In January 2016, 4Children began a two-year, USAID- funded technical assistance project in Nigeria. The overarching objective of the scope of work (SoW) is for 4Children to provide technical assistance (TA) to USAID and CDC Implementing Partners (IPs) in responsible graduation and transitionC[1]C of OVC, households, communities, LGAs and states as part of the PEPFAR pivot and reflective of PEPFAR 3.0 priorities. The SoW also included a focus on supporting prioritized actions and strategies for the geographic areas identified by PEPFAR as scale-up local government areas (LGAs). The technical assistance provided by 4Children over the next two-year period will achieve the following:
Development of guidance, strategies and tools to support improved HES and parenting.
Strengthened linkages among and referrals between community and clinic based OVC services, including strategies for reaching more children living with HIV (CLHIV) within the OVC population.
Strengthened capacity of government systems (LGA and state level) to advocate, plan for and use funds for OVC.
Strategies for delivering critical OVC services at clinical facilities.
Guidance and examples of interventions targeting adolescent girls and young women that address their increased vulnerability to both child protection concerns and HIV and can be easily integrated into existing programming.
Call for Expression of Interest – Short Term Technical Assistance to Identify Priority Areas for 4Children Support to the Community-based Social Service Workforce
Location: Nigeria
Contract Duration: 28 working days during October 15, 2016 – December 15, 2016
4Children contact person: Child Protection and Welfare Systems Technical Director, 4Children, with input from and in coordination with Chief of Party, 4Children Nigeria Project Director and Case Management and Referral Technical Director
OBJECTIVE:
Building upon 4Children’s activities related to strengthening the case management system and referral networks within OVC programming, 4Children aims to ensure that the community based workforce have the necessary skills, capacities, competencies and knowledge to ensure proper identification, screening, assessments, referrals, ongoing monitoring and determination of readiness for case closure. Furthermore, it is critical that community based workers have basic knowledge of
HIV (i.e., HIV sensitive) so that they can make referrals for testing and follow up for those that have been tested to ensure they are adhering to their regimen and receiving the appropriate care and support they need to live positively. Building on the momentum around the recently established Case Management Rapid Response Group and 4Children’s efforts to standardize a case management approach within vulnerable children programming, a team consisting of a US-based 4Children technical advisor and a local consultant, or STTA team, will conduct a desk review and scoping visit to identify what has been done to date to strengthen the social service workforce in Nigeria and what gaps still exist. Specifically, the STTA team will meet with key actors engaged in activities targeting the social service workforce, in particular the community based workforce, to capture successes to date and remaining challenges. The end objective of the desk review and field visit is the development of a proposed work plan outlining key areas of technical support that 4Children can provide over the next eighteen months (January 2017-September 2018) to bolster efforts to strengthen the social service workforce specifically as it relates to OVC programming and the case management process.
DESCRIPTION OF WORK:
The local consultant will work closely with a US-based 4Children technical advisor, together as the STTA team, and key 4Children Nigeria staff to accomplish this SoW. Specifically, the STTA team will conduct an initial desk review of existing materials (both published and gray literature) on the social service workforce in Nigeria (see suggested documentation, below). This review will help to identify up to date information including key achievements and existing gaps of the social service workforce and related system strengthening efforts in Nigeria. A short report (5-10 pages) summarizing the findings of the desk review and making recommendations for the field visit will be submitted by the STTA team.
Furthermore, the desk review will help to inform the development of a list of key stakeholders with whom to conduct key informant interviews during the field visit. Based on the desk review, the team will develop a proposed agenda and list of key stakeholders to visit in Nigeria. This list will include but not be limited to the following: USAID, 4Children Nigeria, representatives of 16 OVC IPs, UNICEF, Nigerian Association of Social Workers, relevant government bodies and academic institutions, and AIHA. Furthermore, the STTA team will develop a draft key informant interview guide to be reviewed by 4Children (specifically Kelley Bunkers, Child Protection and Welfare Systems Technical Director, Dr. Tapfuma Murove, Chief of Party, and Dr. Itua Obaitua, Technical Director – Case Management and Referrals) prior to the field visit. The field visit will include key informant and/or focus group discussions with relevant stakeholders.
The visit will result in a report that includes key findings and proposed activities wherein 4Children can focus its efforts and technical support to ensure that the proposed activities within the 4Children Nigeria Work plan (Annex 1) are up to date and reflect priority needs within the sector. These recommendations will be considered and will help to inform the eventual development of a second phase of technical assistance provided by the STTA team. Areas of interest and potential future 4Children areas of support to be considered during the field visit include but are not limited to:
The appropriateness of supporting a validation process of the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance (GSSWA) Para Social Work (PSW) Competency Framework;
A substantial review of existing PSW (i.e., community based worker) training curricula to identify strengths and gaps and make recommendations for developing a standardized OVC case worker training curriculum that links to and supports the case management package and ensures that the curriculum is gender, HIV and disability sensitive; and
Proposed advocacy activities to support the recognition of the community-based workforce within the broader social service workforce.
