External Consultancy for Project End Line Assessment

1. Introduction

1.1. Context

The mission of the French Red Cross is to prevent and alleviate all human suffering, and contribute to all efforts related to protection, social welfare, prevention, education and health care.

The French Red Cross is operational in Northern Iraq since 2013, especially in Dohuk, Ninewa and Erbil governorates. Focused first on the influx of Syrian refugees, then on the IDP crisis and the challenging return of population in newly liberated areas, FRC is providing assistance in a range of sectors including WASH, Livelihoods, PSS and Education. In 2019, FRC continues its emergency and early recovery assistance for Syrian refugees, Iraqi IDPs, returnees and most vulnerable host communities, and extends its range of activities with the implementation of an Access to Education Project since 2017.

The French Red Cross works in partnership with the local branches of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS). Having benefitted from previous trainings and being one of the oldest national society in the MENA region, the IRCS represents a privileged partner. The IRCS volunteers are playing an essential role in the implementation of the Access to Education project.

1.2. Project Background and Description

1.2.1. Background

Further to the Syrian crisis and its consequences for bordering countries, the French Development Agency (Agence française de Développement – AFD) launched a tender offer to fund Non Profit Organizations to carry out projects that aim to improve the living conditions of vulnerable people (Syrian refugees and host communities), and to strengthen local organizations and institutions.

Responding to this tender offer and being selected, the French Red Cross (FRC) developed a first version of the project in 2015. For administrative reasons, it has been delayed in its implementation until 2017. The fast evolving regional context, in addition to the important influx of Syrian refugees, forces the FRC to also take into account a massive influx of Internal Displaced Populations (IDPs) which is significantly deteriorating the whole humanitarian situation and especially exerts pressure on basic services such as education and health.

1.2.2. Description

The project is strengthening educational basic services capacities in order to integrate Syrian refugee children and to address the needs of the whole targeted population in Iraqi Kurdistan (Dohuk governorate). This project has started in July 2017 and runs until December 2020, the initial duration of the project was three years targeting 10 host community schools in Duhok district, Iraqi Kurdistan. Due to COVID-19 pandemic. The project was just extended for four months. The project is funded by the “Agence Française de Développement” (AFD, French Agency for Development).

The main objective of the project is to improve the access to education for children of Syrian refugees, IDPs and Host communities in the governorate of Dohuk.

To realize this objective, the project is organized around three results:

● School planning: Educational infrastructures are improved through physical rehabilitation and empowerment of parent-teacher associations (PTAs)

● Psychosocial Support: Families and educational teams’ capacity to prevent children’s school failure and exclusion due to psychosocial issues is strengthen

● Community projects: Access to schools is improved by addressing barriers and increasing parents and education teams’ involvement

The below table is the project log frame that has been updated after the project base line assessment:

Project summary

Indicators

Source and means of verification

Overall objective

To strengthen educational basic services capacities in order to integrate Syrian children refugees and to address the needs of the whole targeted population

Specific objective

To improve access to education and well-being of children from the refugee, IDP and host community children in Iraqi Kurdistan (Dohuk governorate)

% of children declaring improved welcoming and learning conditions in school

Baseline study and end line evaluation

Results

R.1 : The school environment is improved through physical rehabilitation and the strengthening of the Parent Teacher Associations

# of school improvement plan produced per school

▪ Registration list of PTAs

▪ Training curriculum

▪ Attendance sheet

▪ Each school has 1 improvement plan

# Parents and Teachers Associations (PTAs) implemented in order to improve educational environment for the pupils

▪ Registration list of PTAs

▪ School improvement plan produced

# of vulnerable children benefiting from improved education services

▪ End line evaluation

▪ Interviews

# of schools rehabilitated or provided with furniture or material

▪ Report of acceptance of work

▪ pictures

R.2 : Families and educational teams’ capacity to support children attending schools is strengthened

% of increase in trained teachers’ understanding about children’s well-being, positive learning environment and stress management

▪ Pre and post-test

▪ Training curriculum

▪ Attendance sheet

% of teacher reporting easier management of children’s behavioral problems

▪ Baseline

▪ Interviews

# of children participating in structured psychosocial activities

▪ Psychosocial initial and post diagnosis of each child

% of those declaring improved well-being (e.g. improved relationship with parents, teachers and peers, better able to manage feelings

▪ Psychosocial initial and post diagnosis of each child

% of reduction in the rate of bullying/incidents of violence between children in selected schools

▪ Baseline study

▪ End line study

# of families being visited and percentage of those referred for further services

▪ Report from home visits

# of educational team members empowered to prevent, identify and refer children with psychosocial needs

▪ QIN, interim and final evaluation reports of the Programme

▪ Monitoring and activities reports

▪ Final reports of the grant projects

# of community members benefiting from community-based awareness raising campaigns (health, protection, PSS)

▪ QIN, intermediate and final evaluation reports of the Programme

▪ Monitoring and activities reports

▪ Final reports of the grant projects

R3: School access and care for all children of the targeted communities are improved by community-based solutions

# of parents/teachers meetings facilitated by the PTAs during one school year

▪ PTAs’ activity report

# of children positively impacted by the community-based activities

▪ Baseline

▪ End line

▪ Interview with children, parents and teachers

# of micro-projects funded and implemented in schools or communities by IRCS volunteers or parents-teachers associations

▪ Activity reports

▪ Pictures

2. The objective of the end line evaluation

This evaluation aims at exploring the changes in behaviors and attitudes among children, parents and teachers, IRCS volunteers and all educational team members that received training and support for schools and communities that have been targeted based on the baseline survey. This should help to measure programme’s degree of implementation, efficiency and quality delivered on outputs and outcomes, against what was originally planned.

