1. INTRODUCTION
SOS Children´s Villages International is currently coordinating the implementation of the project “Leaving Care - An Integrated Approach to Capacity Building of Professionals and Young People” co-financed by the European Commission’s DG Justice. The project implementation time is: April 2018 to April 2020.
a) Why this project
Leaving Care - An Integrated Approach to Capacity Building of Professionals and Young People seeks to contribute to the capacity building of a range of Care Professionals (CPs) working with children or young people leaving care or with responsibility for the well-being of young people. The project builds on the experience of project partners to develop and deliver trainings for CPs to learn how to integrate a child right approach into their work and best prepare children and young people for leaving care.
b) Project overview
| Project coordinator: | SOS Children’s Villages International |
| Implementing partners: | FICE Austria and SOS Children’s Villages national associations in Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Italy and Romania |
| Aim of the project: | The project seeks to address the shortcomings and challenges with the leaving care process, policies and practice as situated within existing child protection/child care systems in the participating countries, and to roll-out trainings for care professionals, develop resource materials and recommendations to ensure better support and better outcomes for young people in their preparation for a life of independence. |
| Objectives: | Build the capacity of professionals to integrate a child rights based approach to their work especially in preparation for leaving care. |
c) Timing of the evaluation
The evaluation will take place between December 2019 and March 2020 (four months).
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE EVALUATION
Part I: Training Evaluation
The training evaluation aims to determine the quality of the Training of Trainers for the Master Trainers and of the training sessions delivered to national stakeholders in each of the six participating countries. It also aims at evaluating to what extent the young people who participated in the project felt their contribution to the training sessions has been important.
Main tasks:
- Collate and analyse the pre- and post-training evaluations from the Training of Trainers
- Collate and analyse the pre- and post-training evaluations from the national training sessions
- Collate and analyse the findings from the national focus groups
- Collate and analyse the findings from the national impact assessments
- Conduct, collate and analyse the meaningful youth participation evaluation
- Submit final analysis of all evaluation findings in the form of a report
Part II - Project Evaluation
The final project evaluation aims to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the activities carried out within the project. It also aims at evaluating to what extent the project indicators have been fulfilled, how sustainable the project is and to make recommendations to the project management.
Effectiveness:
- To assess to what extent the project objectives/expected results were achieved/are likely to be achieved
- To present the main results of the project in quantitative terms (indicators report)
- To identify the major factors that have influenced the achievement or non-achievement of the objectives
Efficiency:
- To look at the cost-efficiency aspect of the activities
- To look at whether or not objectives have been achieved on time
- To assess whether or not the project has been implemented in the most efficient way
Sustainability:
- To assess to what extent the benefits of the project continue after the project will have been closed (end of March 2020).
Lessons learned:
- To point out lessons SOS Children’s Villages should learn out of the project (at international level and at national level)
- To inform the management of the project about issues which need to be improved in future similar projects
Main tasks:
- Undertake a desk study analysing all key documents concerning the project
- Hold semi-structured interviews with project members
- Participation at the final meeting of project partners in Milan, Italy in March 2020 to clarify open points and share key findings
3. PLACE OF WORK
The assignment is home based. All necessary documents will be made available in electronic version.
4. REPORTS
1. Inception report
In order to ensure mutual understanding of the consultant's plan of action and timeline for conducting the evaluations as well as to ensure common understanding between SOS Children’s Villages International and the consultant on the interpretation of the TOR, the consultant is asked to submit an Inception report within 3 weeks of the dates of signature of the consultancy contract. It should be submitted in electronic form and contain the following information: i) introduction, ii) survey methods and tools, iii) logistical arrangements, and iv) key limitations and solutions.
2. Training evaluation report
The training evaluation will result in the drawing up of the “Leaving Care Training Evaluation Report” written in a straightforward manner, in English, of a maximum length of 100 pages including the Executive Summary, which should appear at the beginning of the report. It should be submitted in electronic form.
3. Project evaluation report
The project evaluation will result in the drawing up of the “Leaving Care Project Evaluation Report” written in a straightforward manner, in English, of a maximum length of 30 pages including the Executive Summary, which should appear at the beginning of the report. It should be submitted in electronic form. The report should be structured as follows: cover page (title of the evaluation report, project name, date of the evaluation, name of the consultant), table of contents, executive summary (no more than 2 pages focusing on key purpose/issues of the evaluation, main points of the analysis and main conclusions, lessons learned and specific recommendations), main body of the report (including references to the methodology used for the evaluation), annexes (terms of references, list of persons interviewed and sites visited, abbreviations used).
The first drafts of the Training Evaluation Report and of the Project Evaluation Report should be submitted to the international project manager no later than 28 February 2020.
The final reports will be submitted to the international project manager no later than 31 March 2020 and should reflect the feedback project partners gave to the first drafts of the reports as well as additional findings derived from the F2F meeting with project partners in Milan mid-March 2020.
5. REQUIRED SKILLS
In addition to a proven track record of having conducted similar assignments, the consultant should have a good understanding of the child protection systems of EU member states, child rights, youth participation, as well as capacity building of the child care service workforce. Familiarity with the structure, processes and challenges of an international NGO is recommended.
The criteria that will be used for selection are as follows: education, background and previous similar experience of the consultant, reasonable cost proposal.
6. DEADLINE AND APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested experts should submit their Curriculum Vitae together with a motivation letter and proof of having undertaken similar work in the desired areas of interest, including expectations for remuneration to undertake the assignment, in English, electronically, by 31 October 2019 to Project Coordinator Gabriella Rask: gabriella.rask@sos-kd.org