Final Evaluation Consultancy- Lebanon

I. RIGHT TO PLAY

Right To Play (RTP) is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play to promote holistic development of children and youth in the most disadvantaged areas of the world. RTP is committed to improving the lives of these children and to strengthening their communities by translating the best practices of sport and play into opportunities to promote development, health and peace.

RTP programs foster healthy physical, social and emotional development of children and build safer and stronger communities. RTP’s guiding principles are inclusion, which recognizes the importance of children who may be marginalized for reasons of gender, religion, ability, ethnicity, disability, or social background; and sustainability, which ensures lasting impact.

II. PROGRAM Overview

From 1 January 2013 – 31 December 2015, the three-year overarching NORAD development program was implemented across the following nine (9) countries, through four distinct projects:

PROJECT LOCATION(S) PROJECT TITLE PROJECT GOAL EASA (Uganda, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Tanzania) Raising Her Voice: from participation to Action for Children and Youth in East Africa Decision makers and leaders act in the best interests of girls: including them in the debate on key social issues of importance to girls, and acting to dismantle the barriers that prevent them from achieving their full potential. MENA (Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories) Get Moving! Towards Positive Change in the Lives of Palestinian, Jordanian and Lebanese Children and Youth To enhance the educational environment, healthy practices and conflict prevention for children and youth in Palestinian refugee camps and disadvantaged communities. BURUNDI Sport and Play Based Youth Peace Education Through sport and play, the identified communities – inclusive of children and youth – have the capacity to manage and resolve conflicts that arise within their daily lives. PAKISTAN Sport and Play for Afghan Refugee and Pakistani Children and Youth To educate and empower children of refugee and hot communities, promoting peaceful co-existence and enhancing education quality on a sustainable basis.

The overall goal of these four programs is to educate and empower children and youth to overcome the effects of poverty, conflict and disease through the power of sport and play. Across all four countries, an targeted audience of 278,000 children and youth, and 5800 teachers, coaches, partners, and peer educators have been engaged in programming covering four (4) main outcome areas: positive child and youth development, education, health promotion, and peacebuilding.

The overall budget for the nine-country project is approximately 93 million NOK (approx. $1.5 million CAD), evenly distributed over each of the three years of implementation. Project implementation was completed in December 2015.

This consultancy will focus on Get Moving! Towards Positive Change in the Lives of Palestinian, Jordanian and Lebanese Children and Youthprogram, as described below:

Get Moving! Towards Positive Change in the Lives of Palestinian, Jordanian and Lebanese Children and Youth

Right To Play Lebanon’s Get Moving! project aims to reach approximately 34,200 disadvantaged children and youth ages 3-24 years (50% female), through a combination of regular sport and play activities, special events and outreach initiatives. The program aspires to contribute towards improving levels of education and lessen dropout rates among refugee students, as it focuses on improved social interaction and strengthening healthy practices. 10% of participants are children and youth living with disabilities.

Project beneficiaries are reached in a variety of settings, including but not limited to: schools and community centres in Palestinian refugee camps and gatherings, and in rural and urban disadvantages Lebanese communities; centres for the disabled in both Palestinian refugee and Lebanese centres; and, Parents’ Committees in Palestinian refugee camps. In addition, the program engages Syrian refugee children and youth on an ad hoc basis, in cooperation with international and local partners, and as political and security situations allow.

RTP Lebanon uses a number of activities and outreach initiatives to engage targeted beneficiaries. In particular, this program works through: integrated learning techniques in Palestinian Refugee NGOs’ kindergartens; integrated learning and other play-based learning programs in elementary-level UNRWA schools; after-school clubs; networking with partners; awareness and sensitization events for parents; and sport-specific programing with Palestinian Refugee Sport Clubs both in and outside of camps.

III. Evaluation Overview

A final evaluation will be conducted in four of the nine countries: Tanzania, Burundi, Lebanon and Pakistan.While measurement will occur in all nine countries, these four countries were selected to provide deeper evidence of impacts in each of the four programs.The consultant will be responsible for leading the final evaluation in Lebanon only.

In line with Right To Play’s agreement to measure these four countries at a more intensive level, the final evaluation will involve rigorous sample sizes (offering a 95% confidence level that the sample results represent those from the broader population) and will engage comparison groups. It will allow for an identification of changes in outcomes over time (i.e. building off of the baseline and mid-term studies), as well as differences between program and comparison children/youth.

