External Evaluation of the Disability Program

Background

Taawon (Welfare Association) is an independent non-profit organisation established in 1983. Taawon strives to make a distinguished contribution toward furthering the progress of the Palestinians, preserving their heritage and identity, supporting their living culture and building civil society in the different working areas it serves: The West Bank, Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, 1948 Areas, and the Palestinian communities in Lebanon.

 

Taawon works closely with local, grassroots organisations to address the specific needs of the Palestinian refugees living in difficult circumstances throughout the country. We support the implementation of a range of initiatives under five specific programs: Education, Youth Empowerment, Community Development (including relief), as well as Arts and Culture.  We work in close partnership with more than 25 local partners. This support is primarily delivered by providing direct and indirect funding and through the monitoring and evaluation of projects to ensure effective impact on the beneficiaries.

 

The Disability Program

Taawon has been playing a leading role in supporting the Palestinian disabled population since more than 10 years through a network of partners and a variety of interventions.  Our support touches the lives of around 500 disabled each year 70% of which are children below the age of 18.  We have partnered with four organizations covering all Lebanon and the different camps and providing a wide number of services including: assistive devices (wheel chairs, canes, shoes, etc.), rehabilitation services (physiotherapy, speech therapy, etc.), community-based rehabilitation, home counselling, school inclusion, early intervention and many more.   

How to apply

Evaluation objective and scope

The objective of the external evaluation exercise is to review and evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the disability program over the past five to six years.  This entails looking as well at relevance, sustainability, participation while providing recommendations for improvement.  More specifically, the evaluation should answer the following questions:

 

  1. What impact has the program made in the lives of the direct beneficiaries and their families as well as the community at large?
  2. How relevant, effective, efficient, sustainable and participatory was the design and the implementation of the program and its different components?
  • Relevance: To what extent is the program focused on the context and needs? How does it cater to the different target groups and to what extent it responds to their individual needs and priorities? Are the activities relevant to the program objectives? Do they take into consideration the challenges and gaps of the community it serves?
  • Effectiveness: To what extent is the objectives of the program being attained? To what extent was the program effective in bringing change and what kind change (if any) and to which group of population? To what extent did the program build on existing knowledge and experience and was sensitive and adaptive to the local context?
  • Efficiency: Is the relation between input of resources and results achieved appropriate and justifiable (cost-benefit ratio)?  How efficient was the program organisational, management and supervision structures?  Was the program implemented proficiently and in line with the set work plans and time frame? Were resources used efficiently? Were there any factors – external or internal – that affected the implementation and impact?
  • Sustainability: To what extent can activities, results and effects be expected to continue after Taawon involvement is ended? What are the prospects of the concerned stakeholders and partner NGOs for sustaining impacts after termination of Taawon intervention? Has the capacity of the implementing partners / beneficiaries been developed? 
  • Participation: To what extent are the concerned stakeholders (beneficiaries, partners, etc.) involved in the design, planning and implementation of the program components? How was the relationship – at the operational and managerial level - between the program staff and Taawon, as well as between the implementing partners and the targeted communities?
  1. Was the Program inclusive? Did it ensure appropriate gender balance and gender mainstreaming in the implementation of activities? Did it cater for the needs of the different population groups (elderly, youth, men, etc.)?  Did the program build / link to other programs within Taawon (mainly education or health)? Any effective coordination mechanisms that were established or invested?
  2. What lessons can be drawn from the past and how the evaluation outcome can help improve and develop the program further?   
  3. What recommendations can be made on the program to yield better outcomes and impact?  Any recommendations for a shift in the way the program is functioning (how and why) at different levels?

 

Evaluation Exercise

The consultant will lead the evaluation exercise in coordination under the supervision of the Program Manager and in coordination with the M&E Officer; his/her tasks include:

  • Develop the evaluation design, methodology and work plan (including timeframe).
  • Conduct a desk review; going through the different relevant documentations including, progress reports, assessments or project evaluations, studies, awareness material and audio visuals produced within the program, etc.  In addition, review any other relevant information related to the program and to disability in general.
  • Plan, design, and coordinate the data collection process
    • Identify and select sample of stakeholders and beneficiaries to be interviewed/met covering all partners and different interventions. 
    • Propose types of information to be collected from each of the different stakeholders and beneficiaries.
    • Prepare interview and focus group guides and any other tools for data collection.
    • Collect data within and outside the libraries. 
    • Conduct visits and observe the flow of work with each partner. 
  • Undertake in-depth analysis of the different findings and data collected (using the different parameters of evaluation).
  • Prepare first draft of the evaluation report and share with Taawon for review and feedback. 
  • Deliver a final edited evaluation report based on final feedback from Taawon.

 

Expected Deliverables

  • Evaluation methodology and workplan
  • Data collection tools including interview and focus group meeting guides – list of interviewees
  • Final narrative report in English language presenting the evaluation’s findings and recommendations, in addition to 2-4 pages of executive summary in Arabic and any relevant appendixes (interview questions, list of interviewees, etc.)
  • A power point presentation in English and in Arabic summarizing the report’s content

 

All deliverables to be provided in hard and soft copy.

 

Timeframe

The expected time frame for the whole evaluation exercise and delivery of final report is six to eight weeks after signature of contract.

 

Required competencies and qualifications

The selected consultant (or consultancy firm) should fulfil the following:

  • Holder(s) of an advanced degree in public health, social sciences or relevant fields
  • Experienced in conducting similar evaluations with capacity to conduct qualitative research and analyse qualitative findings
  • Possess extensive knowledge of development principles and evaluation methods
  • Knowledgeable of disability programs and interventions
  • Has In-depth understanding of the situation of the Palestinian context in Lebanon and ability to go into the different Palestinian camps
  • Enjoys excellent communication skills and proficient in both Arabic and English languages
  • Independent and neutral and has not been involved in any of Taawon’s programs 

 

Submission of Proposals

Interested candidates or institutions are invited to share their proposals (both technical and financial) before 27 November.    Proposals should be submitted in a sealed envelope with the title “External Evaluation of Disability Program”. 

 

Technical proposal to contain an overview of the proposed evaluation methodology and time plan. 

 

Proposals to be submitted to Taawon (Welfare Association) offices – Ramlet el Bayda, Al Akhtal el Sagheer Street, Green Project Bldg. 5th floor - Telephone: 01850219 / 01850218 – Ms. Hanin Shaaban

Expired
Deadline
Wednesday, 27. Nov 2019
Type of Call
Call for Proposals
Intervention Sector(s):
Disability
randomness