NGO Job Opportunities in Kenya – Save the Children

Terms Of Reference

Curiculum Consultant

The organization

Save the Children is the world's largest independent organization for children, making a difference to children's lives in over 120 countries. We deliver immediate and lasting improvements to children's lives worldwide. Save the Children listens to children, involves children and ensures their views are taken into account. Save the Children secures and protects children's rights - to food, shelter, healthcare, education and freedom from violence, abuse and exploitation.

Our vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation.

Our mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.

Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since the 1950s, providing
support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners. Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH.

The rights-based approach of our interventions is founded on four pillars: direct programming, political and policy change, popular mobilization and fundraising. We provide support through both longer term development work and humanitarian relief in emergencies.

Summary of Current Programmes

With funding from diverse donors we are implementing programmes in Wajir, Mandera, Turkana, Nairobi, Garissa and Bungoma Counties. Our programming covers the areas of Health and nutrition, HIV and AIDS, Education, Food Security and Livelihoods, Water hygiene and sanitation, child protection and child right programming.

Background

The Adolescent Girls Initiative Program (AGI-K), funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), provides a unique and exciting opportunity to reach at least 6200 adolescent girls ages 11-14 in two marginalized geographies in Kenya – Northern arid lands and urban slums in Nairobi. A range of interventions in the health, prevention of violence, wealth creation, and education sectors will be evaluated through a randomized controlled trial including the costing of each packages implementation to provide evidence on the most cost effective combinations which have the greatest impact.

The rationale is that “Investment in adolescent girls, if made early, and before they start dropping out of school at age 13-14, will break the downward spiral into early pregnancy, early marriage and intergenerational poverty.” Thus evidence from research will influence national policy and support scaled up, cost-effective interventions for adolescent girls in the future.

To reach this goal, an integrated approach to the curriculum development process is proposed, leveraging the learning from other curriculums that have been developed by various agencies working with very young adolescents (VYAs). The curricula include: 1) Health, life skills and nutrition, 2) Financial education, and 3) Community dialogues.

The Position

An experienced consultant is sought to help design the revisions that have currently been undertaken from various existing curricula.

Purpose and Results

The purpose of the consultancy:
  • To review, revise, simplify and adapt the current curriculum to the Somali (Wajir) context. The simplified versions include pictorials to be used during discussion sessions
  • To produce an integrated learning curriculum based on the revisions
  • To translate important key terms into Somali language(in the glossary page)
  • To incorporate topics that are previously missing specifically early marriage, FGM and WASH
The key outputs of the curriculum Development Consultant
  • Review all the existing curriculum identified for use, after which revisions be made on the curriculum
  • Translate key terms into Somali language
  • Develop new sessions on early marriage, FGM and WASH
The outcomes of the curriculum Development Consultant
  • To produce a revised and simplified version including pictorials of curriculum adapted to the Wajir context to be utilized by mentors
  • Production of a word document of the final curriculum incorporating all topics mentioned above
  • Translated version of the glossary (key terms)
Description and Deliverables

Working closely with the Project Manager of the Adolescent Girls Initiative project and Save the Children’s Country Office Technical Advisors, the Curriculum Development Consultant will perform the following tasks:
  • Review the curriculums identified by the Project Manager and AGI partners
  • Determine which sections to simplify and revise comparing different curriculums which will be provided by the manager
  • Incorporate additional topics on FGM, Early marriage and WASH
  • Ensure cultural relevance of all curriculum sessions
  • Make additional changes after pre-test/pilot-testing of curricula
  • Provide a reasonable timeline for the completion of the task
  • Present a word document and facilitate a discussion meeting with Save Technical Advisors on the revised version
Work Location

The Consultant should be based in Nairobi, but will work remotely in the Save offices should the need arise.

