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 was done for 2012 and launched by the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone on the International Youth Day. Within the framework of the assistance given to the Commission through the project “Youth Employment and Empowerment Programme”, UNDP technically and financially supported the drafting of the 2012 report and will assist in the delivery of 2013 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 contemporary topics.
 
General Scope of the work
 
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.

Duties and Responsibilities

Functions / Key Results Expected
 
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)” the ‘Integrated Household Survey 2011’ the African Development Bank supported “A Skills Gap Analysis for Private Sector Development in Sierra Leone 2012” etc. will be warranted so as to permit to complement the narrative with useful new findings;
  • 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, UNDP and other players in the youth development sector, and in conformity with the envisaged report style. The basis for excerpts will be represented by ad hoc studies NAYCOM is currently carrying out/has carried out. It is also important that these cases showcase workable and scalable initiatives;
  • Careful consideration should be given to provide another angle (not exactly that which contain in the first report), so as to capture other areas relating to youth issues and development in the country. With the use of relevant available data and a bit in-depth findings, the report is expected to highlight areas relating to the following Key Youth Development Indicators [KYDI]; (i) Youth Employment and Economic Opportunities (ii) Leading causes of death amongst youth (iii) Education and Training-quality accessibility and relation to skills gap;
  • 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).
Deliverables/Final Products Expected:
 
The consultant will be required to:
  • 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 30 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 40 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.
 Tentative outline for the report.
  • Foreword;
  • Preface;
  • Acknowledgements;
  • Abbreviations;
  • Executive summary;
  • Introduction;
  • Chapter 1: Demography;
  • Chapter 2: Education;
  • Chapter 3: Employment and economic opportunities;
  • Chapter 4: - Health/reproductive health-Leading causes of death amongst youth.
  • N.B. Chapters 1 to 4 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 5: Conclusions and policy recommendations.

Competencies

Professionalism:
  • Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches in analyzing the field of Youth Employment, political affairs, sustainable development, policy analyses and humanitarian action;
  • Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines, knowledge of current development policies and activities, ability to organize work and collaborate effectively with a wide range of teams and work with individuals of different national and cultural backgrounds, including networking across professional, thematic and organizational boundaries;
  • Ability to plan own work and manage conflicting priorities;
  • Strong analytical, presentation skills and ability to handle data and create new indicators will be a definite plus.
Communications:
  • Good communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to draft/edit a variety of written reports, studies and other communications and to articulate ideas in a clear, concise style.
Creativity:
  • Ability to functionally and proactively proffer approaches/strategies and recommendations including identification of best practices, offer new and different options to solve problems/meet client needs, and promote and persuade others to consider new ideas.  
Technology Awareness:
  • Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications, e.g. word processing, spreadsheets and other statistical applications, internet, etc;
Teamwork:
  • Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity, including gender balance.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • The ideal candidate holds and an advanced degree in political science, sociology, economics or any other relevant social science;
Experience:
  • At least five (5) years’ experience work related to professional writing, report writing, publications project evaluation and work in Africa;
  • S/he has 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. Proven high quality writing skills in English: (Submission of samples of previous work is mandatory);
  • Familiarity with and experience in producing papers and publications and professional writings and the use of various research methodologies and sources, including the internet, and other databases; ability to apply good judgment in the context of assignments give;
  • Working experience in developing countries;
  • Basic knowledge of relevant institutional mandates, policies, guidelines. Knowledge of the institutions of the UN system.
Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in written and spoken English is essential;
  • Knowledge of Krio will be an asset.
.Reporting Mechanisms
  • The consultant will work under the supervision of the UNDP Programme Manager (YEEP)/NAYCOM Commissioner;
  • The consultant will report on progress to NAYCOM and UNDP keeping in the loop other key staff in NAYCOM/UNDP.

Timeline and contractual conditions.

The consultation will consist of 45 working days. 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 a), b), c) and d) in section V above.

Evaluation of Criteria and Weighting

The consultant will be evaluated against a combination of technical and financial criteria. Maximum score is 100% out of a total score for technical criteria equals 70% and 30% for financial criteria. The technical evaluation will take into account the following as per the weightings provided:

  • Background and minimum educational qualification as defined in the TOR (10%);
  • Practical experience in results based monitoring and evaluation systems development and rolls out, strategic planning, etc (50%);
  • Quality of the technical proposal (20 %);
  • English language fluency (20).

Performance indicators.            

Contractor’s performance will be evaluated against the following criteria: timeliness, accuracy, responsibility, initiative, communication and quality of the products delivered.

Application Procedure

Qualified and interested candidates are requested to send the following documents:

  • A financial proposal reflecting the consultancy fee and any other anticipated expenses that may be incurred to Accomplish the required work;
  • A detailed achievement-based CV;
  • Methodology Approach to the Task;
  • Filled P11 form (Application Form P11 - UNDP ).