IRC is recruiting for a consultant to conduct an assessment in Southern Sudan looking at education and skills building needs and opportunities for youth. The term of the contract will be approximately 3-4 weeks between May-June 2010 to conduct research in Sudan and write 10-15 page report. Interested applicants should submit their CV/resume, a 3 page writing sample and fee requirement to Abigail Gacusana: abigailg@wrcommission.org.

Locations to be visited: Juba, Yei and/or Rumbek (TBC)

Date of TOR: January 27, 2010

Background on assessment:

This field assessment is part of the Women’s Refugee Commission’s global research and advocacy project that aims to increase the scope, scale and effectiveness of educational and job training programs for displaced, conflict-affected young people (15-24 years old). The purpose of this mission is to look at the skills and education Southern Sudanese youth need to earn a safe, dignified living and make a healthy transition to adulthood.

In conjunction with desk research, including reviewing existing market surveys, we will identify what skills, knowledge, goods and services are in demand in specific parts of Southern Sudan with a high concentration of conflict-affected and previously displaced youth. In collaboration with young people and based on available market information, the Women’s Refugee Commission will identify which occupations are most likely appropriate for their situations and what limited number of transferable skills will most likely have the largest “pay-off” for these populations. We will also look at young people’s existing coping strategies and skills as well as the many “sub-group” of young people (i.e., ex-combatants, young mothers, youth living with disabilities, etc). During the field mission, we will identify and document existing programs that appear to meet these needs—programs that lead to the acquisition of basic literacy and numeracy and market-driven skills.

Outputs will include a report detailing findings and recommendations to address gaps and help strengthen education and skills building programs for young women and men. The report will be used in advocacy targeting donors, policy-makers and field practitioners to promote greater attention to and services for appropriate educational and market-driven skills building programs for displaced youth. The field mission will focus on Southern Sudan but will also inform humanitarian action in future complex emergencies and situations of post-conflict reconstruction. It is part of a series of assessments and reports conducted by the Women’s Refugee Commission’s Displaced Youth Initiative. For other reports in the series (Liberia September 20009, Arizona October 2009 and Jordan December 2009), please visit http://www.womensrefugeecommission.org/programs/youth/79-untapped-potent… .

Purpose
To identify the knowledge and skills Southern Sudanese young women and men (age 15-24) need to earn a safe, dignified living.

Objectives

1. To identify current and emerging labor market demand for youth in areas with a high concentration of conflict-affected and previously displaced young women and men;
2. To identify what occupations are most likely appropriate for young people’s situation, taking into account the unique experiences of young women and men of varying ages, backgrounds and experience; (ex-combatants, young mothers, youth with disabilities, etc);
3. To identify what limited number of transferable skills will most likely have the most beneficial impact for young people’s futures, building on young people’s existing coping strategies and skills;
4. To gather young people’s opinions and perceptions of what they think is working, what more is needed and what are some recommendations to meet their needs;
5. To document existing non-formal education and job training programs that appear to lead to the acquisition of basic literacy and numeracy and market-driven skills.
6. To propose strategies and interventions for addressing identified needs and how such services can be strengthened, replicated and/or brought to scale.

Data collection methods

Information gathered from young women and men (approximately 15-24 years old), and government officials, youth networks and groups, business community, donors and service providers (UN, international and local NGOs, government and private sector) working with youth through the following methods:

• Focus groups
• Semi-structured discussions
• In-depth interviews
• Observations
• Site visits
• Secondary data sources – program descriptions and reports, country reports, market surveys, etc.

Activities

• Meet with representatives and field staff of local and international NGOs, youth groups, government, donor and UN agencies and private sector implementing programs and projects targeting young women and men.
• Collect project descriptions from government, UN and international and local NGO staff, including evaluations, when available.
• Visit project implementation sites and document projects visited—size, number/groups of beneficiaries and impact.
• Visit markets and places of employment for previously displaced youth.
• Conduct focus groups and in-depth interviews with previously displaced and conflict-affected young women and men (both those who participate in programs and those who do not) to solicit their views on programs (strengths and weaknesses), reasons why they are or are not participating in programs, coping strategies, service needs and recommended solutions.
• Examine links between education and livelihood programs that promote continued learning and the transition from learner to earner. Identify current strategies in place and build and strengthen such links.
• Consult and review secondary data sources and include relevant findings.
• Collate and analyze all information collected into report on findings—current services, gaps and identified needs with recommendations for initiating solutions.

Deliverables and Outcomes

Deliverables:

• Trip report of current non-formal education and job training programs, gaps and identified needs with recommendations for initiating solutions. Report should include the following: documentation of current and emerging labor market demand for youth and skills required; existing programs that teach market-driven skills; gaps in programming; and good practices and models of youth programs and services that might be scaled up and/or replicated (approximately 10-15 pages)
• Detailed contact list of everyone met, including someone identified in each location to distribute findings back to the community
• 1 detailed individual young person’s story (1 page)
• Photographs

Outcomes:

• The specific educational and employment related needs of previously displaced young women and men in specific sites have been identified and analyzed, taking into account the unique experiences of young women and men of varying ages, backgrounds and experience;
• Innovative market-driven interventions and promising practices working with previously displaced young women and men in specific sites have been identified and documented.
• Market opportunities for previously displaced young women and men in specific sites have been identified;
• Analysis of participatory assessments conducted with young people have been conducted;
• Promising program components—learning, vocational and life skills—that can be replicated in other settings have been identified and documented;
• Learning and targeted recommendations within the humanitarian community has been shared and effective, comprehensive youth programs have been promoted;
• Data collected and lessons learned feed into a larger out-of-school youth resource that the Women’s Refugee Commission is developing as part of 3-year global applied research.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Excellent research, data collection, analysis and writing skills.
• Strong background in relief and international development, with knowledge of and interest in conflict-affected populations, youth, education and livelihood activities.
• Experience working with young people and/or in Southern Sudan a plus.
• Comfortable taking initiative and working with minimal supervision.

Schedule (TBC)

Field visit in Southern Sudan: approximately 2-3 weeks during mid-May or June 2010
Write report: approximately1 week before June 31, 2010.

Manages project:

January — mid-February 2010
Jenny Perlman Robinson
Senior Program Officer, Children and Youth
Women’s Refugee Commission
Email: jennyp@wrcommission.org

Mid-February—June 2010
Dale Buscher
Director, Protection Program
Women’s Refugee Commission
Email: daleb@wrcommission.org

To apply
Please submit a cover letter, CV/resume, 3 page writing sample and salary requirement (including fees for most recent consultancies) via email to:

Abigail Gacusana
Program Coordinator
Women’s Refugee Commission
Email: abigailg@wrcommission.org

Please indicate “Southern Sudan Consultancy” on the email subject.

No phone calls please.

The Women’s Refugee Commission considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability. The Women’s Commission is an equal opportunity employer.