Competencies
  • Proven ability to demonstrate innovate thinking
  • Ability to work independently to strict timelines
  • Ability to contribute to and comfortably work in a multi-disciplinary setting
  • Excellent planning and facilitation skills
  • Cultural awareness and sensitivity
  • Strong interpersonal team work and communication skills
  • Excellent written and spoken English skills and sound reporting skills; Somali language skills are an advantage
Qualifications
  • Advanced educational background in one of the areas of: Social Sciences, Education, Curriculum Development or any other related field
  • Proven track record of training curricula (and manual) development
  • At least 7 years of experience in development, assessment and evaluation of curriculum, teaching and learning resources required
  • Experience with action learning and work integrated curricula
  • Thorough understanding of issues in Northern Eastern Province.
Additional information

Start date: ASAP

Expression of Interest for Consultancy

Impact of Social Cash Transfer Programmes on Life Course of Children
 

Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since the 1950s, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners. Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH. 

In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the Children combined the programmes of SC UK, SC Canada and SC Finland to create a single operation in Kenya. In Feb 2014, we completed a second transition, which saw us join forces with the British INGO, Merlin, and merge their health and nutrition programmes with our own. 

Save the Children now has an operational presence in Bungoma, Dadaab Refugee Camp, Mandera, Turkana and Wajir and we work through partners in many other parts of the country. We employ more than 300 staff and have an operating
annual budget in 2014 of approximately US$25 million. 

Purpose

Qualitative research on impacts of social cash transfer schemes on the life course
of children in the arid Counties of Mandera, Wajir and Turkana. Based on the qualitative evidence provide:

1) recommendations on modifications to design, implementations and monitoring and evaluation to improve child sensitivity; 

2). recommendations and advocacy messages for use by Save the Children and partners in influencing government and donors to increase resource allocation for child sensitive social protection programmes.  

Scope of Work

Outputs expected from the study include:
  • Identification of impact of respective cash transfer schemes on life course of children, including key outcomes in survival/health, nutrition, education/learning and safety/protection.
  • Identification of specific gaps in relation to child sensitivity of the schemes and impact on child outcomes across the lifecycle (see principles of child sensitivity, including child safeguarding, in the Joint Statement on Child Sensitive Social Protection, by Save the Children and other agencies).
  • Identification of impacts and implications for the empowerment/disempowerment of girls and women, including in terms of learning, access to information, household decision-making and control over resources.
  • Identify and highlight specific strong individual or community case studies from the schemes as evidence of impact of the schemes on life course of children.
  • Recommendations for modifications to design and implementation of existing programmes to increase levels of child sensitivity and gender equality impacts in social cash transfer schemes.  
  • Advocacy messages for influencing increase in child sensitivity and gender equality, including allocation of more resources for child sensitive social protection programming and improved programme design, implementation and monitoring in order to promote and ensure child-sensitive and gender-empowering impacts. 
  
Specific Tasks
  • Collection and analysis of existing literature on the main social cash transfers programmes in Northern Kenya and identify evidence of impacts on life course and outcomes among children, and of impacts in relation to the empowerment/disempowerment of girls and women. For example, analysis of impact of social protection on nutrition across household food security, caring practices and health environment which is part of pathways approach by nutrition sensitive initiative.
  • Primary data collection through individual and focussed group discussions with adolescents, girls young youths, parents and care givers and identify their perceived impacts of the social transfer schemes on life course of children and empowerment of girls and women. Ensure balanced gender perceptions of above aspects and views from adolescents/young adults from minority groups are captured.
  • Undertake interviews of key informants and stakeholders such as implementers of the existing cash transfer schemes (HSNP, OVC-CT, OPCT, disability CT, etc), national social  protection secretariat, officials from National Safety Net Programme (NSNP), World Bank, DFID, UNICEF and child focussed NGOs such WVI, Plan, etc.
  • Based on secondary and primary data analysis, identify specific evidence based qualitative impacts of social cash transfers schemes on life course of and outcomes among children and on gender equality dimensions, including decision-making and control of resources in the household.
  • Based on above analysis, specify gaps in relation to child sensitivity and gender equality design, implementation and impacts of above schemes and provide recommendations of how they could be addressed.
  • Derive key messages for specific target/audience for use in influencing increase in child sensitive social protection programming including modifications of new interventions to improve effectiveness and increased allocation of resources to improve children coverage and improved programme design, implementation and monitoring.
  • Draft report and present key findings to Save the Children and primary stakeholders and capture feedback to enable refine and finalise the report.
  • Finalise and submit report to Save the Children.
Methodology