The final evaluation will measure not only program outcomes, but also aspects of program quality such as sustainability, community participation and ownership, ongoing relevance, effectiveness, efficiencies, and best practices, as well as unintended outcomes. Comparison groups are also engaged in each of these countries to allow for an analysis of program attribution (i.e. identifying a causal relationship between the outcomes and the program). The evaluation will be managed by an external consultant(s), who will be hired to lead on all stages of the evaluation process. All consultants are expected to abide by norms and standards of development evaluation practice.

The log frames for each of the programs funded under NORAD were intentionally designed to align with our RTP theory of change thematic outcome areas. Thus, in addition to meeting our measurement accountabilities to NORAD, the measurement of these programs will contribute to Right To Play’s overall theory of change measurement strategy. The tools used in the final evaluation will be the same as those used in the baseline evaluation, with minor refinements following the baseline tool piloting process.

IV. Objectives

The primary objectives of the final evaluation are as follows:

To determine achievement of positive outcomes (knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors) included in the overarching and country-level NORAD log frames; To facilitate discussion and learning regarding program best practices among beneficiaries and staff, both to: strengthen staff capacity to carry out quality program design, implementation and monitoring in future, and to maximize stakeholder engagement in the sustainability of program outcomes; To leverage the final evaluation to inform organizational strategic learning and continuous improvement, including but not limited to unintended outcomes of the program, etc.

V. Methodology

An overview of outcomes, indicators, data sources, and data collection methods for the final evaluation(s) will be shared at later stages.

Data collection: While an overarching toolkit was developed for all NORAD countries, the tools required for each country will be compiled into country-specific toolkits to align with their own subset of outcomes and indicators. Data collection will occur in February 2016.

Data collection tools: The overarching data collection toolkit will include the tools listed below.[1]

Child Survey (ages 6-14) Focus Group Discussions with children, Leaders and parents, respectively Classroom Observation Measure the Change activity (MCA) on girl’s rights Interviews Document Review

While the core toolkit has been standardized across all four countries, and design has remained consistent from baseline so as to allow for a difference-in-differences analysis of program outcomes and impact, consultants will be given the opportunity to review both country-specific and overall methodology and tools. Consultants will be encouraged to propose revisions for greater efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation.

Sample: The final evaluation will utilize a rigorous process that involves the following:

A significant sample size (significant enough to account for a 95% confidence level with a confidence interval of 5); the same sample cohorts that participated in the baseline will be engaged to allow for an assessment of changes over time; Sample size: Approx. 450 children and youth from program site locations, with variations between countries (see subsequent sub-sections).

To check for program attribution, comparison groups will be engaged that are carefully matched to the sampled program sites, based on their characteristics and population demographics. Comparison sites engage voluntarily in data collection activities with respective Right To Play country teams, and will remain the same as those that participated in the baseline. Comparison sites in Burundi, Tanzania, Lebanon and Pakistan were purposefully selected to meet the following three criteria:

Sites that were not implementing Right To Play activities; Sites that matched the selected program sites as closely as possible, in terms of their characteristics, context and population demographics; Sites that were located far enough away from the Right To Play sites to ensure that children involved in Right To Play activities would not be interacting and imparting lessons on the comparison site children. Sample size: Approx. 200-250 children and youth from comparison sites

The same sample that participated in the baseline will be engaged in the final evaluation. As such, eight schools implementing Right To Play program (two of which are Lebanese) and four comparison schools (two of which are Lebanese) will be participating in the evaluation.

The baseline involved children in primary classes of 1, 2, and 3. For the final evaluation, children in grades 2 and 3 will be involved, with the possibility of involving grade 4 students, who participated in the baseline and midterm evaluations.

The selection recognized the following characteristics:

Geography: schools selected from the different areas in Lebanon: central, south and north; in the cities and around them.
Location: schools in the Palestinian refugee camps and outside the camps. Security: some camps are subject to security hazards more than others, such as Ain el Hilweh camp in the south area, and el Beddawi camp in the north. Length of program: children in grade 2 have been participating in the program for at least one year, and children in grade 3 have been participating in the program for over two years, etc. And, in the case of comparison sites, willingness to participate in the evaluation.

VI. Scope of Work for Consultant

Right To Play is seeking a consultant to conduct the planning, enumerator training, data collection and data entry required for the NORAD Final Evaluation in Lebanon.

