External Evaluator/Consultant

1. Background

Project Background:

International Alert Lebanon is implementing the “Building CSOs’ capacity to deliver social stability projects in West Beqaa, Zahle, and Upper Chouf” 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 to improve horizontal social stability in target communities through a greater capacity of CSOs to conduct conflict-sensitive activities that further social stability.

In the context of the project, social stability is understood as the state of relationships between different communities and groups. Stable and cohesive societies are characterised by positive interactions, attitudes, and trust between different groups.

International Alert’s intervention aims to support CSOs in three areas - West Beqaa, the Upper Chouf areas, and Zahle - 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.

• Main components of the project:

• Project Goal and objectives

Improved horizontal social cohesion in target communities through greater capacity of CSOs to conduct conflict-sensitive activities that further social cohesion.

• Expected output /results.

• Output A: Civil society organisations are better able to implement social stability  projects/integrate social cohesion into their current work.
• Output B: Civil society organisations have strengthened organisational capacity that acts as an enabling factor contributing to sustainability.
• Output C: Civil society organisations’ initiatives improve social stability in target communities.

• Target Groups:

The primary stakeholders in this project are CSOs from West Bekaa, Zahle and the Upper Chouf area of Mount Lebanon.

• M&E and key milestones:

Data collection includes quantitative and qualitative activity data such as participant lists, pre and post training testing, and feedback from participants. It also includes qualitative processes intended to capture higher-level changes, such as Outcome Harvesting.

Data is be collected from activities and analysed monthly, in addition to, Outcome Harvesting and reflection processes (project staff and direct participants e.g. CSOs and municipalities).

At the end of the project, Alert will undertake more in-depth data collection in partnerships with CSOs and key stakeholders, in order to capture changes and determine impact on final/indirect beneficiaries within the community.

The initial assessment of CSOs will serve as a baseline, against which their progress in different areas can be measured using post-training surveys, ongoing trainer/coach observations, and assessment tools used at the end of the project. Similarly, the context analyses can serve as a baseline for measuring the impact of initiatives in the target communities.

• Exchange of learning within project

Alert will organize a total of five sessions that will allow CSOs to reflect and exchange learning. In each of the two regions, there will be one session on exchange between CSOs and then one that also includes participating members of municipalities. There will then be one final session that includes members of CSOs and municipalities from both regions. Alert will use the reflections and lessons shared, along with lessons that our own team have recorded, to compile a learnings report at the end of the project that can be used in future implementation.

• External learning exchange on social cohesion

Alert will use the learning generated through this project (including the learning report) to inform broader sector approaches. Drawing on robust MEL practice and evidence of outcomes and impact, Alert will continue to advocate with donors and practitioners for continued focus on social cohesion in Lebanon, through both dedicated project and integrated approaches. To this end, Alert will share findings in a round table discussion event that gathers relevant stakeholders on social stability. 

1. Role of the External Evaluator

1. End-Line Learning Paper (TOR 1):

The eternal evaluator will lead on the development of an end-line learning paper to assess the impact of the project in order to point out achievements, challenges and to draw on a list of Learnings and best practices. Not only will this evaluation understand the performance and impact generated by the project especially at the CSOs’ level, but it will also help understand issues like relevance and sustainability, and will analyse the impact of the work in the complexity of the current Lebanese context.

The learning paper will also assess the efficacy of the trainings and tools provided to CSOs for integrating Social Stability concepts into their projects and the effect of Intergroup Initiatives on the local communities. That will lay the foundations for recommendations, learnings, and best practices to effective social stability interventions in areas such as West Bekaa, Zahle and Upper Chouf.

The learning paper should follow the OECD criteria, impact, efficiency, learning, relevance, and sustainability. Moreover, all data findings shall be desegregated: by gender M/F, location, and nationality; host community/refugees, people with disability wherever applicable.

In order to develop this learning paper, the evaluator will contribute to data collection on different project levels, including (TOR 2):

1. Data Collection from CSOs’ initiatives:

The consultant/ evaluator will be contributing to the data collection from the community initiatives that will be conducted by CSOs – around 20 to 23 initiatives.

