Civil Society Actors as Drivers of Change in South Caucasus and Moldova

Source: PIN Armenia 

 

SUBJECT: Terms of reference for the selection of an expert/group of experts to deliver online workshops for new and grassroots civil society actors.
FROM: People in Need (PIN)
PROJECT: Civil Society Actors as Drivers of Change in South Caucasus and Moldova
DATE:   16/02/21
DEADLINE for the first round of capacity building: 1/03/21
As further capacity building rounds are envisioned, the ToR will remain open and later applications will be processed on a rolling basis


Project information / background:
This assignment is part of the project “Civil Society Actors as Drivers of Change in South Caucasus and Moldova”, funded by the European Union and implemented by People in Need. The project aims to support new civic actors who are committed to representing people’s needs, seeking to influence real systemic change and raising new important issues not widely known or discussed in society. We recognize their diversity and do not envision all of them following the same path of becoming formalized civil society organizations. At the same time, we believe that we have something to learn from and offer to each other.
In each of the project countries, we support 8 selected Civil Society Actors in developing a vision for change, planning concrete steps for how to achieve it, building capacities, and accessing resources needed to go from plan to reality. PIN works together with participants to design tailored programs to help their initiatives grow and achieve their goals.
Participants are engaged in thematic areas ranging from community development and youth engagement to social inclusion and women’s rights.


MAIN OBJECTIVE

People in Need Armenia is looking for skilled Trainer(s)/Experts(s) for the delivery of one or more of the capacity building modules described below to representatives of eight newly established and grassroots Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).  Candidates can apply for one or several sections or sub-sections of the ToR. Preference will be given to applicants who are able to cover the topic in the form of a practical and participatory workshop.
Capacity building planning may change according to participants' needs and availability of funding.

• Constituency engagement (2 days): enhancing the accountability towards constituents (people the CSO is serving and people who support it); how to make sure they trust the organization, help shape its strategy and actively engage in its work;  
• Strategic communication (2 days): how to get the message about a social problem/issue out to the wider community, tailor it to different audiences, get media coverage, empower the community to raise their voices, raise sensitive issues (i.e. marginalization, gender) in a meaningful way, reach external stakeholders;
• Social media for CSOs (1 day): why and how to use the most popular social media platforms.
• Internal governance and team dynamics (2 days): how to divide roles, assign responsibilities and address disagreements in the team; why and how to set internal rules and procedures, decision-making, communication and accountability systems; good practices for informal or recently formed groups.
• Fundraising (1 day): traditional and alternative sources of funding, successful fundraising mechanisms and possibilities for diversifying sources of financing; external communication, networking and positioning for resource mobilization;
• Proposal development (1 day): an overview of donors who provide small grants to grassroots CSOs; introduction to problem framing and proposal development.
• Crowdfunding (1 day): how to gain and keep the trust of small donors, which platforms to use, how to report, what rules apply
• Strategic partnerships (1 day): how to identify, reach out to, and work in partnership with other actors who share the same vision;
• Civil society networks and partnerships (1 day): coordination and collaboration with other civil society actors; potential for cooperation between established and grassroots CSOs.
• Civil society engagement with the private sector (1 day): benefits and risks; what could we have in common – opportunities for partnership; good practices.
• Policy dialogue and advocacy (2 days): how to identify relevant public actors, decide which position to take, research and frame an issue, find levers, engage with decision makers through policy dialogue mechanisms or directly (with a specific focus on the local level).
• Coaching, mentoring, and on-the-job consultation support on any of the themes above.

Workshops could be delivered either in Armenian or in English/Russian as appropriate.
Indicated themes are based on the specific capacity-building needs identified by the target CSOs as they went through Organizational Capacity Self-Assessment and Strategic Planning processes. Trainer is encouraged to reach out to target CSOs before the workshop to ask about their specific areas of interest.
The planned duration of each workshop is indicated in working days (1 day = 8 hours). In the online format, this should be divided into several shorter sessions. 50% of the planned workshop time will be added for preparation (i.e. 1 day of preparation for a 2-day workshop) As needed, the training might be complemented by additional capacity-building activities, such as coaching, mentoring, and on-the-job consultations (budgeted separately).
Both individuals and legal entities can apply for this call.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The expert/group of experts will be responsible for:

• Designing the workshop covering one or more themes listed above, which will help the participants become acquainted with the topic and find direct applications for their work through interaction and practical exercises;
• Delivery of the module according to the needs of the participants and in coordination with PIN Project Team;
• Submit deliverables in a timely manner;
• Support CSO representatives in identifying relevant information, literature resources, and follow-up (if needed).
• Follow-up consultations to participant CSOs (if needed).

Working language: Armenian, English, or Russian.

KEY DELIVERABLES

• Brief capacity building module description;
• Workshop agenda;
• Support materials (including any presentations, worksheets);
• Photos/screenshots from the training sessions;
• List of participants;
• Outline of recommendations for follow-up.

ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS:
The trainer(s)/expert(s)/group of experts will work under the direct supervision of PIN Country Coordinator.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE REQUIRED 
 

• Experience organizing participatory, practical workshops aimed at developing skills rather than simply transferring information;
• Experience with leading online workshops, trainings or activities; understanding the specifics of the online environment, learning and collaboration;
• Experience providing coaching, mentoring or individual consultations will be considered an advantage;
• Knowledge of the Armenian civil society environment. Background in civic activism, civic participation will be considered an advantage;
• Proven communication and collaboration skills, openness to learning new things as part of the process;
• Ability to perform tasks and fulfil responsibilities within the fixed time-frames;
• Motivation and commitment to the values of transparency and integrity;
• Fluency in Armenian (preferred), English or Russian (optional).

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested individuals may apply to cover all of the proposed training themes or any of them.
Interested individuals are encouraged to submit a file containing:

1. The concept of the training program(s), describing in detail the topics to cover, all the stages of the proposed process to be conducted either in-person or remotely, and tools that will be used to make sure the process is participatory and meets the audience’s needs.;
2. The CVs (the CVs should clearly indicate the trainers’ experience in the field the training refers to);
3. Availability (specific dates) in the months of March-December 2021;
4. If applying as a legal entity, please include your organization or company profile and the profiles of trainer(s)/expert(s) who would be providing the services, including CV, availability and published work.
5. 2 references related to previous trainings provided on a similar topic(s).

The remuneration of the expert/group of experts is projected to amount to 150 EUR per working day (1 day=8 hour), (including preparation and training delivery).
The decision-making process:
Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Demonstrated experience of the trainer in the relevant field.
• Summary of tasks / proposed program.

Application packages to be submitted in electronic version to [email protected], with CSAs as Drivers of Change in South Caucasus and Moldova in the subject line. 

Deadline:  March 1, 2021 at the latest

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted
Women and men are equally encouraged to apply