Short Term Consultant-Youth Advocacy Expert

Project description – About the project We are seeking a short term expert to provide technical assistance to the Lebanese Ministry of Youth & Sports and the Youth Forum in particular, along with other relevant stakeholders in government and civil society. The focus of this technical assistance is to provide support in improving the effectiveness in the roles that these organisations can play, in order to promote the priorities of National Youth Policy. It is also to ensure that there is an improvement in co-ordination, accountability and scrutiny mechanisms for youth policy. This includes increasing the means by which youth organisations are engaged in decision-making processes relating to youth within government and parliamentary processes. The two specific objectives of the project are to: Enhance the roles of the Ministry of Youth & Sport and Youth Forum to progress priorities for youth and National Youth Policy Enhance co-operation, governance and accountability in relation to National Youth Policy and priorities for youth.   Role description – about the role The tasks associated with this activity will work towards ensuring that government is more accountable for decisions relating to National Youth Policy and for decisions that impact on young people. In close coordination with the Team Leader, the expert will carry out the following tasks: 1.  Carry out baseline analysis to ascertain the current ways in which advocacy is defined, how it is conducted within the youth sphere, stakeholders in youth policy, and capacity gaps and needs of different stakeholders likely to be involved or affected by advocacy work. This includes young people themselves as advocates and the role of key stakeholders in the project as potential advocates for youth 2. Conduct an action planning workshop to determine the priority areas from the National Youth Policy that we will be working on with different stakeholders and consequently determine what steps and strategies might need to be deployed with different stakeholders in mind in order to implement the activities involved in this component identifying methods and activities. 3. Design an advocacy strategy, along with monitoring and evaluation measures and tools for advocacy in relation to youth policy priorities. 4. Design an accompanying capacity building tool/ training to enable people’s engagement at different levels and to different degrees in policy making processes 5. Develop a shared work plan that will identify the capacity building program that can be carried out in terms of advocacy and outreach. The short term expert will be managed by the project Team Leader. All deliverables are to be submitted to the Team Leader as agreed per contract and as a condition for completion of assignment. The assignment is expected to take place in the period running from mid-February to the  end of April 2017 and the consultant shall be paid on a daily rate commensurate to experience and salary history.    Qualifications and experience required Essential  At least a Master degree in social sciences, law, public policy, public affairs or any relevant major related to the assignment A minimum of 5 years of experience in supporting capacity development, training and learning in advocacy and campaigning, in particular in relation to public policy areas such as youth A minimum of 8 years of general professional experience working on relevant Youth Policy issues, institutional development, and working with government institutions (ministries and public institutions) Excellent analytical and reporting skills Excellent writing skills Excellent communication and facilitation skills Fluency in Arabic and English both in writing and speaking A minimum of 5 years of experience in stakeholders mapping, advocacy, policy, strategic management, and needs assessment Proven experience in using different media forms, including digital as well as formal advocacy Desirable  Experience in partner countries of the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) or European member states or other international contexts.