Home-based consultancy to support the development of a regional Strategic Directions Paper on MHPSS (30 days)

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, results

The ECARO regional office (RO) and country offices (COs) in the Europe and Central Asia Region have been working towards strengthening MHPSS policies, interventions and services for children, adolescents and caregivers.  A range of interventions have been supported through the ADAP, ECD, health, education, child protection, gender, communications and other sectors working in both emergency and developmental settings and focusing on general public as well as marginalized children and adolescents.  MHPSS is a critical area of work and an organizational priority. The COVID-19 crisis and the related sanitary and other restrictions  as well as the health, economic and protection consequences of the crisis have further exacerbated MHPSS needs and created new challenges for  ensuring mental health and wellbeing services and support for children, adolescents and their families.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this consultancy is to support the Regional Office to develop a draft Regional Strategic Directions paper / Theory of Change that clearly articulates the changes needed to improve mental health and wellbeing for children and adolescents. This process and the results will contribute to the ongoing work at the global level and in other regions to develop a global strategic framework on MHPSS. It will build on key existing guidance and frameworks developed by UNICEF, WHO and other key global and regional documents as well as on the practical experiences in the Region.

The paper will provide a strategic framing of existing MHPSS interventions in the ECA Region as well as identify key priority actions based on the existing policy documents as well as practical experiences in the Region. The strategic directions paper will provide a sense of where we would focus the regional engagement across sectors on MHPSS and what is the UNICEF value proposition. The paper will provide helpful guidance for the actualization of country programme documents (CPDs) and country work. A focus will be not only on systems strengthening (in health, child protection, education systems) but also on community engagement and community systems strengthening for ensuring that MHPSS interventions are built on people centered approaches to policy and programming. The strategic directions paper will also cover innovations that are possible through the online service provision.  

The process will be facilitated by the RO ADAP team but will be highly collaborative and include close collaboration with other key sectors within the RO (including health, education, child protection, gender, C4D, gender etc.). The process of developing the Regional Strategic Directions paper will include consultation with COs and ensure to incorporate the views from country, regional and global levels, including from MHPSS practitioners. We wish to also involve and get input from key external partners like WHO, UNODC and others. Most importantly we want to meaningfully engage adolescents and their organisations to ensure that the strategy reflects their perspectives and priorities.

Expected results

• A rapid/selective mapping & analysis to understand MHPSS priorities and needs in the region as well as existing MHPSS programmes & partners
• At least 3, short MHPSS stories from children and adolescents in the region to highlight their perspective, including the interventions they find effective
• A draft MHPSS strategic directions paper with draft ToC developed in a consultative process that can guide the work of UNICEF in the region
• Identification of some shared regional priorities for the Region.

Key Tasks and Deliverables:

• Ongoing calls with core team and advisory group (formed of regional, global & country office representation and key UN partners as well as adolescent & young people) to design and guide the process
• Interviews with COs, youth groups and other partners to map a few MHPSS interventions in the region and assess the needs & priorities
• Consultations with experts on MHPSS, (from WHO/EURO, international experts and/or practitioners from the Region)
• Stories from COs and adolescents from the region
• Series of virtual mini workshops to collectively develop a regional MHPSS strategic directions paper /ToC
• A draft regional MHPSS strategic directions paper / ToC based on input and feedback (that can be adapted & aligned to the global framework being developed)
• Revision of drafts based on additional feedback, development of final version
• Coordination role vis-à-vis other potential consultants to be involved in the process.
• Engage with a designer to develop/review final product  

Timeline:  mid-February – end May 2021

Performance Indicators for Evaluation of Results

• Regular information updates on work progress to the supervisor, based in the UNICEF ECA Regional Office (in Geneva).
• Timely submission of deliverables (both draft and final version)
• Demonstration of high standards of work.

Performance will be closely monitored throughout the duration of the consultancy through regular conference calls and e-mails between the supervisor and relevant colleagues in the Regional Office with the consultant.

Contractual arrangements: 

• Location: This assignment is home-based.
• Duration: The TORs cover an estimated number of 30 working days (full time equivalency) over a flexible period starting mid-February  2021 until end of May 2021
• Payment Schedule: The fees will be paid in 2 instalments based upon timely and satisfactory submission of deliverables
• Property Rights : UNICEF shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material created by the consultant which bears a direct relation to, or is made in order to perform, this contract.  At the request of UNICEF, the consultant shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to UNICEF in compliance with the requirements of the law governing such rights.

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

• Advanced university degree in education, social sciences, international development or another relevant subject
• At least 8 years of expertise in strategic planning and development of multi-stakeholder strategy papers
• Expertise and understanding of vulnerabilities based on health status, gender, poverty and other dimensions of inequity
• Expertise in developing people-centered strategies that involve consultation with affected communities and supporting vulnerable populations.
• Demonstrated facilitation skills and capacity to engage in open and collaborative dialogue with stakeholders from diverse technical backgrounds who may hold differing views.
• Strong understanding of gender issues and experience in research and strategic thinking related to gender is an important asset.
• Experience in international research and analysis of data related to youth and/or health and development issues would be a strong asset.
• Knowledge of mental health / adolescent health would be an asset.
• Fluency in English is required and High level of written English is essential.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s work around adolescent development and participation is desired.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to present information in a clear and concise way.

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.

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit:

• A letter of interest demonstrating how he/she meets or exceeds UNICEF requirements for this assignment;
• CV of the expert;
• A technical proposal clearly indicating:
• Detailed response to the TOR, including the consultants’ understanding of the work and proposed action plan for delivering the output.
• List of key documents/sources suggested by the consultant;
• Abstracts of similar work along with publication reports, where applicable (provide links)
• A minimum of three references /contact person details.
• A financial proposal indicating a daily fee.

PLEASE APPLY ONLY IF YOU HAVE FULL AVAILABILITY FOR THE PERIOD OF THIS CONTRACT. DEADLINES ARE STRICT.

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.