ToR for the Situation Analysis in Social Welfare Sectors in Balkans within the Regional Project: “Future for You(th): Young people as Leaders of Life Skills Education in the Balkans”

July 12, 2021 News

ToR for the Situation Analysis in Social Welfare Sectors in Balkans within the Regional Project: “Future for You(th): Young people as Leaders of Life Skills Education in the Balkans”.

Project Duration: 1st March 2021 – 29th February 2024

Deadline for application: July 19th 2021

About CARE in the Balkans

CARE’s mission in the region is to contribute to post-war recovery and the socio-economic development of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo* and Montenegro. CARE in the Balkans consists of Offices in Sarajevo and Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH); in Belgrade, Serbia; Skopje, North Macedonia and Pristina, Kosovo*. 

CARE’s work in the Balkans started in 1992, when it provided humanitarian support to people affected by war. In the late 90-ties, CARE shifted its focus in the region from humanitarian post-war assistance and rehabilitation to socio-economic development engaging in interventions directed at conflict prevention and peacebuilding, sustainable livelihoods, gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence. 

CARE in the Balkans places the quality of its program at the centre and has developed a regional strategy that encompasses two main program directions: Gender Equality and Social and Economic Inclusion. The goal of the Social and Economic Inclusion Program is to strengthen capacities and create opportunities for marginalized, socially excluded and poor to integrate into society and access rights. CARE’s Gender Equality Program aims to empower women and girls vulnerable to violence, discrimination and poverty, to reach better life opportunities and social justice. CARE’s engagement and contribution lies in strengthening sustainability of key regional, national and/ or local civil society organizations and networks promoting gender equality and diversity, in the context of social inclusion and non-violence.

Project Description

Peer and gender-based violence along with unhealthy lifestyles and risk of radicalization remain a pressing problem in schools and juvenile correctional institutions in the Western Balkans, fuelled by gender stereotypes and social and cultural norms, and exacerbated by a challenging socio-economic context, with high unemployment and migration rates and political uncertainty. The educational and social welfare systems in the region, generally rigid and obsolete, do not succeed with current programs in the response to this situation. In 2013, through the Austrian Development Agency (ADA)-funded project Young Man Initiative (YMI), CARE and partners started to advocate for introducing gender transformative life skills programming -– such as Program Youth (hereinafter, Program Y) – in high schools in Serbia, Kosovo*, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to fight inter-personal and gender-based violence and improve gender equality in the region. 

Building on the achievements from YMI, the project will put the emphasis in institutionalization and sustainability, working with ministries and quality assurance institutions for the accreditation of Program Y and its integration of life skills education in national curriculums. It will expand its implementation by, and piloting the tailored programs in elementary schools and correctional institutions, strengthening the cooperation with pedagogical and teaching universities, and maximizing the use of online tools to ensure the continuity of the program in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Young Men Initiative II has adapted Program Y to target youth at risk and in/out of school in a model called Program Y Plus (or Program Y+), piloted in the 4 target countries. The lessons learned from this piloting will be introduced in the design of a tailored model for working with young people at risk that are in the process of rehabilitation within juvenile correctional facilities. This will be accomplished by involving the youth NGO Status M, a long-term CARE partner from Croatia with experience in this very area of work, to coordinate and work with project partners on topics of de-institutionalization, de-radicalization and re-socialization and by targeting high-risk youngsters and correctional facilities. This approach envisions the following activities: 

a) establishing cooperation with focal points in the ministries in charge of social affairs, centres for social work / social services, institutes for social protection and ministries of justice and juvenile facilities that will be directly engaged in program development, implementation and its possible institutionalization in the future 

b) creating a tailor-made manual on working with youth in correctional facilities that will include sets of educational workshops and social norms campaigns aimed at youth in correctional facilities to build an enabling environment 

c) conducting trainings for working with youth at risk in juvenile correctional institutions for representatives of partner organizations 

d) creating and conducting a training program for social welfare staff and educators working with youth at risk 

e) implementing manual-based workshops and trainings in correctional facilities and providing mentoring support to partners and social workers throughout implementation, 

f) establishing Be a Man Clubs within correctional institutions and targeted communities to create a tailor-made replication of the Program Y model of safe spaces for youth at risk.

The Program Y Plus model will offer new knowledge for the social welfare staff as well as social institutions to improve methodologies in re-socialization of young people.

Purpose of the Situation Analysis Study

The Situation Analysis in Social Welfare Sector Study will be carried out to contribute to a successful implementation of Program Y Plus component of the project. The Study will offer overview of the situation in the social welfare sector relevant for Program Y+ implementation, analyse entry points in juvenile correctional institutions (educational correctional or juvenile detention institutions) in Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, BiH; suggest relevant social welfare institutions for cooperation; suggest in which specific institution and in which target area new Program Y Plus should be implemented as well as propose a road map for project implementation. This will be done in cooperation with social welfare stakeholders in Serbia, Kosovo*, Albania, BiH, CARE and partner organizations.

