National Consultant for Developing Package and Providing Training and Supervision on “Positive Life Skills for Most At-risk Adolescent”

This consultancy will contribute to achieve the following key objectives: To develop and pilot the practical package and training materials for AWBCs’ technical staff on Positive Adolescent Life Skills; To increase the knowledge and practical skills of AWBCs’ technical staff to provide training on Positive Adolescent Life Skills for at-risk adolescent through provision of training workshops; To ensure effective and suitable delivery of training on Positive Adolescent Life Skills to at-risk adolescents in AWBCs though on-site supervision and monitoring.

UNICEF Iran Country Office 

Requires a NATIONAL Consultant for Developing Package and Providing Training and Supervision on

The beginning of adolescence is marked by puberty, an increase in biological events leading to an adult sized body and sexual maturation. It is also a period of storm and stress for many adolescents and youth. Though, biological forces play a significant role in the physical changes that takes place during the transition period from a child to an adult, a combination of biological, psychological and social forces influence an adolescent's development. It is a time young people drift away and distance from parents. Spending more time with peers and conforming to the ideas and judgments of their peers are common during this period. This transition is so crucial that adolescents face problems in certain areas of life such as parent child conflicts, mood changes and risky behaviors such as drug use and unprotected sex. If these issues are not resolved the individual suffers role diffusion or negative identity, which results in mismatched abilities and desires, directionless and are unprepared for the psychological challenges of adulthood. These internal stresses and social expectations lead to moments of uncertainty, self-doubts and disappointment in the adolescent. It is at these situations that the young person takes risks and involves in risk taking behaviors. For these reasons, life skills training is important to help young people cope with challenges that they face in their day to day lives.

Positive Life Skills training program is a cognitive-behavioral, skill-building interventions in the series of self-developmental sessions. The cognitive-behavioral theory that underlies Positive Life Skills training program suggests that health risk behavior can be modified by teaching skills for behavioral change. This notion also corresponds to the literature that suggests an adolescent's positive connectedness with the family, social, and community environment is protective against substance abuse and other risky behaviors. Basic and advanced skills are taught in these sessions including communication skills, dealing with peer pressure and learning to resist negative peer pressure, handling criticism, and assertive skills; saying to high-risk behaviors, understanding the changes that an individual goes through in the stages of development; especially during the adolescence period and being aware of one's self, feeling good about one's self, learning to have relationships with others, understanding other people with regard to their cultural values, applying creative thinking to problem solving, handling stress, managing anger and making informed decision in every aspect of their life.

The initial programme for Adolescents Wellbeing Club (AWBC) was developed in 2017 in response to needs recognized among adolescents attending in All-In Centers. These adolescents had chaotic family and social environments that included violence, poverty, risky sexual relationships, and substance abuse. An AWBC technical staff including counselor, psychologist, social worker and outreach worker created the group intervention in order to provide additional social support, counseling, and education on drug use prevention, HIV prevention, and instrumental assistance to these high-risk adolescents.

2. Specific Objectives

This consultancy will contribute to achieve the following key objectives:

• To develop and pilot the practical package and training materials for AWBCs technical staff on Positive Adolescent Life Skills; 
• To increase the knowledge and practical skills of AWBCs technical staff to provide training on Positive Adolescent Life Skills for at-risk adolescent through provision of training workshops;
• To ensure effective and suitable delivery of training on Positive Adolescent Life Skills to at-risk adolescents in AWBCs though on-site supervision and monitoring.

3. Methodology and Technical Approach

Positive Adolescent Life Skills Package; the consultant shall develop a package on positive adolescent life skills which required for at-risk adolescent. The package includes, main text, manual for trainers, pre/post evaluation instruments and workbook for participants based on scientific evidences and literatures. After developing DRAFT package, consultant has to plan and implement it on pilot basis in consultation with UNICEF and respective ministry and based on the findings the package should be finalized accordingly.

Training Workshop; the consultant shall provide a three-day training to the selected participants to enhance their capacity. S/he shall cover the theoretical foundations of the life skills training and interventions along with some hands-on sessions and practices. The role play for different scenarios will take place during the sessions and practices will be performed in an AWBCs during the training which will allow the participants to enhance their skills on training conduction that are introduced during the classroom sessions.

