The purpose of this Call for Expression of Interest is to identify Local NGOs who will partner with Spark Lebanon in 2018 for the delivery of a variety of student services. Interested NGOs are invited to send us an expression of interest to receive our tender.

 

SPARK is responding to the higher education crisis for Syrian refugees and vulnerable youth residing in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq/KRG. A lack of opportunities can lead young adults into poverty, radicalisation or to take the dangerous journey to Europe. By offering young people a chance to continue their education in the region, an educated workforce will be available to rebuild Syria once the conflict is over. Scholarships are offered for courses necessary for rebuilding, e.g. Civil Engineering, Childhood Education and Psychology.

In the MENA region, SPARK offers three solutions; scholarship packages, language & vocational trainings, and advocacy. Our scholarship packages allow vulnerable young people, primarily Syrian refugees, to access higher education in the region. By partnering with local universities, we ensure that successful applicants are automatically offered a place at an institution, without having to further apply. The packages also offer student services, including psychosocial support; economic empowerment courses; and leadership development. In addition to these activities, smaller-scale vocational and language courses are provided. Finally, SPARK encourages hosting governments to introduce better regulations for integrating refugees into the educational system.

 

A. Call for implementing partners to deliver student services and support

 

  1. 1. Psychosocial support and wellbeing

 

General description: Many of beneficiaries have experienced war and conflict and thus may have been exposed to overwhelming and/or traumatic events.

Coordinated by the implementing partners, scholarship holders will be offered regular counseling and psychological support, implementing partners hold the responsibility to provide SPARK with regular progress updates, in accordance with SPARK’s reporting structure.

The Psychosocial support services provided by the implementing partner are in addition to general counselling provided by SPARK project officers, and Institutional specific employees who will be trained in student counseling methods by the implementing partners; to also facilitate referral for further psycho-social services provider.

  1. 2. Language support

 

In addition to the scholarships SPARK provides additional language support for students, this service is particularly relevant considering that the majority of our students comes from an all Arabic background while now studying and living abroad. Knowledge of the host language and English is essential for both social and academic integration. Therefore language support will be provided regarding the language of the host country (Lebanon), additionally English language support will be provided for relevant degrees for which Basic English knowledge is requested.

 

  1. 3. Legal counselling

 

A key barrier faced by our students are the legal restraints they face in the various host countries. Therefore SPARK will provide students with access to legal counselling. The implementing partner will be responsible for activities related to legal counselling on a referral basis as well as capacity building of student affairs focal points at selected higher education institutes. The later will cover basic knowledge while more severe issues will be covered through the referral structure.

 

B. Call for implementing partners to deliver Leadership and development programme

Overview: A comprehensive, multi-stage training programme to empower students to become motivated civic leaders, with the ability to engage productively in the rebuilding of their societies and to provide leadership within and outside of their own communities.

Our rigorous selection process selects students who are willing and able to maximize on the opportunities provided by the programme, fostering the knowledge and skills to become self-advocates, inspirational civic leaders and positive global citizens. They are individuals who possess the right attitude and mind set to further the opportunity provided to them both individually and for their local communities.

Through the unique civic leadership programme we are essentially trying to promote positive and ethical behavior, which is the essence of being an inspirational civic leadership and positive global citizen. The programme is designed to ensure that students will not just be recipients of support but will also have an opportunity to then provide further support to others.

The delivery of the curriculum is fifty percent theory and fifty percent practical with student initiatives implemented in the local and/or host community at part of each course. The programme is twinned with the student’s degree programme.

C. Call for Potential partners to deliver Economic empowerment programme

SPARK will support the students to start their own businesses through offering them entrepreneurship and SME development training programme, business plans competition, and coaching and mentoring students who are willing to establish their own businesses. Cooperation with universities and official institutions, the entrepreneurship ecosystem and private sector facilities is very crucial to push this and to offer good added value.

Brief overview: within economic empowerment component, this work package includes creating opportunities for students to find employment in their study area and try to establish their own businesses. Therefore, the economic empowerment component is structured by three main sub-work breakdown structure: 1) Economic Empowerment events; 2) Entrepreneurship training, 3) Internships and Employment Opportunities;

 

Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship support

A comprehensive approach for economic empowerment will be adopted in order to facilitate the development of new businesses creation among the target students. Extracurricular training on entrepreneurship will be offered to scholarship recipients. A well-prepared Arabic entrepreneurship curriculum is being contextualised and used in the training. Annually a business plan competition will be organised amongst the scholarship holders so that we help a group of students to start their own businesses.

In addition, events and seminars will be organized for scholars who gravitate around the economic reconstruction of Syria. At these events, local Syrian businessmen will be invited to speak about inspirational stories on how they have managed to keep their business afoot and what pans they are making to return to Syria when such is possible. Moreover, SPARK will tap into network of young business leaders from over 25 (Former) fragile states to invite inspirational business leaders that have managed to bring their dream of setting up a company or making a career in a company into a success.

 

How to apply

NGOs can apply i) individually, ii) as a consortium (with one NGO leading the application process) or iii) as an umbrella (with one international or national NGO leading the programme and sub-contracting other NGOs).

Interested NGOs are advised to send a ‘letter of interest’ attached with two quick documentation:

  1. NGO Profile including their registration.
  2. Track record in the area they are willing to apply for.

 

NGOs that wish to participate in this Call for Expression of Interest are requested to send their submission by email with subject “Call for Expression of Interest – Spark Lebanon SS 2018” to the following address before January 31st noon:

[email protected]

منتهية الصلاحية
آخر مدة للتقديم
الأربعاء, 31. يناير 2018
نوع الدعوة
دعوة لتقديم مقترحات
قطاع(ات) التدخل:
تنمية
randomness