Upon approval of methodology and tools (within first week of contract), the consultant will collect and analyse existing secondary data. The consultant will provide a proposed participatory methodology and sampling strategy to Save the Children of how they will obtain the information from qualitative methods, as appropriate. 

Estimated number of respondents and/or informants to be interviewed by each tool should be specified. Specify how you will interview individual and focussed group adolescent, girls and young adults, parents and care givers ensuring equal gender participation and perception capture as well as capture of views and perceptions of children from minority groups. 

The consultant will interview partners implementing the social transfer schemes and earlier mentioned stakeholders such as  UNICEF, Children’s Department and other relevant GoK departments, child focussed NGOs, donors (World Bank, DFID, etc) and providers of payment services (banks and mobile phone companies). Interview organised groups of children such as Children Parliament.
 

Outputs
  • Inception report detailing specifying methodology for data collection, tools for data collection and work plan to be reviewed and approved by Save the Children.
  • A presentation summarising the key findings.
  • A draft report detailing the findings from above tasks with clear recommendations to Save the Children on relevant and appropriate interventions to support increase in child sensitive social protection programmes.
  • Final report (both hard and soft copy).
Profile of desired consultants
  • Advanced University degree social studies or related field.  
  • Proven knowledge and experience in undertaking research focussed on children.
  • Proven practical experience in interviewing children (including adolescents and young adults).
  • Experience in child focussed programming.
  • Demonstrated understanding of gender relations and gender equality principles, including in the household context.
  • Excellent skills organising, facilitating, presentation and communication skills.
  • Skills in designing and undertaking advocacy with government, UN agencies, donors, NGOs, private sector, etc.
  • Experience working/ undertaking research in arid and semi areas of Northern Kenya.

Expression of Interest for Consultancy

Impact of Social Cash Transfer Programmes on Life Course of Children
 

Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since the 1950s, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners. Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH. 

In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the Children combined the programmes of SC UK, SC Canada and SC Finland to create a single operation in Kenya. In Feb 2014, we completed a second transition, which saw us join forces with the British INGO, Merlin, and merge their health and nutrition programmes with our own. 

Save the Children now has an operational presence in Bungoma, Dadaab Refugee Camp, Mandera, Turkana and Wajir and we work through partners in many other parts of the country. We employ more than 300 staff and have an operating
annual budget in 2014 of approximately US$25 million. 

Purpose

Qualitative research on impacts of social cash transfer schemes on the life course
of children in the arid Counties of Mandera, Wajir and Turkana. Based on the qualitative evidence provide:

1) recommendations on modifications to design, implementations and monitoring and evaluation to improve child sensitivity; 

2). recommendations and advocacy messages for use by Save the Children and partners in influencing government and donors to increase resource allocation for child sensitive social protection programmes.  

Scope of Work

Outputs expected from the study include:
  • Identification of impact of respective cash transfer schemes on life course of children, including key outcomes in survival/health, nutrition, education/learning and safety/protection.
  • Identification of specific gaps in relation to child sensitivity of the schemes and impact on child outcomes across the lifecycle (see principles of child sensitivity, including child safeguarding, in the Joint Statement on Child Sensitive Social Protection, by Save the Children and other agencies).
  • Identification of impacts and implications for the empowerment/disempowerment of girls and women, including in terms of learning, access to information, household decision-making and control over resources.
  • Identify and highlight specific strong individual or community case studies from the schemes as evidence of impact of the schemes on life course of children.
  • Recommendations for modifications to design and implementation of existing programmes to increase levels of child sensitivity and gender equality impacts in social cash transfer schemes.  
  • Advocacy messages for influencing increase in child sensitivity and gender equality, including allocation of more resources for child sensitive social protection programming and improved programme design, implementation and monitoring in order to promote and ensure child-sensitive and gender-empowering impacts. 
  
