Coaches

Search Lebanon: 

Search for Common Ground (Search) is a non-governmental organization working to transform the way the world deals with conflict. We have acquired over 35 years of experience in peacebuilding and are based in over 30 countries around the world. Search first worked in Lebanon in 1996, addressing multiple issues arising within Lebanon's diverse society. In each project we seek to engage all stakeholders to work together to address shared challenges and develop joint solutions. We have led programmes around the world to help societies channel their differences away from adversarial approaches and towards collaborative solutions with activities that range from conflict mediation and peace education to stabilisation and women’s empowerment.

Project information: 

The project aims to promote social stability amongst and between host communities and refugees in Lebanon and will be implemented over a period of 21 months. It has two specific objectives:

• SO1. Cultivate collaborative and positive dialogues and narratives between communities across Lebanon;
• SO2. Shift public perceptions towards greater trust and respect between communities across Lebanon;

Target groups :

The project will target a broad range of stakeholders including  local communities, refugees, municipalities, local influencers, bloggers, media influencers, Ministry of Interiors and Municipalities, Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Information and finally the peace building community at large.

Methodology and Approach:

The project will be implemented on a two year period, using a mixture of national multimedia campaigning and community-led dialogue initiatives to ensure a widespread perspective transformation and relation building. The initiatives will focus on key hotspot communities in the governorates of Akkar, North, Mount Lebanon, West and Central Bekaa, Baalbek-Hermel, and Beirut. The project will  be implemented using the following outputs:

• Output 1.1 Research and analysis into linkages between strategic communications and social stability.
• Output 1.2 Team of champions facilitate dialogue sessions and activities at community level
• Output 2.1 National multimedia campaign targeting the population at-large and some key media stakeholders, national and sub-national government figures, top social media influencers, and CSOs
• Output 2.2 Newsroom Team to address rumours and hearsay.

Objectives of Coaches: 

Search will select 24 local influencers, known as Champions, from different backgrounds and locations,  between the ages of 18 and 30 year old. The Champions will facilitate 10 dialogue sessions with 10 local community members, and plan and implement a community-led initiative in their communities. Search will provide each of the Champions and their teams with a mini-grant to implement a symbolic initiative in their communities. The Champions will also be part of a team that will identify, assess, and reduce rumor spreading that leads to increased tension. 

Search is seeking one coach to mentor four Champions, from each of the designated areas (Akkar, North, West/Central Bekaa, Baalbeck-Hermel, Mount Lebanon, and Beirut), and support them in planning and facilitating the dialogue and community-led initiative sessions. The coach will work closely and report back to the Project Manager and the Search Lebanon team to ensure that all milestones are met.

Overall, the coaching aims to:

• Guide the Champions with the dialogue sessions planning and facilitations (Agenda setting, challenges, reporting, activities, etc.)
• Guide the Champions with the community-led initiative sessions planning and facilitations (Agenda setting, logistical planning, brainstorming, assigning roles, inclusivity, reporting, challenges, etc.)
• Coach and support the Champions on matters related to dialogue facilitation, conflict mediating, community-led initiative planning (Budgeting, logistics, role assignment), reporting, debriefing
• Needs assessment to determine the type of coaching support needed.

Methodology and Approach:

The Search approach to mentoring is grounded in the guiding principles of our work: participatory, culturally sensitive, committed to building capacity, affirming and positive while honest and productively critical, and valuing knowledge and approaches from within the context. Search and the hired coach will agree upon a joint set of standards when negotiating the final contract of agreement. The below principles should be taken into account:

• Inclusiveness—the methodology should include a wide range of viewpoints, specifically gender, age, culture, and conflict-sensitivity when applicable.
• Mixed-method approaches—both qualitative and quantitative methods need to be present in the methodology.
• Rigor of evidence—gathered information needs to be reliable and transparent.
• Ethics—the methodology needs to consider ethics in order to insure that the evaluation is fully objective.

Expected  deliverables:

• Attend a three-day Introductory and Coaches Training
• Attend two of four Thematic Trainings
• Develop a Coaching Methodology in consultation with Search 
• Meet and coach each of the Four Champions in the designated area at least one week prior to the sessions, once a month for 13 month, to: 

1.  Support each Champion draft an Agenda for the dialogue and community-led initiatives sessions, to include clear objectives, expectations, and outcomes in addition to the exercises and tools used for each session
2. Mentor each Champion on topics related, but not limited to, dialogue facilitation, conflict mediating, community-led initiative planning (Budgeting, logistics, role assignment), reporting, debriefing, as well as soft skills when needed.

• Debrief call the Champions after each session to reflect and assess the outcomes (dynamics, tools, challenges, possible solutions, and successes, etc.)
• Attend a total of 4 sessions per champion during the 13 month period, to observe and assess the sessions
• Submit a monthly ‘Coaching Report’, within 1 week of each session. The report should include: Analysis of material given, knowledge gained, Champions’ needs assessment, the coach's feedback, and recommendations
• Maintain regular contact with the Search Project Officer
• Attend meetings with external stakeholder meetings as requested by Search

The sessions and the coaching will begin January 1st, 2020 and end January, 30th 2021, totalling 13 month. All handwritten and electronic notes, handouts, materials, and reports, as well as, any equipment received from Search for the purpose of the consultancy are owned by Search and should be submitted to the project team.

Logistical Support: 

Search Lebanon will provide the consultant with logistical support through:

• Ensuring that the consultant receives key documents in a timely manner

Coach’s Qualifications:

Search Lebanon seeks an experienced Trainer with the following qualifications:

• Over 5 years of relevant experience, including project management, mentoring volunteers, facilitation of workshops, and/or capacity development
• Experience in conflict transformation, peacebuilding, dialogue and conflict and gender sensitivity
• Excellent knowledge using media for peacebuilding and campaigning
• Excellent written and spoken Arabic and English skills required, including demonstrated ability to coach, set agenda, facilitate, conduct needs assessment, and  write a ‘Monthly Narrative Report’
• Candidates should be aware of the overall tension and situation between Lebanese and refugees communities, as well as, tensions within communities
• Experience working with an international organization is an advantage
• Peacebuilding values and attitudes: a personal commitment to use nonviolence and dialogue as effective methods to prevent and resolve daily problems

Additional desired skills:

• Ability to be flexible with time and work schedule while being culturally sensitive 
• Ability to build trust with champions, while maintaining a professional relationship
• Attention to detail and ability to meet tight deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Capacity to empathize with others
• Creative problem solving, particularly in challenging situations
• Good communication and reporting skills

In addition, the consultant is required to respect the following Ethical Principles:

●  Comprehensive and systematic inquiry: Consultant should make the most of the existing information and full range of stakeholders available at the time of the review. Consultant should conduct systematic, data-based inquiries. He or she should communicate his or her methods and approaches accurately and in sufficient detail to allow others to understand, interpret and critique his or her work. He or she should make clear the limitations of the review and its results.

●   Competence: Consultant should possess the abilities and skills and experience appropriate to undertake the tasks proposed and should practice within the limits of his or her professional training and competence.

●  Honesty and integrity: Consultant should be transparent with the contractor/constituent about: any conflict of interest, any change made in the negotiated project plan and the reasons why those changes were made, any risk that certain procedures or activities produce misleading review information.

●   Respect for people: Consultant respect the security, dignity and self-worth of the respondents, program participants. Consultant has the responsibility to be sensitive to and respect differences amongst participants in culture, religion, gender, disability, age and ethnicity.