Expression of Interest Sister CBO

The Partnership aim:

Mercy Corps and Akkarouna’s main objective is to strengthen the capacity & skills of the new sister CBOs so they can work efficiently and effectively in their communities. The below trainings & the partnership itself will increase the capacity of the CBOs that can result in receiving and sustaining more funds to work in their areas.

1. Finance & Procurement
2. MEL/Reporting
3. PSA
4. Creative Facilitation
5. PSS
6. Event Planning(Initiatives)
7. How to Deal with Youth
8. Inter-Agency Referral Mechanism
9. Outreach
10. Negotiation Skills
11. Management & Leadership
12. Conflict Resolution

Moreover, the second purpose behind establishing a partnership with another sister-organization is:

1. to extend outreach to reach further communities and areas
2. ensure extra space for the center activities separate from the original Community center
3. Enhance the management capacity of Akkarouna.
4. Strengthen coordination and cooperation between NGOs, CBOS and CSOs in each area.
5. to ensure increasing the local network for further community referrals

Activities within the Adolescent and Youth Friendly Spaces:

The program follows a tested methodology that has supported over 12,000 youth in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria since 2014, leading to demonstrable impacts in terms of their capacity to engage productively in communities. 

The Adolescent and Youth Friendly Centers will provide a mix of social, recreational, educational and life skills training to youth, as well as psychosocial support, following methodologies, which have been tried, tested and evaluated, by Mercy Corps and Akkarouna. Akkarouna will support selected partner to understand and implement this methodology in the centers.

In addition to managing the small centers, in coordination with Akkarouna, the partner organizations will:

1. Provide suitable spaces/rooms to accommodate 15-20 adolescents per activity as agreed upon by the work plan.

2.  Design and conduct an outreach strategy for targeted communities.

3. Spearhead the outreach to adolescents and coaches in their areas ensure collecting a diverse and large number of applicants.

4. Identify volunteers to carry out activities in community outreach work following position descriptions provided by Akkarouna.

5. Sign volunteering agreement with volunteers to perform different roles as per terms of reference and organizational structure agreed with Akkarouna.

6.  Develop and support implementation of work plans and activity schedule.

7. Identify and liaise with local community resources (from the public and private sector) to support in project implementation through corporate donations and in kind services.

8.  Support and facilitate meetings of Community-based protection networks (CBPN).

9. Help with other activities as requested and agreed upon such as: drop in activities, one or two intensive courses, awareness sessions, as well as assist in donor visits and support the development of future funding proposals for the sustainability of BUSSMA project.

10.  Ensuring confidentiality of the youth and adolescents attending the activities.

11. Ensure that adolescent friendly space working hours are sufficient and are in accordance with the times agreed upon with Akkarouna.

12. Provide regular programmatic and financial reports as per Akkarouna’s templates and timelines.

13. Maintain inventory and manage all assets in the space and ensure they are kept in a secure and a safe space.

14. Support with other functions and responsibilities as needed and requested related to the successful implementation of the project.

15. Work with Akkarouna and Mercy Corps on ensuring sustainability of services and results of the project through participating in a sustainability plan.

16.  Adhere to all SOPs (Standard Operation Procedures) related to the YFT program and Mercy Corps.

The targets of each activity will be discussed after the selection process., the partnership with Akkarouna extends from October 15, 2018 till October 15, 2019. This partnership is renewable based on funding and the performance of the selected Sister-CBO.

Eligibility Criteria for Sister-CBO:

• To have physical space at least 60 m²
• Positive relationships with local stakeholders, host and refugee communities
• Acquire legal documents in order to sign small sub grants

• Willingness to work with the local NGO based on a YFT work plan
• At least two years operating in the field
• The sister partner must be a NGO, CBO or CSO
• Two years’ experience working with adolescents and youth at the community level
• Ability to recruit volunteers for any kind of activities concerning the YFT program and also support us in referring CVs for coaches’ position if required (qualified/experience).
• The sister partner should have a certain distance of the community center (explain more).

Has finance & procurement department. Have physical assets inside their center that includes: desks, chairs, cabinet, fans/air conditions, any heating system that won’t harm the youth, stationary.

• Minimum protection standard capacity that is understood and in effect.
• Protection Policy should exist or they are willing to abide by MC protection policy.
• Code of conduct should exist or they are willing to abide by MC code of conduct
• Previous experience or trained on CP.
• It’s preferred to have reporting channels for complains. 
• Gender equality exists /or they are willing to apply it in the new partnership.
• There is Center Safety: it could include (fire distinguisher, 1^st aid kits…)
• The role of the CBO is to decrease the risks of recruiting abusers (criminal record asks about the applicant, does an orientation or induction…)