Trainer Consultant: Development and competencies for staff working with adolescent girls GBV survivors

Background

Ten years after the beginning of the Syrian crisis, Lebanon is currently facing significant economic instability and outbreak of COVID-19. The impact of this deteriorating economic situation, coupled with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, compounded already existing gaps in public service and increasing vulnerability of Lebanese, refugees, migrant workers and other population groups living in the country.

Refugee women and girls constitute fifty percent of the refugees in the country. They are the most impacted vulnerable group in the refugee population within the overall crisis in general and during the lockdown. 19% of households are women-head households. 24% of adolescent girls, aged from 15 to 19 years old, are married, which makes them the most vulnerable groups. 

Incidents of domestic violence and intimate partner violence have continually increased since the outbreak of COVID-19 with physical assault accounting for 43% and psychologically/emotional abuse accounting for 34% of incidents reported. 

Caritas Lebanon provides comprehensive services to women and adolescent girls, mostly Syrian and Iraqi refugees, who are survivors or at risk of violence, including forced early marriage. Caritas Lebanon maintains two safe shelters for up to 120 women and girls where they receive temporary emergency care services, including basic humanitarian assistance, social and legal support, and psychological, psychiatric, and medical consultations. To respond to a growing need for protection of minors during the current crisis, Caritas Lebanon began accepting girls separated from their families at the centers. Many of these adolescent girls are also mothers. Despite their best efforts, even the most experienced Caritas caseworkers have found it difficult to meet the specialized needs of this unique population. Caritas Lebanon, in partnership with CRS, aims to build their capacity to assist refugee girls who have survived or are at risk of gender-based violence heal and thrive in a safe and nurturing environment.

CRS will mobilize an expert consultant to strengthen Caritas Lebanon’s case management system, standard operating procedures, range of services and support provided, and related tools, with a special focus on processes for addressing the unique needs of adolescents, especially adolescent mothers.

Purpose

Through this scope of work the CRS aims to provide technical support for CL shelter staff to deliver effective and quality care for shelter residents with the focus on adolescent girls and prepare them for a safe reintegration in the community.

This will include:

-      Desk review,

-      Staff learning needs assessment,

-      Training materials’ development,

-      Training facilitation,

-      Case management tools development and implementation,

-      On-the-job coaching.

Activities

In order to meet the requirement and achieve the aim that CRS and Caritas intend to,

1. The consultant will:

• Conduct a desk review of local and global resources on care needs for women and adolescent girls shelter residents GBV survivors,
• Review the FGD reports conducted with adolescent girls and consider their needs as part of the capacity strengthening components,
• In close coordination with CL and CRS, develop learning needs assessment for CL shelter staff (CRS available resources can be used, such initial assessment and training provided),Share the finding from the assessment, the desk review key components for women and adolescent girls’ care needs, recommendations, and ways forward,
• Develop materials including a facilitation guide, outlines, presentations, and case study that will serve as further technical support; those materials will be informed by and tailored to the findings from needs assessment and desk review,
• Share the training materials and outlines as backup additional tools for CRS Lebanon and CL staffs; Reflect the references and resources used in the developed materials for further readings when needed,
• Facilitate training for CL staffs covering but not limited to parenting skills, safeguarding, adolescent friendly approach, stages of development, case management for complex cases and durable solutions, communication and dealing with women and adolescent girls GBV survivors, psychological first aid training.
• Provide technical support through on-the job training and coaching,
• Develop case management tools in consultation with CL staff and provide guidance for implementation to support safe and thriving transition out of the shelter and into community and family setting,
• Provide feedback on the trainings and on-the-job coaching using pre and posttests and on-the-job coaching evaluation checklist, and set recommendations for field implementation and on the activities and CL staff coaching,
• Engage with CL to co-led/facilitate the training and coaching sessions through participatory approach,
• Meet regularly with CRS and Caritas Lebanon when needed to discuss findings, progress, and ways forward.

2. CRS Lebanon will provide:

-  Relevant needed documents and FGD reports to support the desk review step,

-  Facilitate meeting and communication between consultants and CL shelter staff to provide relevant information supporting the learning needs assessment, training, and on-the-job coaching,

-  Coordinate the planning of the trainings and facilitate the flow of implementation,

-  Join the trainings and part of the on-the-job coaching to actively get involved in addition, future technical support for CL staff.

Work relationships

CRS Lebanon:

- Head of program

- Protection Program Manager

- Senior Project Officer

Caritas Lebanon:

- Head of Migrant program

- Project Coordinator

- Shelters Managers

- Social workers

- Adolescent girls’ caregivers

- Other relevant staff nominated by Caritas

Deliverables

-   Inception report including findings from desk review, list of references used for the desk review, such as FGD reports, staffs’ learning needs assessment, consultant’s recommendations, and ways forward,

-      Learning needs assessment forms,

-      Training materials including a facilitation guide, outlines, presentations, and cases study,

-      Facilitation of trainings to CL staffs,

  -      Pre and posttests,

  -      On-the-job coaching checklists/evaluation materials,

-      Case management monitoring tools,

-      Provision of on-the-job coaching,

-      Training and on-the-job coaching feedback reports including future recommendations for field implementation and coaching.

Period of performance and deliverables dates

The assignment will happen between April and 30 September 2021. The consultants will complete activities and produce deliverables as per the following schedule:

Activity

1- Desk Review including FGD report review

- Staffs’ learning needs assessment

2- Materials and tools development

3- Trainings facilitation

4- Provide feedback on trainings and on-the-job coaching and set recommendations

Deliverables

1- Inception report

- Learning needs assessment form

2- Facilitation guide,

- Outlines,

- Presentations,

- Sessions activities,

- Case study,

- Pre and posttests,

- On-the-job coaching evaluation checklists,

- Case management monitoring tools.

3- As per the learning needs assessment and proposed topics

4- - Bi-weekly updates and Consultancy final report

Total number of days: 12 days/month

This consultancy will be in country based and do not require International travel expenses and accommodation.

Cost to deliver work including the deliverables stated above and transportation.

The cost does not include the printings of training materials for CL.

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.