Early Childhood Development Technical Consultant - Beirut

Background of the project 

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities that support them, as well as with those who remain within their homes and communities. At-work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. IRC reaches over a million children annually with education and child protection programs in 25 countries around the world.

High-quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs provide the foundation for children’s future academic success, health, prosperity, and wellbeing. A large body of scientific evidence emphasizes the need for increased investment in early childhood, particularly for children experiencing conflict, crisis, and displacement; these children are extremely vulnerable to the long-lasting effects that prolonged stress has on the developing brain.

Through its scaling pathways, The IRC ECD Lebanon program is collaborating with the Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA) on training MoSA social workers on ECD core concepts, who will then cascade the training to the staff at MoSA daycares and daycares affiliated to MoSA. The IRC is also collaborating with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), the Mother and Child Health Unit to roll out the under three early learning program in identified private nurseries across Lebanon.

Purpose of the Consultancy

The IRC ECD Lebanon program, in collaboration with MoSA, seeks to develop and implement a comprehensive training program for MoSA social workers on ECD core concepts. These social workers will subsequently train daycare facilitators across Lebanon. The goal is to enhance the quality of services and care provided in daycares.

The IRC ECD Lebanon program, in collaboration with MoPH- The Mother and Child Health Unit, aims to train 15 nurseries across Lebanon on the under three learning program, to be piloted in these nurseries.

Development of Training Materials:

• Review and develop content covering ECD core concepts: (Introduction to Early Childhood Development and Education, Learning through Play in the Early Years, Safe and Enabling Leaning Environment in the Early Years).
• Review the training content of the under 3 learning program.
• Ensure that all materials are developed in Arabic.

Training Activities:

• Design and support in delivering training sessions for MoSA social workers across different regions in Lebanon.

Support and Evaluation:

• Collect feedback from trainees to continuously improve the training materials and approach.
• Provide reports on the training sessions and outcomes to the ECD Senior Technical Quality. Manager.

Key Working Relationships

• ECD Senior Technical Quality Manager

Requirements:

• Master’s degree in early childhood education, or a related field.
• 5 + years of professional experience in teaching, early childhood education, curriculum development, and delivery of training.
• Strong understanding of the educational context and needs in Lebanon.
• Strong interpersonal and presentation skills
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Computer literate in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Autonomy and ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Flexibility, commitment, work ethics, and team spirit.
• Fluency in Arabic and English.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.