Background

As required by the funding Act of Parliament, the Sierra Leone National Youth Commission (NAYCOM), is to publish and submit to the relevant authorities a yearly “Status of youth report”(SoY). The first of such reports will be issued in 2012. Within the framework of the assistance given to the Commission through the project “Youth employment and empowerment”, UNDP will assist in the delivery of such product. The report is meant to provide an encompassing overview of the youth status across country, as well as to provide ad hoc  investigation of specific topics of interest.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for drafting the report in its entirety as well as to supervise the accessory enquiries and editorial work to be carried out for the sake of producing a high quality publication. The core of the report will be based on a desk review of available literature and secondary data sources covering general thematic areas relevant to youth. A substantial and complementary part of the report will be based on original case studies focusing on specific aspects of the youth dimension.
 
Tentatively the report will thus be structured in two components:
 
  • General overview. While availability of data remains a challenge in the country, selected publications dealing with the youth dimension are available and can provide a solid information base. In addition, access to data from selected surveys such as the “Demographic and Health Survey 2008” and the “Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) (2015-10)” will be warranted so as to permit to complement the narrative with useful new indicators. 
  • Case Studies. The consultant will be called to draft specific text boxes/ short individual studies, in collaboration and with the assistance of the National Youth Commission and UNDP, and in conformity with the envisaged report style. The basis for excerpts will be represented by ad hoc studies NAYCOM is currently carrying out.

Such specific studies will be focusing on one or more of the following themes:

  • Access to sport opportunities and status of existing facilities.
  • Successful young entrepreneurs and their story.
  • Successful transition from school to decent work.
  • Cultural changes and the coexistence of western and traditional values.
  • Youth and information technologies.
  • Youth and the entertainment industry.
  • Youth and drugs.
  • Masked devils and Lantern parade.
  • Youth and gang/group membership.
Conditional on availability of data from the 2011 Integrated Household Survey, the report will also include a specific detailed section on the employment dimension (in the general overview). Such section will be drafted directly by UNDP but the consultant will be able to incorporate the analysis of the employment dimension in the final SoY report without concern for copyright.
 
The modalities through which the case studies will be conducted will have to be decided with the substantial input of the consultant. Tentatively the chosen methodology will combine desk review (notably focusing on local university thesis and dissertations, as well as other scientific research), retrieval of basic hard data (in collaboration with relevant Ministries) and some sort of qualitative investigation (interviews and/ or focus groups).

Competencies

Deliverables:
 
  • Review and provide necessary inputs to the SoY report tentative outline on the basis of preliminary research and discussion with stakeholders. Deliverable: detailed outline, within 15 working days from start.   
  • Participate and present the main results of the report in a validation workshop to be held after completion of the next to last draft. Deliverable: presentation at the workshop. Timeline:  within 55 working days from start.
  • Draft a fully fledged report on the basis of the outline defined and agreed upon sub I) as well as the comments received in the validation workshop.  Deliverable: fully fledged report with ready to be published editing and formatting, to be submitted in electronic form (MS word document). Timeline:  At the end of the 60 working days.
  • Answer any queries or update information throughout the duration of the project, facilitate the work of an editorial committee for the status of youth report, and undertake any travel required in completing the assignment.
Reporting Mechanisms:
 
  • The consultant will work under the supervision of the NAYCOM Commissioner. The consultant will report on progress to NAYCOM and UNDP.
Timeline and Contractual Conditions:
 
The consultation will consist of 60 working days, spread over a period of 3 months from start date (as soon as possible). During this period, the consultant will be assigned office space in the Freetown NAYCOM facility and will work closely with UNDP country office, in seeking and collecting information. In addition, as noted under “Tasks and deliverable” the consultant should be available to answer questions, update any required information and take part in dissemination of findings, upon request, for the duration of the project. Compensation package will be competitive and in line with the current international standards.
 
Payment Modalities:
 
The consultant will be reimbursed for his/her services in two installments upon satisfactory completion of the above mentioned deliverables:
  • 1st installment-20% upon signing of contract
  • 2nd installment-80%upon finalization of deliverables under point I, II, III and IV  above.
 
Evaluation Criteria and Weight:
 
Technical Evaluation will include the following:
  • Background and Education-10%
  • Practical previous experience with report writing in the areas of interest-50%
  • English language fluency, especially in the written form- 40% 
Application procedure:
Required Documents:
  • Letter of Interest
  • Financial proposal reflecting the consultancy fee and any other anticipated expenses that may be incurred to accomplish the required work.
  • Detailed achievement-based CV.
  • Sample(s) of previous written work.

Qualified female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply. Only short -listed candidates will be notified. 

Performance Indicators:
 
  • Contractor’s performance will be evaluated against the following criteria: timeliness, accuracy, responsibility, initiative, communication and quality of the products delivered.
 
Annex 1. Tentative outline for the report
  • Foreword
  • Preface
  • Acknowledgements
  • Abbreviations
  • Executive summary
Introduction:
  • Chapter 1: Demography
  • Chapter 2: Education
  • Chapter 3: Health
  • Chapter 4: Employment and economic opportunities.
  • Chapter 5: Voice and representativeness.  N.B. Chapters 1 to 5 will include: (i) a quantitative overview with basic data and basic trends (ii)a description of existing initiatives focusing on youth as well as the main actors involved.  
  • Chapter 6 (or scattered within the text) : case studies.
  • Chapter 7:Conclusions and policy recommendations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
 
  • Advanced degree in political science, sociology, economics or any other relevant social science

Experience:

  • Current and relevant experience in practice or research in the area of youth, youth employment, education, youth representation.  
  • Ability to handle data and create new indicators will be a definite plus.

Language:

  • Proven high quality writing skills in English. (submission of samples of previous work is mandatory).
  • Knowledge of Krio is an asset.