The Consultant`s Responsibilities 

The Consultant(s) will be responsible for the following:

  • Review project documents and reports related to Program Y Plus implementation 
  • Mapping of relevant stakeholders and initiatives concerning educational programs in correctional and social welfare institutions for youth
  • Review of social welfare laws and policies related to educational programs entry to social welfare institutions for youth 
  • Conducting interviews with social welfare stakeholders, CARE and partner organization representatives 
  • Develop road map for process of implementation of Program Y Plus in specific correctional institution in Serbia, Kosovo*, Albania, BiH. 
  • Deliver written document Situation Analysis Study for all four countries.  

Indicative workload with timetable 

Description of the activitiesNumber of DaysTimetable 
Revision of documents and mapping of stakeholders and initiatives2 DaysAugust 1 -10 2021
Revision of laws and policies  1 DayAugust 1 – 10 2021
Conducting interviews  2 DaysAugust 1 – 10 2021 
Developing road map for implementation3 Days August 10 – 20 2021 
Finalization of Situation Analysis and report  2 DaysAugust 20 – 25 2021 
TOTAL10 Days
Application

CARE invites individual experts, teams of experts, NGOs and agencies from the Balkan region, familiar with the context and subject of the project in question, to respond to this call and present in details their expertise, experience, division of work and responsibility levels/responsible person (in case of teams or agencies).

Required qualifications

  • Comprehensive experience with conducting Situation Analysis Studies (The applicant is requested to send several samples of prior assessments written by him/herself).
  • Background from social sciences field with minimum of five years of working experience in social welfare sector.
  • Extensive knowledge and understanding of youth correctional institutions in Balkan region 
  • Preferably prior experience with projects targeting gender equality.
  • Preferably knowledge of the national/regional and EU public policies targeting life skills education. 
  • Excellent oral and writing skills in English

Application process

The candidates (individual, company or teams) are expected to include in the application: 

  • Cover letter 
  • Technical Offer covering all aspects and tasks required in the ToR. The technical offer must include:
  • Approach including tentative work plan and division of responsibility (if team of consultants is applying) suggested by the applicant (3 pages max)
  • Professional profile of the expert (s) (CVs of all individuals included in the consultancy team)indicating contacts on reference persons from at least three former employees/contractors. 
  • Similar reports or other analytical outputs produced by the applicant.
  • Financial Offer includingcost breakdown. 
  • The consultant(s) shall suggest the global price in EUR (per position if team applies) and the number of days predicted for the work. 
  • The global price must include all administrative costs (such as but not limited to backstopping costs, insurance, reports, communication costs, rent for Contractor’s facilities), as well as a breakdown of travel, allowances, and accommodation expenses if relevant.
  • Prices must in gross amount (free of all duties, taxes and other charges, including VAT). The amount of VAT may be shown separately.

Selection:

The applications will be assessed as follows:

  • Financial offer 30%
  • Technical offer 70%

Offers should be submitted by July 19th 2021 at 4 p.m. to the following address: 

Procurement Team, CARE International Balkans, Hasana Kaimije 11, 71 000 Sarajevo or to the e-mail address [email protected] and [email protected]

The offer that is chosen by CARE International Balkans will be notified in writing by July 23rd  2021. 

Reports

Following document have to be submitted in hardcopy format and online:

Situation Analysis Study:

  • Should be no longer than 15 pages (Arial or Times New Roman, font 11) 
  • Should present disaggregated data based on sex and if feasible ethnicity.
  • The report fulfils the requirements listed in the Terms of Reference.
  • Study should be written in English(text must be edited free from spelling mistakes and unclear linguistic formulations).

Coordination/Responsibility

The coordination between Consultant, CARE Project Manager and YMI Senior Advisor, partner organization representatives will be done by CARE Project Manager. 

CARE commits itself to:

  • Prepare and agree on a work-plan with the Consultant(s)
  • Provide support with the data collection. 
  • Coordinate with the Consultant(s) 
  • Provide requested documentation to Consultant(s)
  • Provide logistical support to the Consultant(s)

Consultant commits him/herself to:

  • Realize all the activities listed in TOR in highly professional manner
  • Respectful collaboration with partner organizations and CARE staff in the field

Payment

The payment will be made upon CARE staff approval of submitted Study of the Consultant(s). 

Annex 1 – Format for Situation Analysis Study 

Report should include the following chapters:

  • Introduction
  • List of Acronyms
  • Executive Summary
  • Methodology
  • Overview of social welfare system, laws and policies and relevant stakeholders and initiatives 
  • Overview of correctional institutions for youth and relevant stakeholders 
  • Road map for implementation of Program Y Plus with clear recommendation in which specific correctional institutions the project should be done and how the process should look like 
  • Conclusions / Recommendations
  • Annexes 

Supported by

© Young Men Initiative - All rights reserved - 2023