Data, qualitative and quantitative, will be collected via initiatives reports, FGDs and/ or KIIs with key stakeholders and  initiatives’ participants, in addition to post surveys with a sample of initiatives’ participants.

This will help reflect on the percentage of the number of community members reporting increase in positive perception toward other groups in their community (Output indicator C1)- who therefore report that:

• Output C: Civil society organisations’ initiatives improve social stability in target communities.

1. Data Collection from CSOs and learning exercises:

The consultant/ evaluator will also be contributing to the data collection of quantitative and qualitative data.

This will occur via learning events and FGDs with CSOs, and collection of success/ impact stories from CSOs. International Alert team with the evaluator will be also collecting the data via trainings (training reports and pre/post surveys), and reflection sessions reports, in order to reflect on the percentage of CSOs who respond that:

• They are better able to implement social cohesion projects/integrate social cohesion into their current work (Output A)
• They have strengthened organisational capacity that acts as an enabling factor contributing to sustainability. They believe they will be able to sustain higher organizational capacity after the end of support (Output B)
• Alert’s support has been useful in delivering projects with social cohesion impact (Output C)

The external evaluator will also coordinate with IA communications team to identifying ways to have:

1. External learning exchange – contribute to round table discussions & guidance document

Alert will use the learning paper developed by the external evaluator to inform broader sector approaches. The evaluator shall coordinate with the comms team at IA to develop blog post on what works for social cohesion- as per the generated learning paper.

In addition to that, the evaluator will build on robust MEL practice and evidence of outcomes and impact, to advocate with donors and practitioners for continued focus on social cohesion in Lebanon. To this end, the evaluator will contribute to sharing the findings in a round table discussion event that gathers relevant stakeholders on social stability. Evaluator will as a result directly contribute to the development of a guidance document by the end of the project, highlighting on the adopted methodology of integrating social stability into organizations’ initiatives and projects.

1. Consultancy Duration

The end-line learning paper  will cover/reflect on the whole project duration which is from December 2022 till July 2024.

Alert will also contribute to providing all collected data, up until March 2024, and will also help in data collection to the recruited evaluator whenever needed. Alert will also provide the evaluator with a set of tools that he/she will need to conduct the quantitative and qualitative data collection.  

The consultancy duration is expected to be for 5 months – from Mid-March till July 2024 (covering and average of 76 days). The precise timing and modality of work will be discussed and agreed on with the consultant.

1. Expected deliverables:

• End-line Learning Paper

• Initiatives data collection – FGDs with participants from the community (from CSOs initiatives)

• An Overall Initiatives Report (from CSOs initiatives)

• Learning Reports (from learning events and FGDs with CSOs)

• Impact Stories (from learning events and FGDs with CSOs)

• Exchange of external learnings – via contributing to round table discussions

• Development of guidance documents

Alert staff, the Project Manager, Field Coordinator, Finance Officer, and MEL Officer, will be available to provide the necessary support (including logistics and the needed coordination) to the consultant/ evaluator whenever needed. 

The consultant is responsible for his/her own transportation and will need to have his/her own computer. 

Alert will also provide all key documents such necessary to perform the assignment.

1. Required skills and experience

• University degree in social sciences or relevant fields, preferably a holder of master’s degree in peacebuilding, social sciences or other related fields.
• At least five years of experience with familiarity for standards of ethical conduct in research/evaluation settings 
• Has experience in evaluations/research relating to localization, peacebuilding, protection, livelihoods, and/or social stability
• Previous experience with local CSOs, preferred.
• Previous experience in Chouf and Bekaa context, preferred.
• Sound and proved experience in conducting evaluations and impact assessments, particularly learning focused evaluations.
• Expertise in qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques
• Experience in facilitating discussions, learning events, and/or trainings
• Fluent in English and Arabic
• Strong inter-personal communication skills
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Prior experience working on public consultation projects is a plus