Call for Consultants: Strengthening Civil Society Organisations Capacities in Hasbaya and Southern Baalbeck.

• About the project:

   

   

   

International Alert Lebanon is implementing the “Enhancing CSOs’ ability to foster social stability in Hasbaya and Southern Baalbeck” project in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) within the framework of “Strengthening Agriculture, Local Communities and Small and Medium Enterprises (ACE)” programme with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry for economic cooperation and development (BMZ). The project objective is “Improved horizontal social stability in target communities through greater capacity of CSOs to conduct gender- and conflict-sensitive activities that strengthen the community at the local level”.

International Alert’s intervention aims to support CSOs in two areas – Hasbaya and Southern Baalbeck to strengthen social stability in the respective communities. As part of the process, participating CSOs will have an opportunity to strengthen their policies and systems to become more sustainable organisations. Participant CSOs will:

International Alert’s intervention aims to support CSOs in Hasbaya and Southern Baalbeck to strengthen social stability in their communities. Participant CSOs will:

• Participate in comprehensive training sessions focused on conflict resolution and social stability, as well as integrating conflict sensitivity and gender sensitivity into project frameworks. Additionally, coaching will be provided to address organizational development requirements.
• Engage in tailored training and coaching sessions covering strategic planning, financial management, human resources management, procurement, accountability, child safeguarding, advocacy, communication, and other pertinent topics identified through organizational capacity assessments.
• Attend training sessions and receive coaching on designing and implementing initiatives aimed at promoting social stability, contingent upon the approval of funding for participating CSOs.
• Take part in reflection and learning sessions facilitated by Alert, aimed at documenting the outcomes of initiatives and consolidating insights to inform future efforts in promoting social stability and implementing conflict-sensitive initiatives.

As a part of the project, International Alert will develop tailored organizational capacity support plans for each CSO, this will involve conducting a two-day group training session on pertinent topics for the majority of CSOs. Additionally, International Alert will extend its assistance with three-day tailored support designed to strengthen various aspects of each organization based on their capacity assessment.

 The aim of these training sessions is:

• To offer support to enhance the capacities of each CSO in different areas of their organisation.
• To enhance the ability of the CSOs to effectively plan, implement, and evaluate their programs. This capacity development support is based on the capacity assessment that took place to identify the strengths and gaps in the organisational capacity of each CSOs.
• To work with a range of consultants who are specialist in different fields to help the CSOs develop areas such as financial systems, project management, M&E, risk management, and communication, and different policies such as safeguarding, governance, data protection, etc…

International Alert is seeking to hire a company to develop training methodologies and tools, and to provide training sessions aimed at building the capacity of civil society organizations. Additionally, the company will be responsible for providing coaching and technical support in areas where extra assistance is needed. The selected company will also be responsible for hiring a diverse team of experts to lead the entire process.

Objectives of the Consultancy

The overall objective of the consultancy is to provide comprehensive support to International Alert in enhancing its and its partner Civil Society Organizations' (CSOs) capacities through tailored training sessions and coaching assistance. This support aims to address the specific needs identified in the capacity needs assessment reports conducted in May 2024 and contribute to the effective implementation of high-quality programming.

Specific Objectives:

1. Collaborate with the International Alert team to develop the content of the training sessions, aligning them with the identified needs of the 10 CSOs.
2. Conduct at least three-day group training sessions for each area, covering subjects relevant to effective organizational management such as financial management, safeguarding, governance, etc.
3. Deliver customized at least three-day training sessions to enhance the capacities of each CSO in diverse areas, including internal policy development, financial management, fundraising, proposal writing, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).
4. Draft a clear methodology and tools for conducting the training sessions and providing coaching assistance.
5. Provide coaching sessions for CSOs to address their needs and gaps related to the topics covered during the trainings.
6. Provide coaching sessions for CSOs to create or update internal policies and procedures tailored to their specific needs.
7. Offer technical support to CSOs requiring guidance for capacity development and idea formulation.
8. Prepare a final report highlighting the achievements and challenges encountered during the training process.

This consultancy aims to empower CSOs with valuable knowledge, skills, and resources to improve their operations, effectiveness, and overall impact, thereby enabling them to better serve the communities they operate in.

Methodology

The training/coaching sessions will be conducted in person or/and online. The consultant is requested to develop a methodology which includes different ways and activities to ease the information received by the participants.

 Support and resources to be provided by Alert.

• Alert staff will be available to provide the necessary support (including logistics and the needed coordination) to company and its team. 
• The company and its team are responsible for his/her own transportation and will need to have his/her own computer. 
• Alert will also provide all key background documents (if needed) to support the company and its team to perform the assignment.

Deliverables

The company is responsible for 4 deliverables:

• Deliverable 1: Develop a detailed methodology and tools, including a capacity-building plan for each civil society organization, based on an inception meeting with International Alert and a review of the organizational capacity needs assessment’s recommendations.
• Deliverable 2: Conduct the training and coaching sessions.
• Deliverable 3: Support and visit CSOs to provide them with any technical assistance in various areas based on their needs.
• Deliverable 4: Prepare and submit a thorough final report that documents the support provided for organizational capacity development, gives a detailed overview of the progress made by each CSO, and presents a set of recommendations.

Timeline

Dates

Deliverables

21 June 2024

Deadline for the submission of offers

1 July 2024

Contracting
Inception meeting

28 June 2024

Methodology, training content, tools, and detailed plan.

Between July and end of September 2024

Providing the training and the support needed for the CSOs

14 October 2024

Submission of the Final report

Qualifications:

• At least 5 years of experience in organizational development with local civil society actors and demonstrated experience in managing similar projects with NGOs.
• In-depth knowledge of good governance, project management cycle, and technical aspects of the project (M&E, communication, budgeting, etc.).
• Experience with and understanding of the local context in Southern Baalbeck and Hasbaya.
• Professional and educational background in international relations, governance, international development, policy making, social sciences, or other relevant fields related to the scope of the consultancy.
• Substantive knowledge and understanding of cultural sensitivity and a commitment to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
• Proficiency in English and Arabic, with the ability to conduct trainings, meetings, and focus group discussions in Arabic.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism, including adherence to data protection guidelines.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• A team of experts with relevant expertise to provide comprehensive support in the areas specified, ensuring high-quality training and coaching.