The Public Libraries Program
Since 2001, Taawon Lebanon has established and supported a network of eight public libraries in the Palestinian refugee camps spread as the following: Burj El Barajneh in Beirut; Ein El Helweh in Saida; Rashidieh, Burj El Shemali and El Buss in the Tyre area of South Lebanon; Nahr El Bared and Beddawi in the Tripoli area of North Lebanon, and in Wavel in Bekaa area of East Lebanon. Those libraries offer a much-needed community space that is frequently used for activities serving the different population groups mostly children and women including some of the most vulnerable such as children with special needs or the elderly.
The libraries act more than a place for book exchange and reading, it is a community hub that hosts different sorts of activities catering for different needs and goals. The libraries organize numerous and varied services including storytelling sessions, cultural evenings for adults, book discussions, workshops and activities for children (such as drama, painting, arts and crafts, or creative writing), robotics for adolecents and youth and much more. Each library has also been equipped with IT supplies (computers, internet, ipads and printers) for the use by the community.
Each library is sponsored financially by one individual donor form Taawon who covers the full running expenses on yearly basis while the management assumed by a local organization / partner that takes charge of the daily operations of the library’s including activities and services. Taawon provides overall technical support and overview.
Call Type
Call for Proposals
Organisation
Intervention Sectors
Culture
How to Apply
Evaluation objective and scope
The objective of the external evaluation exercise is to review and evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the Libraries program. This entails looking as well at relevance, sustainability, participation while providing recommendations for improvement. More specifically, the evaluation should answer the following questions:
- What impact has the program made in the lives of the beneficiaries and the community at large?
- How relevant, effective, efficient, sustainable and participatory was the design and the implementation of the program?
- Relevance: To what extent is the program focused on the community context and needs? How does it cater to the different target groups and to what extent it responds to their individual needs and priorities? Are the activities relevant to the program objectives? Do they take into consideration the challenges and gaps of the community it serves?
- Effectiveness: To what extent is the objectives of the program being attained? To what extent was the program effective in bringing change and what kind change (if any) and to which group of population? To what extent did the program build on existing knowledge and experience and was sensitive and adaptive to the local context?
- Efficiency: Is the relation between input of resources and results achieved appropriate and justifiable (cost-benefit ratio)? How efficient was the program organisational, management and supervision structures? Was the program implemented proficiently and in line with the set work plans and time frame? Were resources used efficiently? Were there any factors – external or internal – that affected the implementation and impact?
- Sustainability: To what extent can activities, results and effects be expected to continue after Taawon involvement is ended? What are the prospects of the concerned stakeholders and partner NGOs for sustaining impacts after termination of Taawon intervention? Has the capacity of the implementing partners / beneficiaries been developed?
- Participation: To what extent are the concerned stakeholders (beneficiaries, partners, etc.) involved in the design, planning and implementation of the program components? How was the relationship – at the operational and managerial level - between the program staff and Taawon, as well as between the implementing partners and the targeted communities?
- Was the Program inclusive? Did it ensure appropriate gender balance and gender mainstreaming in the implementation of activities? Did it cater for the needs of the different population groups (elderly, youth, men, etc.)? Did it take into consideration the rights of the disabled or any other special groups?
- What lessons can be drawn from the past and how the evaluation outcome can help improve and develop the program further?
- What recommendations can be made on the program to yield better outcomes and impact? Any recommendations for a shift in the way the program is functioning (how and why) at different levels?
Evaluation Exercise
The consultant will lead the evaluation exercise in coordination under the supervision of the Program Manager and in coordination with the M&E Officer; his/her tasks include:
- Develop the evaluation design, methodology and work plan (including timeframe).
- Conduct a desk review; going through the different relevant documentations including, progress reports, assessments or project evaluations, studies, awareness material and audio visuals produced within the program, etc. In addition, review any other relevant information related to the program and to the management of public libraries in general.
- Plan, design, and coordinate the data collection process
- Identify and select sample of stakeholders and beneficiaries to be interviewed/met covering all eight libraries.
- Propose type of information to be collected from each of the different stakeholders and beneficiaries
- Prepare interview and focus group guides and any other tools for data collection
- Collect data within and outside the libraries.
- Conduct visits and observe the flow of work in the eight libraries.
- Undertake in-depth analysis of the different findings and data collected (using the different parameters of evaluation).
- Prepare first draft of the evaluation report and share with Taawon for review and feedback.
- Deliver a final edited evaluation report based on final feedback from Taawon.
Expected Deliverables
- Evaluation methodology and workplan
- Data collection tools including interview and focus group meeting guides – list of interviewees
- Final narrative report in English language presenting the evaluation’s findings and recommendations, in addition to 2-4 pages of executive summary in Arabic and any relevant appendixes (interview questions, list of interviewees, etc.)
- A power point presentation in English and in Arabic summarizing the report’s content
All deliverables to be provided in hard and soft copy.
Timeframe
The expected time frame for the whole evaluation exercise and delivery of final report is six to eight weeks after signature of contract.
Required competencies and qualifications
The selected consultant (or consultancy firm) should fulfil the following:
- Holder(s) of an advanced degree in social sciences or relevant fields
- Experienced in conducting similar evaluations and research
- Demonstrated capacity to conduct qualitative research and analyse qualitative findings
- Possess extensive knowledge of development principles and evaluation methods
- Has In-depth understanding of the situation of the Palestinian context in Lebanon and ability to go into the different Palestinian camps
- Enjoys excellent communication skills and proficient in both Arabic and English languages
- Independent and neutral and has not been involved in any of Taawon’s programs
Submission of Proposals
Interested candidates or institutions are invited to share their proposals (both technical and financial) 25 November 2019 Proposals should be submitted in a sealed envelope with the title “External Evaluation of the Public Libraries Program”.
Technical proposal to contain an overview of the proposed evaluation methodology and time plan.
Proposals to be submitted to Taawon (Welfare Association) offices – Ramlet el Bayda, Al Akhtal el Sagheer Street, Green Project Bldg. - Telephone: 01850219 / 01850218 – Ms. Hanin Shaaban
Deadline
Countries
Lebanon