South Sudan: Evaluation of Jonglei Youth Literacy & Peacebuilding initiative

Purpose

The Peace building Fund programme started in September 2015 and comes to an end in August 2015. There is a need for a local programme evaluation to understand the impact of the programme on the youth in Pibor, Minkgkaman, and Akobo counties of South Sudan; support the transition of peace building programming into UNICEF’s Peacebuilding and Adolescent program and into the wider Country Programme; and support knowledge building and organizational learning activities.

The evaluation will generate good practices and lessons learned on the intended and unintended impact of the Peace building Fund initiatives including an assessment of the extent to which planned objectives were met. This evaluation is intends to measure the nature of the change that has taken place in the lives of youth, and to determine its significance on their development and contribution to peace building. The two objectives of the program are:

1. Increase literacy and functional skills for youth and adults and provide alternative and accelerated learning for out of school adolescents.
2. Inclusion of youth in reconciliation, peace building dialogue, income generating activities and their participation in voluntary services will reduce conflict rate in the communities.

Scope

a. This assessment seeks to evaluate the UNICEF South Sudan’s Peace building Fund initiative against the evaluation criteria indicated in Section B of this document*.*

b. The evaluation will assess the initiative’s performance, framed as immediate outcomes, in achieving (or not achieving) each of its targeted objectives. As elaborated in Section C (“Methodology”), the evaluation will use direct observational data, secondary analysis of immediate outcome-level project data, and end user feedback.

c. The evaluation will examine each immediate outcome and frame its findings in terms of the initiative’s progress towards achieving them. Individual findings and recommendations will be geared toward specific interventions, as appropriate.

d. The evaluation will take into account unforeseen contingencies, including the political, economic and social context, along with other internal and external factors affecting the achievement of initiative’s objectives. The evaluation will also take into consideration the role of complementary youth programming being undertaken by other governmental or non-governmental organizations.

e. The evaluation consultant will assess the changes that can be attributed to a programme, both the intended and unintended ones.

B. EVALUATION CRITERIA

The evaluation will focus on the below-listed criteria. The consultant is expected to use the Most Significant Change technique. UNICEF is open to discussing other participatory techniques that could be applied.

Relevance

· To what extent are the objectives of PBF contributing towards MoCYS and MOEST policies?

· Are the activities and outputs of the programme consistent with the overall goal and the attainment of its objectives?

· Are the activities and outputs of the programme consistent with the intended impacts and effects?

· Given the on-going conflict and need for recovery and resilience programming, which areas of the PBF initiative remain the most relevant?

Impact

· What unintended outcomes, positive as well as negative, have resulted so far from the initiative?

· Have the skills/ peace building opportunities for youth influenced their perceptions towards peace building? Have skills been translated into action?

· How successful has the initiative been in boosting the state representatives’ ability and willingness to advocate and engage with youth (in an otherwise new country with nascent governance system)

· How successful has the initiative been in boosting youth representatives’ ability and willingness to advocate and engage with stakeholders and duty bearers in low system functionality (including low central/ state level budgetary support, on-going conflict)

· How successful has the initiative been in boosting youth literacy, life skills, and participation?

Effectiveness

· What approximate proportion of relevant beneficiary groups has been reached?

· To what extent have girls and other targeted subpopulations been reached?

· Which groups have been missed out? (what is the diversity of the reached groups)

· What is the perception of programme results and achievements by beneficiaries, local authorities and other stakeholders?

· Are government staff-youth relationships supportive in contributing towards programme objectives

· What key internal and external factors have influenced the initiatives ability to achieve immediate outcomes targeted by the initiative?

· How can some of the challenges be creatively resolved for future interventions?

· Overall, how successful has the initiative been in increasing on-the-ground ownership (National and state level) to deliver and maintain broad youth participation, development and other related components?

· How has the initiative responded to programming in the difficult and fluid context (how varied and flexible has the programming been)?

Sustainability

· How effectively has UNICEF coordinated with other key actors to ensure that further building blocks, partnerships on youth development and participation (that lie outside the main scope of the present initiative) are in place?

· To what extent have the stakeholders especially youth taken a lead in the planning, implementation and decision making aspects of the programmes components?

· To what extent have relationships between local stakeholders and partners especially youth influenced the initiative?

What are the lessons and opportunities that have been capitalized on or missed?

Some criteria are subject to further change during the planning phase. Updated criteria should be included in the Inception Report

C. METHODOLOGY

Desk Evaluation

· Desk evaluation of key documents (e.g. project reports; project outputs etc.).

Primary Data Collection – Interviews or Focus Groups, Direct Observation

· Interviews and/or focus groups discussions with key stakeholder groups, in order to gauge perceptions in an open-ended manner through a sampling criteria agreed on by the evaluation consultant in Juba and at field level.