The end line survey is expected to highlight significant as well as important and interesting findings that might inform future, similar actions.

● To define program efficiency, effectiveness, and impact

● To report on the project relevancy and address recommendation for future projects.

3. Methodology

The end line survey will include collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data corresponding to the original baseline survey. The report will present achievements against project targets and a comparison of the end line data findings against the baseline data findings. Therefore it is expected that the consultant will provide data that can be compared to the data collected during the baseline study that took place in November 2018.

This project has been implemented in collaboration with the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS), and the IRCS has taken a key role in all phases of the project; its volunteers will be actors of this study.

For the project evaluation approach, the consultant(s) will be required to design the following:

● Quantitative aspect: methodologies will give clear information about the different activities and their impacts on the targeted population. The evaluation should be focused on data that addresses children’s wellbeing and on how the project has influenced children’s wellbeing in the schools and at home. This involves identifying a representative sample of children from Syrian, IDPs and Host communities from the targeted population. The evaluation should include household and school surveys. The FRC will conduct 100 to 130 surveys.

● Qualitative aspect: The collected data should be focused on the changes and should support and complement the quantitative analysis. Qualitative methodologies should include focus group discussions, workshops, semi-structured interviews with key informants / stakeholders, etc. Given the Covid19 context, the discussions might take place outside where physical distancing is possible. PPE will be provided as well.

● Sampling framework: for both qualitative and quantitative should be of a sufficient size and representativeness to allow:

¦ reasonable levels of certainty that the findings are representative for the target population, especially the different groups (IDPs, Syrian refugees, Hosts)

¦ reasonable ability to generalise the intervention’s effectiveness to similar contexts

¦ reasonable ability to generalise the insights into what works and why for similar contexts

The sampling framework should allow household-level measurement of barriers to education, since the risk factors are often located in the family or community and will not necessarily be measurable in school.

Gender mainstreaming should be taken in consideration at all stages of the evaluation, analysis and reports.

4. Consultancy Deliverables

1. One training conducted for IRCS volunteers in order to conduct the data collection on evaluation design, sampling framework, data collection, research instruments and research ethics. Duration and content of training to be determined by the consultant(s) The FRC can provide support in translation with its staff if needed.
2. Interim/inception report submitted in English and in electronic form together with 3 bound colour hard copies. The report should detail

● Evaluation study approach (sampling framework, data collection strategy, methodologies, etc.)

● The challenges and needs for adaptation

1. Develop a survey plan that includes strategies to collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data against project targets and key indicators from the baseline and monitoring and evaluation framework.
2. Data collection will be done by IRCS volunteers under the guidance of the consultant.
3. Analyze and produce an end line report that presents the end line data compared to base line data and that highlights significant, important or interesting findings that inform all activities implementation and provide recommendations for potential future programming. The final report should include the following:

● Front cover, table of contents, acronyms

● Executive Summary (maximum 2 pages)

● Introduction – Basic project data, map(s), background, purpose and methodologies used

● Findings and summary of results – including progress toward targets and comparison of end line measures to baseline and reference data

● Main recommendations for potential duplication

● Conclusion (maximum 4 pages) – highlighting issues from the data that may be of importance, interest or significance

5. Timeframe

The consultant(s) will submit a timeframe for the duration of the end line study which should not exceed 30 days. Time for obtaining visa should be considered and should be done on consultant(s) own time but with the support of the FRC; considering the evolving political situation, time for travel can vary and should also be considered.

● Travel time: 2 days

● Preparatory Work: 5 days

● Field work: 15 days (including training of the IRCS volunteers)

● 2 days working on first draft and findings in preparation of the presentation

● 1-day presentation

● Time period necessary for writing the report and annexes: 5 days.

Total mission duration: 30 days, starting 15^th of November to 15^th of December 2020

A specific chronogram must be provided in the technical proposal.

NB: the schedule can be reviewed according to circumstances.

6. Required skills and experience of the consultant include

● Relevant degree(s) in social sciences or development studies, preferably in international education

● Strong experience with and knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods and sampling strategies

● Experience in designing and conducting studies using experimental or quasi-experimental techniques. Experience with longitudinal study designs desired.

● Statistical analysis skills and strong proficiency with data analysis packages such as SPSS or STATA and qualitative data analysis software e.g. ATLAS.ti, NVivo or equivalent

● Proven experience in conducting baseline study surveys and evaluations, preferably on education programs

● Knowledge and expertise in international education programming an asset

● Research experience working with children will be an added advantage

● Excellent communication and written skills in English

● Capacity-building and training experience preferred

● Experience in assessing / evaluating projects in fragile and conflict-affected countries. Strong knowledge of the Iraq/Kurdistan context preferred

● Arabic/Kurdish language skills preferred

7. Security

The consultant will be responsible for arranging his/her own accommodation for the duration of the consultancy period.

During his / her field visits, the consultant will be transported using a vehicle and driver contracted by the FRC.

FRC will provide the consultant with a full security briefing upon arrival in Iraq and will be required to sign and accept FRC security rules, along with the code of conduct, for the duration of the consultancy.

FRC undertakes to provide information and assistance to the consultant as and where feasible to enable the consultant to monitor and better effect their own safety and security in the performance of this consultancy. The consultant undertakes to ensure he/she is aware of, and abides by, the internal regulations, Charter, and safety recommendations of FRC.

FRC will in no way be held liable for any incidents or accidents, security-related or otherwise, that impact upon the consultant in the performance of the consultancy contract and will not provide the consultant with medical or evacuation services at any time during the consultancy period.

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