Voice Consultancy

Terms of reference: Updating mapping of services available to Syrian refugees in Lebanon and update Standard Operating Procedures for information dissemination to Syrian refugees. Project name: Syrian Voice and Accountability Project (Voice) - Oxfam GB Estimated duration: 4 weeks for update and additional 2 weeks for coaching and training in the field. Timeline: October-November 2015 Deadline for expressions of interest: October 25, 2015 Submission Guidelines: Interested consultants must submit their bids, in two sections (i) Methodology and (ii) Financial/Budget Proposal, including their CV and cover letter   Project Summary: Voice is a 2-year project funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the Norwegian Embassy, which aims to empower people affected by the Syria crisis in Jordan and Lebanon, by upholding their rights, ensuring their real concerns reach decision makers, and encouraging decision makers to be more responsive to these needs (see annex 1 for more detailed information on the project). Access to information is paramount for refugees. Many refugees are unaware of mechanisms and procedures to obtain access to basic services, such as health and education, which undermines their sense of security and leaves them vulnerable to exploitation. They may also be unaware of other service providers and lack information on rights and entitlements. Currently, refugees often rely on word-of-mouth as a primary means of obtaining information from informal sources, which can lead to misinformation and rumours, compounding the already existing challenges and barriers to accessing information and services. In some communities women especially lack sufficient information on registration, access to aid and other services. Improving the dissemination of information to Syrian refugees is a major focus of this project, both through programme and advocacy interventions. This project works through multiple channels to disseminate information on services, rights and entitlements to refugees, including project-run information and resource centres, legal information lines and community-friendly information materials. The project will also support advocacy to improve coordinated and comprehensive information dissemination from key service providers. For this, a comprehensive mapping of existing services will need to be conducted. However, in addition, it is anticipated that project staff and volunteers will need to be equipped to field enquiries and requests for information about services outside the remit of this project. For this reason, the project will operate a self-referral model, aimed at providing refugees with accurate, up to date, comprehensive information about how to access available services. This will require the development of standard operating procedures to guide project staff and volunteers in supporting refugees to self-refer, as well as training for staff and volunteers in this area. Consultancy tasks: Update the existing comprehensive mapping of all services available to Syrian refugees in Tyre, Tripoli + 5 and Bekaa regions of Lebanon, drawing on a series of existing mappings and doing additional mapping as necessary, working in conjunction with Oxfam’s Voice project and protection staff, partner staff, other agencies, local authorities, civil society and other service providers. Conduct out focus group discussions per area to validate the updated services according to priorities of refugees. Update the project’s standard operating procedures for self-referrals and information dissemination. Develop an approach, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, for how the information in the mapping will be updated in order to ensure it remains relevant and reliable. Ensure thorough context and risk analysis informs the approach to ensure refugees and staff members are not at further risk from the intervention, and consider the security and confidentiality of refugees. Provide 3-day coaching/training per working area on the standard operating procedures developed, including the most common issues and how to deal with them in line with the appropriate guiding principles and ethical standards. Work with the Voice Team to share lessons learnt and support complementarities of work. Develop a feedback mechanism and train relevant staff on it. Deliverables: An update the mapping of all services available to Syrian refugees in Tyre, Tripoli + 5 and Bekaa regions of Lebanon. A short set of standard operating procedures for self-referrals of and information dissemination to Syrian refugees in Lebanon.  A training module Training of project staff and volunteers on the standard operating procedures developed, the feedback mechanism, and updating the mapping, including the most common issues and how to deal with them in line with the appropriate guiding principles and ethical standards.  Other relevant and interested actors will be included. Final report with recommendations. Recommendations will include how the information in the mapping will continue to be updated.  Report on the feedback mechanism   Annex 1 Since the Syrian civil war started in March 2011, millions of Syrians have been displaced and are facing an uncertain future. These refugees seek basic rights like living a life with dignity, free from fear and want. Voice goes beyond immediate humanitarian relief. It responds to the pressing issues faced by Syrian refugees and their host communities in Lebanon and Jordan. It not only seeks to improve these groups’ access to information, resources and services, but supports them to articulate their real needs and the issues which affect them. It enhances the ability of all those affected by the crisis to make their voices heard and participate in local, national and international decision-making processes. Project goal: People affected by the Syria crisis have enhanced capacity to engage and influence increasingly responsive duty bearers and participate in decision making processes in order to have improved access to the services needed to live lives with dignity.   Intended results: Improved and equal access of 32,815 Syrian men and women to quality information and services Improved ability of community facilitators and community groups to voice and address the needs and entitlements of Syrian refugees Improved level of responsiveness of national, regional and international duty bearers to the needs of Syrian refugees  Improved leadership capacity of Syrian women to constructively engage in development and political processes   Experience required:  2-3 years   Education degree: Relevant academic background Field of education: At least 3 years experience in a humanitarian context Experience of mapping services Excellent understanding of the social needs of, and challenges for, displaced persons Experience of developing and implementing tools and systems adaptable to the context Proven experience of mitigating risk and addressing security issues within referral projects Proven experience of analysis and report writing Good spoken and written English and Arabic Very strong interpersonal skills, particularly in working with communities, local civil society and local authorities Capacity to travel within Lebanon Nationals Only   Note: Applicants may choose to apply for either updating the service mapping or developing a feedback mechanism or both.