SDC support Project Consultancy

Terms of References

1. Background Information

Lebanon continues to face a complex range of challenges, exacerbated by ongoing crises that have deeply entrenched vulnerable socio-economic conditions. The severe economic downturn, combined by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating explosion at the Beirut port in August 2020, has plunged a significant portion of the population below the poverty line. With the absence of a functioning government, the socio-economic landscape remains in a state of deterioration, further straining resources and exacerbating vulnerabilities.

Among these challenges, there is a growing recognition of the important role that Social Development Centers (SDCs) play in empowering communities and addressing socio-economic needs. As key pillars of support within their respective areas, SDCs serve as essential hubs for delivering a wide range of services, including medical assistance, social support, skills development, and community engagement etc. Their important role in directly addressing the diverse needs of individuals and families underscores their significance as key pillars of support, particularly in times of crisis and socio-economic disturbance.

While SDCs may not currently offer dedicated employment services, their central position within communities renders them as invaluable channels for facilitating access to opportunities and resources. By leveraging their existing infrastructure and networks, SDCs have the potential to expand their scope of services to include employment support, thereby enhancing their impact on socio-economic development and community resilience.

1. Brief description of the project

With funding from the European Union (EU), the International Labour Organization (ILO) is implementing Enable programme focusing on providing livelihoods opportunities to enhance the economic capacity of the most vulnerable and marginalized communities residing in targeted areas. The programme will provide integrated employment services and short‐term employment opportunities, which will reduce dependency on social assistance for the extremely poor and vulnerable, contributing towards social cohesion.

1. Job description

Oxfam seeks to empower and capacitate a newly formed employment support and coaching service unit within 10 selected SDCs covering Lebanon. This initiative aims to assist SDC staff in delivering quality services that address the diverse needs of job seekers. Additionally, it aims to ensure the efficient and consistent implementation of employment support and coaching service practices across all selected SDCs. The ultimate goal is to provide a standardized approach, adopted by MoSA and implemented by all SDCs, to employment support and coaching services for individuals seeking employment assistance.

For this phase of this project, Oxfam is looking for a service provider capable of the following:

3.1 Conduct a comprehensive desk review of the tools and needs assessment developed by Oxfam. This desk review should include:

• Reviewing all SOPs and tools developed by Oxfam and the documents related to the program, which are the focus of this topic, including those related to job counseling, referral processes, monitoring, and follow-up procedures:

• • SOP on employment support and coaching services.
  • Socio- economic profiling tool.
  • Consortium's methodologies, approaches, , including those aligned with the ILO standards and practices.
  • Findings of previously SDC staff and needs assessment conducted by the project team to identify key lessons learned and best practices that can inform the design of local employment networks and cells for employment referrals.

3.2 Assessment and alignment workshops:

3.2.1 One assessment finding dissemination workshop (around 50 people):

For all mapped 20 SDCs:

•  Dissemination of the findings of the previously conducted SDC staff and needs assessments (3.1), tools presentation, discussions and Q&A shall take place.

3.2.2 Roadmap presentation and alignment workshop (around 30 people)

For 10 SDCs selected for the project:

• Outline the upcoming activities, objectives, timelines, and deliverables, with a specific focus on the creation of local employment networking cells.
• Explain the plan for creating local employment networks and cells for employment referrals. Inform the SDCs about the next steps, including visit schedules, the outreach process, and their required involvement.
• Encourage discussions to ensure the alignment of the activities with the needs and goals of the SDCs.

3.3  Supporting in the creation of local employment networks and Cells for employment referrals:

• The consultant will support in facilitating the creation of a working Cell inside each of the 10 SDCs. The Cell will be the engine for the SDCs to connect and engage with local networks of organizations, including CSOs, professional associations, vocational schools, chambers of commerce and National sectors working groups.
• The consultant will facilitate the creation of the Cells SOP and ways of working that defines the scope of work of the Cell’s members.
• With the support of Oxfam and the SDCs, the consultant will begin by identifying and engaging a diverse range of stakeholders mentioned above, all of which can play integral roles in the local employment landscape. the consultant will support SDCs and Oxfam in organizing 20 meetings with municipalities to discuss and establish referral mechanisms. These meetings aim to enhance collaboration between SDCs and municipalities, ensuring a streamlined process for referring job seekers to appropriate employment and training opportunities."
• The consultant will facilitate one coordination meeting in each SDC between the designated Cells and local networks of organizations to work on building capacities, employment, and job placement. These meetings should also involve local and national entities, as well as regional and national sector working groups. The expected total number of attendees for each meeting shall be around 20-25 attendee.

1. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

Type of deliverable

Deadline

Conduct a comprehensive desk review: Reviewing all SOPs and tools

2 weeks through the assignment

Assessment and alignment workshops

3 weeks through the assignment

Supporting in the creation of local employment networks and cells

4- 6 weeks through the assignment

Reporting

8 weeks through the assignment

1. Qualifications

These project tasks should be led by a consultancy group, an organization, or an individual with:

• 5 years of experience in providing capacity-building and technical support services in the field of social development, preferably with a focus on employment support and coaching services.

• Demonstrated expertise in designing and delivering training programs focused on creating local employment networks and cells for employment referrals. Experienced in developing capacity-building initiatives for social development centers or similar organizations, supporting job counseling and employment services for vulnerable populations.
• In-depth understanding of the socio-economic context of Lebanon, particularly regarding employment challenges and opportunities faced by marginalized communities. Familiarity with the operations of the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA) and Social Development Centers (SDCs) is an advantage.
• The consultant should have excellent facilitation skills to engage participants, foster knowledge sharing, and encourage active learning.
• Excellent English and Arabic communication skills, including advanced writing abilities.
• The organization should have excellent administration, organizational and time management capacities.

1. Process

Interested consultants should submit their:

• Organization profile
• Registration Documents
• CV(s) of the capacities and facilitator(s) that would be working on the project (should be provided before starting the activities)
• Banking details (Active Fresh US$ Account)
• Technical Proposal
• Financial proposal including consultancy fees and all associated estimated costs such as logistics and communication costs.
• The quotation should provide detailed pricing, with each activity (3.1, 3.2, and 3.3) quoted separately. Please ensure that the pricing is detailed for each activity. For activities 3.2 and 3.3, the quotation should be all-inclusive, covering all logistics such as venue, materials, catering, and transportation.
• Immediate availability to start the project.

Interested consultants should present their CVs and a brief proposal which must include a methodology for this study. The proposal must also include all estimated project costs including transportation, logistics, and communication to Oxfam Italia at  [email protected] by no later than the 23^rd of June 2024 midnight mentioning “SDC support Project Consultancy” in the Subject Line.