The consultant should be based in Lebanon. The consultant will be one of four consultants working on the NORAD final evaluation and will be responsible for the evaluation activities in Lebanon. They will be supported by the lead consultant who will be responsible for providing overarching support for the final evaluation in all four countries. The lead consultant will also conduct the data analysis and reporting portion of the final evaluation while each country/region consultant will focus on the data collection and data entry.

More specifically the Lebanon consultant will:

Support the lead consultant in the review of the evaluation methodology (process, sampling, toolkit, analysis framework) and plan the evaluation in consultation with Right To Play; Work with the Right To Play country office to assemble a suitable data collection team external to Right To Play. The consultant will support the orientation of data collectors so they are fully trained and prepared to collect and record the data. The data collection team should be large enough to carry out the necessary tasks, capable of communicating in the respective languages of the selected countries and very familiar with the context, challenges, and sensitivities of working with vulnerable communities where the NORAD project was implemented. Collect qualitative and quantitative data using the data collection toolkit and methods such as classroom observations, surveys, focus group discussions and partner assessments. Support data entry and cleaning in the data entry sheets and submit the final data to the lead consultant. Lead an internal review of findings with stakeholders for validation and results interpretation Support the lead consultant with data analysis and report writing.

VII. General Conditions of the Consultancy

The consultant will have an orientation to Right To Play’s program delivery model The consultant will have extensive experience with a wide variety of data collection methods The consultant will submit a detailed work plan and time frame for the completion of the consultancy work Consultants will share work progress on daily basis (due to the tight time lines of the final evaluation) Consultant must have excellent working proficiency in English.

VIII. Roles & Responsibilities

The consultant will report to the lead consultant for the final evaluation, and all deliverables should be submitted to them according to the schedule outlined in the work plan below.

The consultant’s roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Background research to familiarize themselves with the NORAD program and Right To Play’s approach (i.e. program documents provided by Right To Play) Support the review and revisions of the final evaluation methodology Planning the final evaluation Recruitment and training of enumerator team Conduct data collection Conduct data entry and data cleaning
Leading an internal stakeholder review of findings for the purposes of validation and interpretation
Support the lead consultant with the data analysis and report writing

IX. key Deliverables and Time Line

deliverables deadline Detailed work plan and timeline for deliverables 24 February 2016 Final Evaluation Design 29 February 2016 Revise data collection tools 4 March 2016 Completed data collection 18 March 2016 Completed data entry sheets 25 March 2016

X. Project Schedule

The anticipated number of days for this consultancy is 19 full days. The proposed schedule for the final evaluation project is as follows:

Submission of proposal: 13 February 2016

Decision to award contract: 17 February 2016

Preliminary calls/meeting with RTP: 19 February 2016

Completed Data Collection: 18 March 2016

Completed Data entry sheets: 25 March 2016

XI. Proposed Budget and Payment Schedule

First payment: After signing of contract agreement between Right To Play and Consultant (25%) Second payment: Submission of analyzed data (50%) Final payment: Submission of the final report approved by Right To Play (25%)
Note that the total proposed budget for the consultancy should not exceed 18,000USD.

XII. Qualifications

An organization/individual with at least 7 – 10 years of experience in the research and/or evaluation field Experience leading mixed-methods evaluations (i.e. both quantitative and qualitative techniques), preferably including experience with children and youth Strong facilitation skills, particularly with regards to working with vulnerable groups Strong project management skills Demonstrated understanding and support of principles of equity and inclusion Fluent spoken and written English

XIII. Proposal Application Submission

Interested Individuals are requested to submit proposals including the following documents:

Cover letter/expression of interest A complete profile of the organization/individual, highlighting previous experience in data collection CVs of any other key team members who will be the part of the Final Evaluation team Two writing samples, ideally reports the organization/individual has lead authorship on Project management plan and budget

The Proposal must be submitted no later than 21 February 2016 to: [email protected]. Early submissions are encouraged and appreciated.

While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

Right To Play is a child-centered organization. Our recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to the safety and protection of children in our programs.

To learn more about how we are and what we do, please visit our website at www.righttoplay.com.

منتهية الصلاحية
آخر مدة للتقديم
الأحد, 21. فبراير 2016
نوع الدعوة
N/A
قطاع(ات) التدخل:
N/A
randomness