International Consultant on Peer Support for Improving Adolescent Mental Health, 50 days within 5 Months (Remote/Work from Home)

UNICEF is looking for a seasoned international consultant to provide technical support national counterpart in developing systematic and standardized guidelines and training materials on peer support activities for adolescents in China.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, Mental Health 

China is home to 146 million adolescents aged 10-19. Based on the survey conducted by the National Health Commission (NHC) and UNICEF in 2017, 17% of adolescents might suffer from depression, 40% reported self-harm at least once in the past 12 months, and over one third reported feelings of anxiety. A total of 30 million children and adolescents under 17 are estimated to have behavioral and emotional problems in China, among which, about 50% to 70% need mental health services but remain untreated.^[1]

Tackling mental health problems in children and adolescents (and building up positive mental state) will lay the foundation for mental health in adulthood. However, promoting good mental health and provision of high-quality services is a major gap, due to the lack of qualified personnel and appropriate tools to promote mental well-being of adolescents.

In response, UNICEF China has been working with the National Health Commission (NHC) on development and roll-out of the adolescent mental health service package. The mental health service package is to promote and foster positive mental health and emotional well-being, covering key interventions such as development of interpersonal skills, emotional regulation, problem-solving and stress management.

Building on the project, in close partnership with National Center for Women and Children’s Health (NCWCH) and the National Center for Mental Health, China (NCMHC), UNICEF will design and test an adolescent peer education and support approach in both schools and adolescent communities. The key component of the project is the development of a “peer educators” system to empower adolescents in providing adolescent-friendly, self-directed, easily-accessible, and systematic mental health support to their peers. Key activities include:

1. Establishment of an expert committee, setting the role of peer supporters and craft criteria of recruitment of peer supporters; development of training manuals for trainers and peer supporters and training courses;
2. Establishment of delivery framework, training plan, and building “peer support” system;
3. Development of monitoring and assessment tools.

UNICEF is looking for a seasoned international consultant to provide technical support national counterpart in developing systematic and standardized guidelines and training materials on peer support activities for adolescents in China

How can you make a difference? 

Working with UNICEF China and NCMHC, the intended consultant will be responsible for providing technical review and inputs in developing guidelines and training modules, that’s in line with the content of existing service package, as well as training to national experts. Specific tasks will include:

1. To craft outlines, provide technical review, inputs and recommendations to the below two guidelines and two sets of training materials

1) Guidelines for adults, including role of a facilitator, selection criteria and process for recruiting peer supporters, ethics and child protection guidance, etc.

2) Guidelines for peer supporters, including role of a peer supporter, ethics, working with trusted adults, etc.

3) Training modules, slides and a facilitator guide for schoolteachers and those who will deliver training to adolescents. Materials will cover basic principles, as well as norms and standards for supporting a peer supporter.

4) Training modules slides, hand-out for and short videos for peer supporters. Materials will cover basic principles and tips for supporting peers and instructions for school-based messaging campaigns.

2. To develop tools for monitoring and assessment.

Major Tasks, Deliverables & Timeframe:

Task 1) Plan the consultancy (including the methodology, timeline, etc.) with inception report by 15th Jan 2022; 

Task 2) Work with domestic technical team to craft outlines, provide technical review, inputs and recommendations to two guidelines and two sets of training materials - a) draft outline of training manuals by 25th Jan 2022; b) provided review and inputs to the draft developed by the NCMHC and c) presentation to NCMHC and national experts on the key recommendations to the above materials by 15th Apr 2022

Task 3) Provide technical review and inputs to updated versions of two guidelines and two sets of training materials - a) provided review and inputs to the updated materials and b) provide training to NCMCH and national experts on using guidelines and delivering training modules by 15th May 2022

Task 4)  Work with domestic technical team to develop tools for monitoring and assessment tools - a) finalized tool for assessing the quality of the training and b) finalized monitoring and assessment tools by 25th May 2023

Note: All deliverables are expected to be submitted against the above timeframe. The consultant will primarily work with UNICEF, with some interactions with Chinese technical agencies, who will be responsible for developing all of the training toolkits.

Methodology & Expected Output:

No travel is required to China, but it is required to:

1. Participate in bi-monthly regular update meeting,
2. Participate in at least three meetings with NCMHC and Chinese national experts against four tasks described above,
3. Respond to emails and telephone calls.

Expected key outputs are:

• Reviewed materials that are in line with international norms and standards, including:
  1. Guidelines for adults;
  2. Guidelines for peer supporters;
  3. Training modules, slides and a facilitator guide for schoolteachers and those who will deliver training to adolescents;
  4. Training modules slides, hand-out for and short videos for peer supporters.
• Finalized monitoring and assessment tools

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum Academic Qualifications required and disciplines:

• Master degree or PHD in psychology, mental health, public health or medicine is required.

Knowledge/Experience/Expertise/Skills required:

• Strong technical expertise, management and experiences in peer support related programmes for adolescents, including development of training materials, design and implementation of training modules;
• Technical experience in adolescent mental health related programmes, development of training materials, design and implementation of training modules;
• Understanding and knowledge of the Chinese context, or previous work experience with UN agencies or in China is an asset;
• Knowledge of Results Based Management, understanding of the Convention on the Rights of the Child;
• Fluency in English reading, speaking and writing. Speaking Chinese will be an asset
• Good teamwork and communication skills.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

 To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

 UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.