Media Release English s4

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTORS/ CONSULTANTS

PART I Title of Assignment Adolescent and Youth Development Programme Consultant

Section Child Protection Location Eastern Cape Province, South Africa Duration 9 Months Start date From: 07 March 2016 To: 08 December 2016

Background and Justification

The commitment of the South African Government to youth development is influenced by its democratic goals. It is based on the principles of social and economic justice, human rights, empowerment, participation and active citizenship that are imbued in the South African Constitution. The National Youth Policy 2015- 2020 gives further expression to these principles and is intended to lay the foundation for youth, who will shape South Africa’s future. Youth are therefore at the core of South Africa’s development agenda.

The rich national legislative and policy framework related to children and youth is defined by the South African Constitution as the supreme law of the country and guided by an internationally informed rights-based approach to growth, protection and development. The Children’s Act (No. 38 of 2005) gives effect to these constitutional rights by establishing a framework for a range of holistic interventions for children and their families that can be conceptualized on a continuum of care. The Children’s Act thereby emphasizes the importance of strengthening programmes and services at the front end of the continuum – namely prevention and early intervention, which includes strengthening the capacity of caregivers, families and communities for caring and keeping children safe and protected. Of further importance are the National Development Plan – which provides an aspirational vision of South Africa in 2030 - and the Medium-Term Strategic Framework 2014-2019, which together set the context within which all youth-oriented programmes should be located as well as the actions Government will take to achieve set targets.

Within this framework, UNICEF partners with government and civil society to help empower children and adolescents to access internal and external resources to reach their potential. In particular, UNICEF invests in the opportunity for adolescent girls and boys to acquire critical assets as they grow; the abilities, skills, values and experiences to negotiate multiple life domains, to become economically independent and to avoid risky behaviours, such as alcohol and drug use.

In light of the above, UNICEF supports, in partnership with the Provincial Department of Social Development (DSD), the implementation of an Adolescent and Youth Development (AYD) Programme in one of the most poverty-stricken provinces in the country: the Eastern Cape. Youth in the Eastern Cape represent diverse groups; girls, boys, from both rural and urban areas, and with varied interests and inclinations. Yet, what most of these young people have in common is their experience of growing up in poverty and exposure to adversity, such as absent parents and violence. Their safety is compromised not only in their homes, but also in schools, care and justice systems and on the streets of their communities. This puts them at an increased risk of sexual abuse, HIV infection and unplanned pregnancy. Furthermore, alcohol and drug use among the youth is an increasing concern in the Eastern Cape and high levels of substance abuse are in turn major contributors to crime and violence, risky sexual behaviours and academic problems.

The aim of the Eastern Cape AYD Programme is to protect and empower the most vulnerable children and adolescents and to facilitate their successful and safe transition to adulthood. The programme is therefore designed to respond holistically to the needs of children, adolescents and families who are vulnerable and at risk of violence. In particular, the programme has been designed to support national and provincial government to implement the Children’s Act, especially Chapter 8, which calls for the prevention and early intervention of violence against children. To this end, adolescents, parents/caregivers and families receive support in a variety of settings, from home visits conducted by trained child and youth care workers, to parental education programmes and life-skills training. Furthermore, the programme has a technical component that specifically addresses substance abuse among adolescents, with a focus on strengthening both preventative as well as rehabilitative services for young people. UNICEF is seeking to hire a national consultant who will support and monitor the implementation of this programme as outlined in the following sections.

Scope of Work

This assignment requires the consultant to be familiar with the landscape of child protection and youth related issues in South Africa, particularly in the Eastern Cape. It is essential that the consultant is familiar with the Children’s Act (2005) and the concomitant requirements of the provincial authorities. Under the guidance and direction of the Child Protection Specialist, the consultant will provide critical support to undertake tasks and achieve the deliverables specified below:

 Monitor the Programme Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the National Association of Child Care Workers (NACCW)

Monitor the progression of interventions within the NACCW PCA, which is part of the Eastern Cape Adolescent and Youth Development Programme. This includes validating the project deliverables through the means of verification specified in the project documents and ensuring timely submission of narrative and financial reports by NACCW.

More specifically, the consultant will be expected to assist the Child Protection Specialist in ensuring that all adolescents and youth related activities are conducted in a timely and effective manner in all 14 programme sites, including those related to:

. Home visits and Safe Park activities . Life-skills training, educational support and livelihood opportunities . Sinovuyo Teens Parenting Programme . Substance abuse prevention programmes and referral mechanisms

 Support to provincial Department of Social Development to organize and record regular (6 weekly) programme reviews at task team meetings

Apart from the PCA with NACCW, there will be other PCAs and consultancies working on the AYD Programme. The co-ordination of these programmes and alignment with the prevention and early intervention strategy will be key to the success of the programme.