· Ad-hoc observations of programming or partner staff undertaking interventions with beneficiaries in at field sites.

· Direct observations of key meetings (e.g. Project Steering Committee, State forums, etc.).

· Demonstrations of key project tools developed (e.g. modules) and trainings particularly at community level.

Secondary Analysis of Existing Data

· Analysis of input and output data collected by Peace building Fund partners and others (both among programme beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries, where possible) to ascertain the effects of key interventions.

D. RESOURCES AND TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Deadline: An interim summary of key findings and recommendations arising from data collection – in the form of an aide memoire – immediately following the data collection mission on Aug 2015 (dates to be confirmed).The contracted consultant should submit the draft evaluation report by Aug 2015 (subject to prevailing conditions).

E. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

UNICEF as commissioner takes the accountability of the final evaluation and designated as supervisor for this evaluation..

a)Evaluation Managers: Managerial oversight will be undertaken by the UNICEF Peace building Education & Advocacy Program Manager or Office in Charge.

b)Evaluation Reference Group (ERG) will include the Evaluation manager, UNICEF Adolescent/ Youth Development specialists; and two designated representatives from implementing partners; The ERG will:

· Provide advice and support to the evaluation consultant throughout the process

· Review the Inception Report and Draft Evaluation Report and ensure final draft meets the UNICEF-Adapted UNEG Evaluation Reports Standards.

· Review and provide comments and feedback on the quality of the evaluation process as well as on the evaluation products (comments and suggestions on the TOR, draft reports, final report of the evaluation).

c)The evaluation consultantwill report to this Evaluation manager and conduct the evaluation. This includes fulfilling the contractual arrangements in line with the Terms of Reference, UNEG/OECD standards and ethical guidelines.

F. QUALIFICATIONS

UNICEF is looking for an experienced multi-disciplinary national consultant with experience in designing and conducting evaluations of “*Youth Livelihood and Peace building Initiatives*” including in emergency contexts. Specifically:

a) The consultant should have a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences, statistics or a related field (CVs required).

b) Extensive experience in programme evaluation (7 to 10 years) and must have completed at least one evaluation related to youth development and participation in humanitarian settings. (Provision of sample work is required)

c) Excellent writing and communication skills in English (Reference and production of sample work required)

d) Solid background knowledge on UNICEF work in education or youth development, including in emergencies is an asset

e) Expertise in human rights and results-based programme management

f) Good knowledge of OECD/DAC evaluation criteria, as well as experience in evaluating youth development programmes will also be an added advantage.

g) Experience using the “Most Significant Change” methodology is an asset.

G. DELIVERABLES

· Evaluability and Inception Report: Within ten (7) days of signing the contract

· Data collection and draft evaluation report: Within fifteen (21) days of signing the contract

· Final evaluation report, summary presentation and summary infographics: within thirty (30) days of signing the contract

H. BUDGET AND PAYMENT

All interested consultants are requested to include in their submission detailed costs including:

a) Daily rate including hours per day

b) Expenses (external and internal travel, field works, interpretation and translation etc. Please include all relevant costs that are required for this exercise to be agreed prior to commencing of evaluation

c) Any additional requirements needed to complete project or that might have an impact on cost or delivery of products

d) The consultants would be required to use their own computers, photocopier etc.

Payment is contingent on approval by the Evaluation Managers and will be made in three instalments:

a) 30% upon clearance of the evaluability and inception report by Evaluation Managers

b) 40% upon completion of data collection and submission of the first draft of the evaluation report

c) 30% upon submission of finalized evaluation report, power point presentation and infographics.

DeliverableTime frame Payment schedule Evaluability and inception report 7 days 1^st payment upon delivery (30%)Completion of data collection and submission of the first draft 21 days 2^nd payment upon delivery (40%) Submission of finalized evaluation report, power point presentation and info graphics. 30 days Final payment upon delivery (30%)

The evaluation consultant may propose different payment schedules that will be considered during the assessment of the proposal.

I. OFFICIAL TRAVEL It is expected that the evaluation consultant would make a visit to Jonglie State where the programme is underway for field work. All travel costs should be incorporated in the technical proposal and included in the financial proposal. UNICEF can facilitate flights and introduction or reference letters

Interested and suitable candidates should ensure that they forward the following documents on or before 19th Aug. 2015.

a. Sample of previous similar work produced

b. Application letter outlining why they are suitable

c. Curriculum Vitae

d. Signed P11 form (downloaded from :http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc),

The Human Resources Manager

UNICEF South Sudan Country Office

Email address: jubavacancies@unicef.org

Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered. Please also note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.