Call for Applications – Supporting Existing Job platforms and connection platforms

Project Description

With funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mercy Corps (MC) is implementing the FORSA II (Fostering Resilience by Strengthening Abilities) programme in Lebanon to increase access to education and employment for vulnerable youth from host and refugee communities, with a particular focus on young women. The programme will be implemented from December 2019 to May 2023 in the Bekaa and the South of Lebanon.

The FORSA II programme includes the provision of Basic Literacy and Numeracy (BLN) technical and digital training, Work Based Learning opportunities, and extensive soft skills sessions that will increase the capacity of trainees to apply for jobs and to retain them.

Mercy Corps will partner with private and public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutes, private companies, local associations, incubators and online and offline job platforms to enable the participation of youth in targeted skills development aligning with market needs, to support access of young men and women to self-employment, and to improve job placement mechanisms in Lebanon in a sustainable manner.

Under Outcome 2 “Access to Employment”, Mercy corps will partner with 10 existing Job Platforms over several months in order to assist these platforms to increase access to gig-work as well as linkages to more stable employment in Lebanon.  

Mercy Corps is issuing this Call for Applications for existing job platforms and connection platforms who are operating in Lebanon and providing job opportunities in any sector in Bekaa and/or South. The call is also open to platforms who are not currently operating in Bekaa nor South but have tangible and realistic plans to do so.  Such platforms are encouraged to apply to this call anytime between 3rd of March 2020 to, until 3rd of March 2021.

Objective

Mercy Corps aims to provide practical and relevant technical assistance and resource support to existing job platforms and connection platforms for targeting job seekers from Bekaa and/or South areas. 

The aim of the support is to enhance the growth of the job platforms, improve the job placement mechanisms and services and ultimately increase the number of job matches. 

The job placement doesn’t need to be full-time, it can be a fixed-term contract, part-time, consultant base, freelance, commission rate, hourly base, and remote work. 

Who can apply?

The platform has to be established for at least one year and to be operating in Lebanon and meeting the following eligibility criteria: 

Eligibility Criteria

Proven willingness and capacity to expand to Bekaa and/or South areas

Agree to use support from FORSA II for the specific aim of improving job placement mechanisms

Willingness to share any financial, job placement, and other data with FORSA II team*

Matched at least 12 job seekers with employers in the past 12 months

*Noting that all documents and information shared with FORSA team members are treated as highly confidential and will not be shared publicly or with any 3rd party, and will only be used for the purpose of the FORSA II program.

Preference will be given to job platforms that integrate one or more of the following components:

Promote and foster innovation and creativity mindset

Have social impact

Encourage women participation