In close collaboration with government departments, development partners and civil society organizations the consultant will need to facilitate co-ordination and provide timely and effective technical guidance to ensure effective integration and accountability. This responsibility includes identifying and taking action on programmatic issues and operational procedures affecting programme implementation, co-ordination, management, reporting and delivery.

In this regard, the consultant is expected to support provincial government to organize one programme review every +/- six (6) weeks for shared planning, monitoring, co-ordination and reporting on project action plans. Subsequently, the consultant will be required to follow-up closely with partners on agreements and recommendations to ensure that programme objectives are met.

 Prepare monthly progress reports Prepare monthly progress summaries on progress made, challenges encountered, proposed corrective actions and viable recommendations on programme implementation. Recommendations should be mindful of optimal utilization of resources that contribute effectively to the advancement of the programme.

 Develop monthly donor reports Prepare monthly donor reports, which should include a summary of results achieved with a description of main activities undertaken as well as future work plan, including priority actions to be undertaken.

 Conduct at least four support/monitoring field visits per month Conduct at least four (4) field visits per month to programme sites (14 sites in total), assess local conditions and resources and monitor programme implementation. Communicate and liaise with local and provincial counterpart authorities and implementing partners to strengthen coordination, quality and coverage of programmatic interventions.

Follow-up and collaborate with UNICEF Operations Sections to coordinate financial and supply management requirements and undertake any other relevant tasks as assigned by the supervisor.

Deliverables Duration Timeline/Deadline Schedule of (Estimated # of days or payment months) All components of the At least 15 days per month March – December Monthly Adolescents and Youth invested in monitoring 14 2016 Development Programme programme sites across 8 are regularly monitored districts of the Eastern Cape across the 14 targeted Province: 135 working days sites, findings shared with invested in monitoring visits. partners and progress reports submitted to the Section: Home Visitation/Isibindi; Sinovuyo/Parenting Programme; Adolescent Development (Youth Forums; Education Support; Life Skills support; Livelihood support); Substance Abuse prevention, referral and after care. Meetings with the Child At least 3 days per month: 2 March-December Monthly Protection Unit of the day for supporting the 2016 Eastern Cape Department preparation of the meetings, of Social Development are 1 day for attending the regularly supported and meeting.

attended (and minutes are submitted to the Section and relevant stakeholders). Draft monthly donor One day per month March-December Monthly reports submitted to the 2016 Child Protection Section Monthly travel plans for One day March-December Monthly support and monitoring 2016 visits

Payment Schedule

The consultant will be paid upon the submission of invoices and successful completion of deliverables at the end of each month.

Desired competencies, technical background and experience

 Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Social Sciences, Management, Law, Development Studies or other relevant discipline;  Knowledge of child protection and youth development;  At least five years’ experience in project management and monitoring, preferably in the field of child protection and/or youth development;  Past experience in working with government institutions, international organizations or donor supported programmes is desirable;  Proven ability to plan, manage and execute ideas without direct supervision;  Demonstrated ability to produce high quality reports;  Previous working experience in the Eastern Cape province is an asset;  Readiness to travel to and work in remote areas;  Valid driver’s licence;  Fluency in English both verbal and written required. Fluency in a local language, particularly isiXhosa, is an asset; and  Computer skills required, including internet navigation and MS Office applications.

Administrative issues

Availability of resources, focal points/contacts and how they will be accessible; Location and schedule for progress meetings throughout the contract duration (if required).

Conditions

 The consultancy will be for a period of nine months, from March 6 until December 8, 2016;  The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Child Protection Specialist;  The consultant will be paid fees in accordance with UNICEF NOB level;  The consultant will have to be based in King William’s Town and work independently, using his/her own equipment and office space;  UNICEF will support the consultant in establishing contact with the necessary partners, both government and non-government;

 The consultant will not be entitled to sick leave with pay, annual leave or over-time payment, including weekends and during holidays.  The consultant will be required to travel frequently to remote areas to accomplish some of the tasks included in these terms of reference. All costs associated with travel, including flights and per diem will be covered by UNICEF.

The consultant will need to work independently and supervised remotely. To mitigate this risk it would be necessary to ensure that the consultant abides to high ethical and professional standards and that steps are put in place for regularly supervising the consultant.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV, and signed P11 form (which can be downloaded at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html to [email protected] with subject line “Adolescent and Youth Development Programme Consultant” by 09 February 2016. Please indicate your ability, availability and rate (daily? Monthly?) to undertake the terms of reference above.

Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered.