Consultant - External Evaluation - PSS for Elderly

1. Background

1. 1. Organization Overview

Amel is a Lebanese and non-sectarian NGO created in 1979. Amel has been working through 24 centers and 6 mobile medical units for more than 35 years in the poorest regions of Lebanon, from Beirut and its South Suburbs to Mount Lebanon, Bekaa and South Lebanon. Amel offers accessible services for all in following fields: medical, psychosocial, professional training, rural development, child protection and human rights promotion.

In 2017, Amel and Caritas Germany initiated a partnership in relation with psycho-social support for elderly. The 8-months project, was launched in July 2017, benefited at least 500 older people (50% Syrian refugees, 50% Lebanese). Activities included community events, gardening, cooking, awareness sessions, and support provided by a psychologist. The project activities has been then extended for an additional 4 months, and ended in August 2018.

Building on this experience and given the needs and concerns of the older people community -including vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian Refugees-  that may be neglected in the humanitarian response, the project has been redesigned and renewed starting November 2018 in Khiam (South Lebanon), and later expanded to include an additional center in Mashghara (West Beqaa) starting March 2019.

Psycho-social support programs including outreach, old age friendly activities and mental health support can be life-saving to isolated older people and or those with crisis-related symptoms of psychological trauma.

1. 2. Intervention Summary

The project includes 6 different old age friendly activities: Cooking, gardening, loom weaving, art therapy, basic literacy and life-skills; in addition to a psychologist who is in charge of peer support groups/group activities and individual psychological counseling. Moreover the project has been designed to enhance older people wellbeing through community events and outings. A social worker is in charge of outreach and close coordination with the instructors on the session’s implementation as per plan.

The project targets Lebanese and Syrian, male and female older people (60+) living in the catchment areas of Khiam (South Lebanon) and Mashghara (West Bekaa).  The target for Khiam is 120 older people over 1 year of project implementation (4 cycles), and for Mashghara is 90 older people over 9 months of project implementation (3 cycles), making the overall target for the project 210 older people benefiting from the different activities. For each 3-month cycle, 30 new older people are outreached to participate in the 6 activities mentioned above and are divided into 2 groups (15 older people/ group), each group attends the center twice per week. The 2 groups have one joint outing, and one joint awareness session per month. A total of 11 community events are planned during the project lifetime in both locations. 

Each group of 15 older people attends the center twice a week, and on each day, they attend the 2 planned sessions/activities (2 hours each), and break for a snack in between. They are also encouraged to seek support from the psychologist and see her individually, as well as participate in group activities with her.

2. The evaluation

1. 1. Purpose of the evaluation

The main purpose of this evaluation is learning (summative and formative). It will provide Amel with an independent review of the relevance, appropriateness, and effectiveness of the project, as well as performance as compared to the project document. The evaluation findings and recommendations are meant to guide steering of the new project proposal, and to learn from previous experiences. In addition, Amel will use the results obtained to determine the impact of the project activities that contributed to meet Amel’s objectives to improve psycho-social wellbeing of older people.

1. 2. Scope of work

The scope of the evaluation will cover activities and results achieved under the three Outcomes of the on-going project that provide psycho-social support for elderly in Khiam and Mashghara areas.

1. 3. Audience

The primary audience of this evaluation is Amel Association International and Caritas Germany.

1. 4. Methodology

The following provides a guide on the methodological process expected for this evaluation. A final methodology will be proposed by the selected evaluator in the Evaluation plan.

The evaluation methodology will combine qualitative and quantitative approaches; it will be participatory where appropriate, including but not only limited to:

• Literature review
• Review and analysis of project monitoring data
• Survey of minimum 80 interviewers
• Observations
• Key informant interviews
• Focus Group Discussions with beneficiaries and other
• Participatory sessions with the project team
• Preparation of the workshop with clear concept and agenda, in consultation with Amel.

In addition, the consultant is expected to propose survey tools and a FGD guide.

3. Implementation Information

1. 1. Amel contact

The consultant will work closely with Amel’s Psycho-social support project coordinator and head of center in Khiam and Mashghara.

1. 2. Location

Data collection will be done in Khiam area (south Lebanon) and Mashghara area (West Bekaa) and their catchment area (nearby camps and villages).

1. 3. Deliverables

• An Evaluation plan detailing tasks, timelines and roles,
• A draft report in English (with findings and basic frequencies analysis for surveys, and analysis for FGDS) to be revised by Amel,
• Data entry for surveys (survey data sets, in English),
• Raw data/notes for the FGDs (in English),
• Facilitate a lessons learnt workshop conducted in Amel Headquarters in Beirut based on the findings,
• A report on the lessons learnt workshop, Amel will invite Stakeholders, UN agencies, interested NGO’s. Amel will provide the venue and the logistics,
• A final report in English of the evaluation incorporating Amel’s comments and lessons learnt workshop conducted.

Analysis of all survey findings will be done from gender, age and urban/rural lenses. All findings will be segregated accordingly.

1. 4. Deadlines

• Deadline for signing the contract: November 15, 2019
• Deadline for finalizing Evaluation plan: November 20, 2019
• Deadline for finalizing data collection: November 30, 2019
• Deadline for the draft report: December 10, 2019
• Deadline for lessons learnt workshop: December 16, 2019
• Deadline for the final report: December 15, 2019

1. 5. Logistical Support

The consultant will be responsible for the logistical planning of all the activities concerning the evaluation, and of their own transportation.

4. The consultant

1. 1. Role and Responsibilities of the Consultant

The consultant will be responsible for:

• Designing an evaluation plan,
• Recruiting data collectors, survey supervisors, data entry clerks, FGD facilitators and note takers,
• Training data collectors and supervisors on the survey tool as well as on sound research methods and ethical research behavior,
• Pilot testing the survey tool,
• Collecting data through surveys and FGDs,
• Entering and cleaning the data from the surveys and FGDs (in English),
• Analyzing the data from FGDs and surveys,
• Reporting the findings and analysis.