External Evaluation Consultant

The Lebanese reality, as is the case in many developing countries, is nowadays affected by the lack of adequate opportunities that can promote tolerance and encourage mutual understanding and dialogue with other cultures. Since the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Lebanon has endured the arrival and settlement of an unprecedented number of refugees, swelling the pre-conflict population by around one quarter, and representing the world’s highest number of refugees per capita (European Commission). This is in addition to the already settled Palestinian refugees registered by UNRWA in Lebanon. Even before the crisis in Syria broke out, the poverty levels in Lebanon were reportedly high. The living conditions became even worse with the influx of the Syrian refugees. The lack of resources and unsupportive government regulations has increased the sense of competition and resentment between the refugees and the host community on one hand and between the old refugees and the new refugees on the other hand. Lebanese feel that the Palestinian and Syrian refugees are competing with them on resources that should be theirs. Palestinians feel that the Syrians have come to compete with them on already tight resources. These feelings have formed fertile grounds for conflicts, the main recipients of which tend to be children and adolescents. Noting the rising conflicts and the weak national structures available to deal with them, ARCPA/ AL-JANA is proposing a multi-faceted program aiming at increasing tolerance, building resilience, and extending bridges for the benefit of Palestinian refugee children and adolescents, without excluding host communities. Thus, the program answers to national priorities and works to close existing gaps. The program integrates psycho-social support activities targeting children to strengthen their coping mechanisms and resilience; capacity building and free expression activities targeting adolescents to increase their knowledge on their rights and opportunities for constructive change; capacity building activities for caregivers taking care of children and adolescents; and community activities and cultural programs aimed at building bridges of compassion and understanding. In fact, RE-Connect responds to the current situation through complementary interventions that include: 1. A Summer Encounter Capacity Building Intervention that targets NGO staff, volunteers, and facilitators working with these children and aims at increasing the capacity of the civil society actors to provide access to quality services and active learning opportunities in the camps and gatherings. Some of the trainees will also be engaged in follow-up activities. 2. A staff training on puppet making and its use in psychosocial support. 3. A Spring Festival to promote harmony and build development bridges between the different communities (Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian). 4. Targeted Psychosocial Support Workshops and a Friday Art Club designed to engage children in targeted recreational activities while strengthening their capacity to deal with and respond to conflict, violence, and abuse. 5. Cultural programs, such as Arij Palestine Nights for Music, aimed at promoting the rich Palestinian culture as a platform uniting conflicting parties through organizing three events with 6 cultural performances. 6. Activities for adolescents designed to increase their knowledge on their rights and the opportunities available for them to engage in constructive change. Such activities vary to include artistic and media workshops, mobile film screenings, and interactive performances. 7. Support for youth-led and community-based initiatives. Activities were planned to spread from January to December 2016, touring various areas in Lebanon. In addition to the above, ARCPA will be supported to improve its systems. 2. PURPOSE OF THE EVALUATION The purpose of the evaluation is to evaluate the activities and interventions set by RE-Connect through: • Assessing the preparation and planning process • Compiling and analyzing participants’ feedback on the benefits of the interventions planned and implemented • Providing recommendations and guidance for the planning of future interventions The findings and recommendations should indicate the strength and weaknesses of the project and emphasize lessons learned to be carried forward. 3. SCOPE OF THE EVALUATION The evaluation will cover and concentrate on the planning and implementation of all project activities presented in the attached project document. It will answer the following underlying evaluations questions: 3.1 Relevance • How relevant are the project outputs and outcomes to ARCPA's overall mission and objectives? • How relevant are the activities to the outcomes set by UNICEF? 3.2 Effectiveness • To what extent are the activities implemented effective in relation to the objectives set for each intervention? • Have the targeted results been achieved? 3.3 Efficiency • Has the project been planned and implemented in the right way? • What are the lessons learned? 3.4 Sustainability • How is the project contributing towards the sustainable development of partner NGOs? • How is the project contributing towards the capacity and institutional building of key stakeholders involved? • How is the project contributing to reducing the vulnerabilities of children, women, and caregivers? • How is the project contributing to providing adolescents and youth increased knowledge on their rights and participation? 3.5 Impact • What is the project's intended and unintended impact on key stakeholders?   4. METHODOLOGY The evaluation will utilize an integrated approach to project cycle management. Different techniques will be used for the collection of information and the respective analysis. The following methods will be adopted: • Review of minutes of meeting of the Janana network held to coordinate activities • The organization of focus groups • Analysis of questionnaires filled by all trainees, trainers, and activity coordinators • Interviews with key stakeholders and partners inside the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon as well as neighbouring communities • Interviews with AL-JANA administration The evaluation will also reflect on the project document and the log-frame.   5. QUALIFICATIONS The key evaluator shall have: • at least 5 years of experience in conducting external evaluations; • knowledge of the local context, including the context of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon; • excellent command of the English and Arabic languages; • willingness to conduct field visits to Palestinian refugee camps across Lebanon.   6. DURATION AND REPORTING The evaluation shall start in mid-December 2016 and end on the 31st of January 2017. The first draft of the evaluation report shall be submitted in English by the 10th of January 2017. ARCPA will provide its feedback to the first draft within a period of one week. Adjustments will be made and the final report will be submitted by the 30th of January 2017. 7. HOW TO APPLY Interested candidates should send their expression of interest in a sealed envelope not later than Nov. 25, 2016 at 4:30 p.m. to the following address: Arab Resource Center for Popular Arts (ARCPA) Beirut Arab University Area Bustani str., Hadba and Bekdach Bldg., 4th floor Tel: 00 961 1 819970 Attention: Procurement Unit The Expression of Interest shall include the following points: • Methodology to be used • Time-table • A copy of the evaluator/ evaluating team key qualifications • The requested fees. Such fees shall be all inclusive, covering the evaluator/ evaluating team fees as well as any other expected expenses, such as in-country transportation costs.