Consultancy: Rapid Capacity Needs Assessment For Mh Practitioners

Organisational Background ABAAD is a non-profit, non-politically affiliated, non-religious civil association that aims to achieve gender equality as an essential condition to sustainable social and economic development in the MENA region. ABAAD seeks to promote women’s equality and participation through policy development, legal reform, gender mainstreaming, engaging men, eliminating discrimination, and advancing and empowering women to participate effectively and fully in their communities. ABAAD also seeks to support and collaborate with civil society organizations that are involved in gender equality programmers and advocacy campaigns. ABAAD is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to PSEA.   ABAAD’s EU-Funded “BelSalameh” Project Under the European Union’s call “Support for People in Syria Affected by the Crisis – Phase II,” ABAAD was recently awarded a grant in order to carry out “BelSalameh,” a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and social cohesion project inside Syria. The project aims to support Syrian men and women in war-torn Syria to actively engage and contribute as citizens in rebuilding peace and resilience at the individual and social levels. The project duration is 24 months, and will be taking place in both, Lebanon and Syria. The project’s direct and indirect beneficiaries are residents of Syria. Purpose of the Assignment: Under the scope of the project, ABAAD is seeking a consultant to conduct a training/capacity needs assessment for mental health practitioners in order to ensure that targeted practitioners within the programme are fully enabled to manage the provision of mental health services and respond to various mental health needs. This assessment aims to inform the development of training processes, material, and tools, as well as related capacity development programmes around specialised mental health needs (psychological disorders, trauma of war, and other psychological suffering resulting from traumatic incidents such as gender-based violence and sexual gender-based violence.)   Description of the Assignment: The assessment will be of a qualitative nature, and will preliminarily be using various research tools such as: Individual interviews (can be through Skype) Focus group discussions Online surveys circulated to specialists in the field (circulated through ABAAD’s networks of activists and organisations working on the ground in Syria).   The completed rapid participatory assessment is expected to focus on two axes: Axis I: Mental Health Practitioners The first axis should explore the following: Current capacity building structures and tools (especially the “Handbook on Psychosocial Support and Mental Health for Refugees,” developed under EU funding) Main psychological disorders that have become prevalent within the current emergency situation Exploring MH practitioners’ skill development needs (within the emergency context) taking geographical locations and thus contextual specificities into consideration Current mental health referral pathways in place Possibility of referral and possibility of prescription/follow-up Main cultural and contextual challenges (in terms of service delivery and perception of mental health services)   Methodology: Desk review of existing materials/tools available in Syria (material for review provided by ABAAD) 25 individual interviews with MH practitioners 80 minimum responses of MH practitioners through circulated online surveys   Axis II: Affected Populations The second axis should explore the following: Desk review of recent MHPSS reports developed by international and local NGOs providing MHPSS services Local perceptions of mental health needs and services, including knowledge of and ease of access to available MH services and medication (including exploration of alternative solutions sought where MH services are unavailable, unreachable, or unknown of) Main forms of expression of psychological suffering on individual and family levels (while considering different contextual factors such as exposure and non-exposure to adverse situations, displacement (including forced) and non-displacement, access and non-access to prophylactic devices) Effects of socio-demographic characteristics on mental health   Methodology: Desk review of mental health reports Eight focus group discussions (taking into consideration socio-demographic characteristics) conducted by field workers inside Syria, to be remotely supervised and trained on the use of tools by the consultant to be hired under this call   Preliminary Guidelines and Ethical Considerations Questionnaires and focus groups must be tailored around international guidelines for participatory rapid assessments in emergency settings Informed Consent prior to conducting all interviews/FGDs Cultural sensitivity and security considerations (knowledge of the regional situation is crucial)   Expected Deliverables Tools (informed consent form, questionnaires, surveys, and outlines for focus group discussions) in Arabic and English Executive summary of the assessment in both Arabic and English Completed assessment in English submitted by October 30, 2015 (including but not limited to: Table of Contents, Executive Summary (including main findings, and recommendations regarding capacity development needs), Methodology of Work, Narrative of main findings as per the Description of Assignment, and divided into the two aforementioned axes, Quotes from interviewees/participants (included within narrative), main observations and recommendations