Toolkit Development for Integrated Messaging on Safeguarding & Community Feedback Mechanisms Consultant

The primary objective of the consultancy is to develop a community dialogue and information-sharing toolkit, providing practical guidance and tools on (a) communicating integrated CARM + Safeguarding messages to communities, and (b) adapting these messages/tools to different contexts. This will include the development of one country-specific set of tools. 

The assignment will involve reviewing existing internal and external practices, documents, and guidelines, and developing a harmonized set of adaptive tools and guidance. The toolkit containing such tools and guidance will support country-level CARM and Safeguarding teams—as well as program teams and partners—as they work to ensure that community members understand MC’s commitment to accountability, feel comfortable with the idea of sharing their feedback, and develop trust in the system. Key messages should include (i) harmonized messages related to the overall purpose of CARM, as well as their right to be free from exploitation and abuse; (ii) the expectations we hold of anyone who works on our behalf; (iii) the channels available to share Safeguarding concerns; and (iv) how Mercy Corps manages such reports.  

Specific Objectives and Deliverables of the Consultancy:  

Activity 1: Develop an integrated Community Accountability + Safeguarding toolkit 

Task 1.1: Analyze results of recent survey and then carry out or facilitate follow-up, qualitative “pause & reflect” conversations to determine way forward.  

In order to inform the design and content of the toolkit, and also to measure impact/improvement over time, an initial assessment will be conducted by Mercy Corps (MC) to evaluate whether communities, partners, and staff are aware of their rights and prohibited Safeguarding behaviors, whether they feel safe and have the confidence and knowledge to report misconduct and what are the potential barriers for reporting. The assessment will consist of an anonymous survey, key informant interviews and, where possible, FGDs. Community members, MC staff and partners will be encouraged to take part with honest and candid responses. Key areas will include participants’ level of knowledge of their rights/prohibited behaviors, participants’ knowledge and trust in the efficacy and safety of reporting channels, and participants’ views on barriers for reporting sexual exploitation abuse, harassment or trafficking.  

The Consultant will be tasked to analyze the data using standard quantitative and qualitative analytical methods, designed to compare information about men and women and where relevant other categories (e.g., ethnicity). The data will be further categorized per target group (community members, staff, partners) exploring trends such as potential correlation of staff and partner trust levels with trust level among communities they serve. The Consultant will share the analysis with key regional focal points and facilitate conversations to help interpret the findings and determine how they can inform the development of CARM + Safeguarding community sensitization strategies. 

Task 1.2: Review existing internal and external CARM and Safeguarding IEC materials and community sensitization efforts 

The Consultant will review all IEC materials and current practices in use in the pilot country program/s (by MC teams and partners) for communicating CARM and/or safeguarding with communities. The exercise will seek to understand, through conversations and document review, what Safeguarding information is currently included in community sensitization content, how is it communicated, and what are some challenges and successes encountered in any attempts undertaken to-date. This task will also seek to understand successful strategies that teams use to deliver CARM messages more broadly. Additionally, relevant materials will be collected from MC’s global repository more broadly, as well as from external sources, with a focus on identifying best practices. This task may include communicating and/or meeting with key stakeholders (program/ country/regional teams) to better understand existing practices to complement the documentation. 

Task 1.3: Put together/update a workplan for the development of the toolkit  

Based on the analysis and discussion following the survey findings, the Consultant will be expected to produce an updated workplan. It is understood that the findings from Tasks 1.1-1.2 may result in a slight shift in the focus of activities 1.4-1.6. 

Task 1.4: Develop draft version of integrated CARM+Safeguarding toolkit and share for feedback 

Assessment results and the materials and sensitization review exercise will be used to inform the development of a master toolkit, including at minimum: (1) a “master IEC CARM+Safeguarding materials template”; (2) a CARM+Safeguarding integrated community dialogue guide; and (3) guidance on context-specific refinement and adaptation of the tools. Other community engagement tools will be included as deemed appropriate. The toolkit will be developed in consultation with MC’s Regional Safeguarding and Community Accountability teams, as well as MC’s global behavior change expert, and will be graphically designed by a graphic designer to ensure they are context-appropriate, making use of the various forms of communication tools deployed by program/country teams (e.g., training slides, FGD guides posters). The MC Global Brand team will also be engaged to ensure materials comply with organizational guidance and translators will also be engaged, as needed. 

Task 1.5: Support the development of country-specific tools 

To ensure country teams and partners are ready to effectively pilot and adapt the toolkit, the Asia Regional Safeguarding and Community Accountability teams will provide an orientation workshop to specific country team/s’s CARM, Safeguarding, program teams and partners (if appropriate). The content will include refresher sessions related to MC Safeguarding policies as well as guidance to teams around best practices. Most importantly, the workshop will also include an introduction to the draft master toolkit and discussions on how to apply the toolkit in their context. The workshop will thus give team members and partners (if appropriate) the opportunity to both: (a) provide feedback on the master toolkit; and (b) discuss and propose adaptations to the toolkit to inform the finalization of their own country-specific tools. The Consultant will support in preparing for the workshop by preparing slides or other toolkit sensitization materials. Following the workshop, they will support in the development of the country-specific version of the toolkit based on the outcomes of the workshop. The teams will then proceed to pilot their country-specific tools, which will also allow for feedback to be gathered from the communities.1  

Task 1.6: Finalize toolkit incorporating feedback received from pilot and Mercy Corps key stakeholders 

The Consultant will be expected to review and reflect on the feedback received through the workshop, the pilot, and broader feedback process and adjust the master toolkit and sample country-specific tools accordingly. 

Mercy Corps Responsibilities:  

Mercy Corps will provide the Consultant with the necessary support to undertake and implement the assignment and execute the objective of this SoW. Such responsibilities include: 

• Provide relevant documents and technical support to the Consultant.
• Select pilot country program/s.
• Develop and conduct the initial assessment referenced in Task 1.1.
• Orient the Consultant on any relevant pilot country and institutional information.
• Explain to the Consultant the rationale and vision of the toolkit.
• Provide the Consultant with necessary documents.
• Introduce Consultant to relevant program and country team members.
• Include Consultant in relevant conversations.
• Hire translators and graphic designers, as required.
• Lead in gathering team members for workshops or other consultation processes.
• Pilot tools and gather feedback from community members.
• Monitor regularly, provide feedback, and ensure the effectiveness of the tasks and deliverables.
• Disburse payment as per the agreed schedule in the Consulting Contract.

Skills and Knowledge Requirements:  

• Minimum of five years of experience working on safeguarding and/or community accountability issues, ideally for humanitarian or development programs in a relevant context.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required in Social Work, Psychology, Behavior Science, Development Studies, Sociology, or other a related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Specific experience and expertise in tool/curriculum development.
• Experience in processing and analyzing qualitative data.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively under tight deadlines in a variety of cultural contexts.
• Required languages: English. Fluency in other relevant regional language a plus.

Source: https://jobs.jobvite.com/mercycorps/job/o6Fevfwe