approved from PM office considering an inclusive approach and gender equity lenses throughout the document.

Tasks:

• Finalize the final Strategy by consolidating feedback from groups and soliciting feedback from the Steering Committee and the international consultant and the costing consultant and deliver it to the Steering Committee (5 working days).

Number of days: 5

The contractor will report on the deliverables required to a focal point decided from UNFPA/UNDP UNICEF All the reports will be prepared in English by the national consultant.

The consultancy is expected to take part partly in UNICEF offices and partly as work from home. The contract will include 66 working days (from October 2021-December/January 2022). The exact dates for starting and ending the contract will be negotiated upon awarding the contract.

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

• Advanced university degree in Education, Social Sciences, Finance, or relevant disciplines.
• At least 10 years’ experience in youth policy development and youth governance, strategic planning, and analysis of the youth sector.
• Demonstrable previous working experience in monitoring and evaluation.
• Previous experience in youth sector review/development in Albania or the Europe and Central Asia Region would be an advantage.
• Proven ability to coordinate a team in a collegial style under tight timelines.
• Proven ability to build consensus among a broad range of stakeholders including development partners and government both from within and outside the sector.
• Excellent inter-personal and written communication skills in English language, computer literate and effective advocacy skills.

The applicant/s must submit to the UNICEF Albania office:

• Curriculum Vitae or P11.
• Links to previous written work related to sector analysis, development of sector strategies, monitoring and evaluation of significant projects in education.
• Financial proposal - Daily fee in ALL inclusive of all taxes.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service. 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.