On-site Supervision; to ensure effective delivery of training on positive adolescent life skills to at-risk adolescents, the consultant shall provide one round of on-site supervision for seven AWBCs located in cities of Tehran (2 clubs), Ahvaz, Shiraz, Khoram Abad, Karaj, and Kermanshah.

4. Activities, Deliverables, and Indicators

Activities and indicators:

4.1: Finalize the content list and category of topics for the package

Corresponding Deliverable

• List of content (skills)
• Category for skills
• Number of sessions
• Time for each session
• Sequence of sessions
• Arrangement for each session
• Structure for sessions

Indicator

• all deliverables are discussed, finalized, and submitted

4.2: Develop the content of positive adolescent life skills training package for at-risk adolescents

Corresponding Deliverable

• Main text (theoretical basis)
• Manual for trainers
• Workbook for participant
• Pre/post evaluation instruments

Indicator

• all deliverables are approved by MOH and UNICEF focal point, and submitted to UNICEF

4.3: Prepare educational materials, handouts and agenda for the workshop at least two weeks before the workshop

Corresponding Deliverable

• Workshop materials
• Workshop agenda
• Workshop hand-outs
• Workshop evaluation forms
• List of trainers

Indicator

• all deliverables are approved by MOH and UNICEF focal point, and submitted to UNICEF

4.4: Provide training in a three-day training of trainers workshop on positive adolescent life skills training for at-risk adolescents

Corresponding Deliverable

• 3-day TOT workshop
• Workshop evaluation report in Farsi and English

Indicator

• all deliverables are approved by MOH and UNICEF focal point, and submitted to UNICEF

4.5: Conduct one round of on-site supervisions for technical staff of seven AWBC located in cities of Tehran (2 clubs), Ahvaz, Shiraz, Khoram Abad, Karaj, and Kermanshah

Corresponding Deliverable

• List of visits
• Agenda for telephone supervisions
• Reports and recommendations of each visits (7 reports) in Farsi and English

Indicator

• all deliverables are approved by MOH and UNICEF focal point, and submitted to UNICEF

4.6: Submit the final report including recommendation for further adaptation, incorporation and scale-up of the initiative

Corresponding Deliverable

• Final report in Farsi and English
• Power Point Presentation on report and recommendations

Indicator

• all deliverables are approved by MOH and UNICEF focal point, and submitted to UNICEF

N.B.  All reports and presentations should be submitted in English and Persian

5. Management and Organization

5.1. Management: The consultant will work under the direct supervision of UNICEF Adolescent Development and Participation Officer. S/he also need to work and coordinate certain issues with the responsible government officials in the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, HIV/AIDS Control Department.

5.2. Travel: Duty travel to cities listed in item 5 of table of activity shall be covered by consultant.

Duty travel of individual consultant for the implementation of consultancy within the country (cities listed in the item 5 of table 1) shall be covered by individual consultant. Also the individual consultant will be responsible for his/her travel arrangement.

5.3. The UNICEF will be responsible for organizing and coordinating all meetings with the counterparts as required.

5.4.Timeframe  The entire project will be conducted in 40 working days during 20^th Sept. to 30^th Nov. 2018.

6. Budget and terms of payment

The assignment will be funded form UNICEF Education Thematic fund. The consultancy fee shall be paid in four installments to consultant, upon approval of relevant deliverables.

7. Conditions of Work: The consultant shall use his/her own facilities to manage the work, but, where circumstances demand otherwise, shall be allowed to make use of available UNICEF office space, computer and internet facilities with prior notification and arrangement with the supervisor and UNICEF Admin/ICT. The provision of these facilities by UNICEF shall be subject to their availability.

8. Qualifications

The consultant should possess the following qualifications:

• University degree; Ph.D. or Master of Science in Psychology or relating disciplines (counseling, social working and etc.), 
• Minimum five years of working experience in the field of Life Skills Training with the proven knowledge and skills on working with at-risk children and adolescents,
• Proven facilitation skills and training workshop experience,
• Previous experience of facilitation of Life Skills Training workshop. Previous experience to compile the service package on Life Skills Training will be an asset,
• Previous working experience with UNICEF/UN is an asset,
• Fluency in Farsi and English is required.