Deliverables
The local consultant will work closely with the US-based 4Children technical advisor to conduct the activities and produce the deliverables as per the table below.
Period of Performance
The period of performance will be a total of 28 days each for the US-based advisor and local consultant between October 15 and December 15, 2016.
Activity
Deliverable
Due Date
Maximum Number of Consultancy Days
Document key findings from the desk review including social service workforce activities in Nigeria to date, existing gaps or challenges and recommendations for the field visit. Informed by the desk review, develop list of proposed key informants and develop key informant interview guide.
Liaise with key training institutions, UNICEF, University School of Social Work and relevant government bodies and professional social work associations
Summary of findings from the desk review.
List of suggested key informants, key informant interview guide and proposed agenda for field visit
October 31, 2015
10
Conduct key informant/focus group with US-based technical advisor.
Report of key findings from assessment including identified strengths, gaps and a proposed workplan with prioritized areas for 4Children technical support of strengthening the community based workforce, especially as it relates to the case management package being developed.
December 15, 2016
18 (this includes preparation for and conducting of key informant/focus group interviews with US-based advisor, and desk work writing the report)
Total (Maximum) Days
28 days
QUALIFICATIONS
Advanced Degree in Social Work, Development or related field required.
At least 7-10 years of relevant technical experience in OVC programming; child protection and welfare; and/or social service workforce capacity and system strengthening.
Ability to interact productively and proactively on social service workforce strengthening and other related advocacy issues with government officials, donors, professional associations, implementing partners, educational institutions and civil society organizations.
Proven experience coordinating with national and local social welfare and health authorities, donors, and implementing partners in Nigeria, other developing contexts a plus.
Expertise in planning for and conducting workforce assessments, including desk research, key informant/focus group interviews, and report writing. Background in developing and implementing health and/or social welfare training programs, with a focus on building worker capacity to improve linkages to HIV care and treatment interventions, and referral and supervision systems a plus.
Demonstrated ability to work with remote technical assistance based outside of Nigeria
Strong verbal and written English language skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and Outlook.
Willingness to travel within the country.
Relevant documentation to include in the desk review
UNICEF and CORAM (2016). Five Day Training of Trainers on Child Protection and Case Management For Social Welfare Officers, Assistants, Child Development Officers, Para-Social Workers and CPN Members
UNICEF and CORAM (2016). Case studies to accompany the Training of Trainers.
CapacityPlus (2011). Nigeria Social Development Workforce Strengthening Social Work Education Gap Analysis Scoping visit to Abuja, Nigeria. July 23-26, 2011.
CapacityPlus (2013). Lagos State Social Work Education and Training Gap Assessment.
Unknown author (n.d.). Para Social Worker Job Description.
Systems Transformed for Empowered Actions and Enabling Responses for Vulnerable Children and Families (STEER).Quarterly Report. 3rd Quarter – April 1st to June 30th, 2015
http://www.socialserviceworkforce.org/system/files/resource/files/Situational-analysis-twinning-center-para-social-worker-training-program.pdf
Equal Opportunity:
“CRS is an equal –opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, etc. Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply”.
Statement of Commitment to Protection:
‘’CRS’ recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
Emerging definitions, promoted by 4Children include: Graduation: Graduation signifies that all recommended interventions within a care plan have been implemented and that the household has achieved both the goals of the OVC program as well as their own within the parameters of the services provided under the given program. Graduation from OVC program support does not necessarily mean that households are no longer in need of any kind of support—rather that they have demonstrated and sustained measurable improvements within the service domains addressed by the given OVC program. Transition or transfer: Circumstances such as closure or movement of an OVC program or planned geographic relocation of a household may inhibit the continuation of services as they are currently being provided. If it is determined through ongoing monitoring that a child and/or household is still in need of OVC case management support following one of these events, they should follow the Transfer Path. The Transfer Path includes the creation and implementation of a transfer plan, and results in the service users being transferred to another service provider for ongoing case management support.
TO APPLY
Interested consultants should send their expression of interest (EOI) along with a detailed resume as attached MS word documents to NG_HR@global.crs.org.
The resume should include but not limited to the following: Expected daily rate, personal profile, skills, competencies and suitability for the assignment as well as readiness for immediate short-term consultancy plus a copy of such previous work.
Applications should reach us by COB Friday October 7, 2016. Only qualified persons will be contacted and invited for screening.
Latest Job Opportunity at Catholic Relief Sevices, Tuesday 27, September 2016
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