Specific Tasks
  • Collection and analysis of existing literature on the main social cash transfers programmes in Northern Kenya and identify evidence of impacts on life course and outcomes among children, and of impacts in relation to the empowerment/disempowerment of girls and women. For example, analysis of impact of social protection on nutrition across household food security, caring practices and health environment which is part of pathways approach by nutrition sensitive initiative.
  • Primary data collection through individual and focussed group discussions with adolescents, girls young youths, parents and care givers and identify their perceived impacts of the social transfer schemes on life course of children and empowerment of girls and women. Ensure balanced gender perceptions of above aspects and views from adolescents/young adults from minority groups are captured.
  • Undertake interviews of key informants and stakeholders such as implementers of the existing cash transfer schemes (HSNP, OVC-CT, OPCT, disability CT, etc), national social  protection secretariat, officials from National Safety Net Programme (NSNP), World Bank, DFID, UNICEF and child focussed NGOs such WVI, Plan, etc.
  • Based on secondary and primary data analysis, identify specific evidence based qualitative impacts of social cash transfers schemes on life course of and outcomes among children and on gender equality dimensions, including decision-making and control of resources in the household.
  • Based on above analysis, specify gaps in relation to child sensitivity and gender equality design, implementation and impacts of above schemes and provide recommendations of how they could be addressed.
  • Derive key messages for specific target/audience for use in influencing increase in child sensitive social protection programming including modifications of new interventions to improve effectiveness and increased allocation of resources to improve children coverage and improved programme design, implementation and monitoring.
  • Draft report and present key findings to Save the Children and primary stakeholders and capture feedback to enable refine and finalise the report.
  • Finalise and submit report to Save the Children.
Methodology

Upon approval of methodology and tools (within first week of contract), the consultant will collect and analyse existing secondary data. The consultant will provide a proposed participatory methodology and sampling strategy to Save the Children of how they will obtain the information from qualitative methods, as appropriate. 

Estimated number of respondents and/or informants to be interviewed by each tool should be specified. Specify how you will interview individual and focussed group adolescent, girls and young adults, parents and care givers ensuring equal gender participation and perception capture as well as capture of views and perceptions of children from minority groups. 

The consultant will interview partners implementing the social transfer schemes and earlier mentioned stakeholders such as  UNICEF, Children’s Department and other relevant GoK departments, child focussed NGOs, donors (World Bank, DFID, etc) and providers of payment services (banks and mobile phone companies). Interview organised groups of children such as Children Parliament.
 

Outputs
  • Inception report detailing specifying methodology for data collection, tools for data collection and work plan to be reviewed and approved by Save the Children.
  • A presentation summarising the key findings.
  • A draft report detailing the findings from above tasks with clear recommendations to Save the Children on relevant and appropriate interventions to support increase in child sensitive social protection programmes.
  • Final report (both hard and soft copy).
Profile of desired consultants
  • Advanced University degree social studies or related field.  
  • Proven knowledge and experience in undertaking research focussed on children.
  • Proven practical experience in interviewing children (including adolescents and young adults).
  • Experience in child focussed programming.
  • Demonstrated understanding of gender relations and gender equality principles, including in the household context.
  • Excellent skills organising, facilitating, presentation and communication skills.
  • Skills in designing and undertaking advocacy with government, UN agencies, donors, NGOs, private sector, etc.
  • Experience working/ undertaking research in arid and semi areas of Northern Kenya.

Interested applicants should forward relevant particulars including CV’s  outlining contacts of three referees to Kenya.jobapplications@savethechildren.org.