UNDP Jobs - 68297- Workshop Facilitator

Workshop Facilitator

Location :

Kuwait, KUWAIT

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

05-Sep-2016

Application Deadline :

12-Sep-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

5 September-8 December 2016

Languages Required :

Arabic English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

5 September-8 December 2016

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

In September 2015, world leaders unanimously adopted a universal, bold and ambitious agenda: “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” This 2030 Agenda applies to all countries and forges a comprehensive plan of action articulated around 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets. It breaks new ground by aiming at “leaving no one behind” and by establishing peaceful, just and inclusive societies. It offers an opportunity for every country in the world to address discrimination, exclusion, growing inequalities, natural disasters, unemployment and lack of decent work among other important factors.

The progress and change we will achieve over the next 15 years will have a direct impact on the youngest generations and on those to come. If we do not work with young women and men to improve the situation for youth, we will not accomplish the progress needed to achieve sustainable development. Young people are essential to the success of the agenda as a whole.

Recognizing the important role that youth are playing in the achievement of development goals, UNDP Arab States launched a Youth Leadership Programme in 2015 with UNDP Country Offices across the region to harness the potential of young innovators to contribute to the 2030 Agenda. The initiative, now it its second year, aims to further the success attained during the first YLP cycle (YLP1) by helping young people, ages 19-29, become engaged citizens, innovative problem solvers, effective leaders, and successful agents of change.

The theme of YLP II is “Innovation for Sustainable Development” with a focus on fostering the innovative capacity of youth to tackle development challenges, particularly in the following four thematic areas: Gender Equality, Good Governance, Social Cohesion, and Economic Empowerment. YLP II provides space for young men and women to contribute to building resilient and social cohesive communities.

UNDP Kuwait is one of 13 UNDP Country Offices participating in YLP II. Each country is hosting national activities, customized for their national context, in the second and third quarters of 2016, and each Country Office will select three to five YLP II youth to participate in a regional workshop to be hosted in Kuwait in the fourth quarter of 2016.

UNDP Kuwait participated in YLP 1 in 2015 and is expanding its reach this year with YLP II. After an open call for applications, the Country Office will select (20 to 30) youth to participate in YLP II. This YLP II cohort will participate in a national workshop in October 2016. The objectives of the workshops are to i) engage youth in the sustainable development dialogue; ii) develop their skills as SDG advocates, social innovators, leaders, and change makers – with emphasis on gender equality as one of the key elements; and iii) support them in defining potential solutions to specific development challenges.

In this context, UNDP is seeking to recruit a facilitator to ensure the successful preparation and facilitation of the below workshops. The consultancy is expected to deliver innovative and participatory approaches to maximize the effectiveness of the workshops. The role of facilitator is to design and facilitate the national workshop as well as join the regional team in preparing for the regional workshop using innovation for sustainable development approach; and to deliver the technical sessions.

Throughout the assignment, the consultant will work in close consultation with UNDP and task team established to organize the event. The design of the workshop agenda and methodology will need to be carefully calibrated with the composition and level of experience, needs and expectations of the participants, and should engender active participation and open discussion, while drawing on the specific and sometimes politically-sensitive lessons learned in a constructive manner.

The national workshop:

It will be held 3nd October 2016. The five-day workshop will include the following elements: i) introduction to UNDP and the Youth Leadership Programme; ii) familiarization with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Kuwait National Development Plan and a discussion of how they are related; iii) design thinking process to explore sustainable development challenges and identify potential solutions; and iv) sessions to develop technical skills and competencies in areas such as critical thinking, project management, and leadership. By the end of the national workshop, participants will present their ideas to a panel for review. Based on the quality of participants’ projects/ideas, up to five finalists will be nominated to attend the regional YLP II workshop.

The regional workshop:

It will be held in November 2016. The five-day workshop will be for the three to five finalists selected from each country participating in YLP II. The regional workshop will invest in empowering these young women and men as partners and champions for SDGs across the Arab region. The workshop will use creative approaches to offer an environment for participants to further develop their ideas identified during the national activities, and to develop technical skills needed to become effective SDG ambassadors, innovative problem-solvers, and change makers.

Duties and Responsibilities

Undertaking workshop preparation:

Develop the agenda, detailed programme and methodology using an experiential approach for the two workshops;
Draft a preliminary overall design of the National workshop covering methods to be adopted ensuring that they are interactive and provide hands-on learning experience; the design will be based on design-thinking process of exploring the issue, identifying possible solutions, designing prototypes, and presenting concept to peers;
Prepare activities, presentations and other materials to ensure interactivity and team building during the workshops;
Design the format of the meeting sessions;
Design and deliver components of the workshop as necessary;
Prepare and deliver session(s) on Innovating for Sustainable Development, Social Innovation and Design Thinking, and some other technical Sessions related to critical thinking, project management, leadership including activities and exercises to ensure interactivity.

Managing the learning and stock-taking process during and after the national workshop:

Ensure that the workshop is conducted in an interactive and participatory style;
Ensure that participants have clearly understood objectives and group tasks;
Facilitate participants’ sharing of experiences and identification of priorities;
Facilitate concrete action planning;
Monitor the learning process and ensure it moves participants toward expected outcomes, through formal and informal assessment techniques and instruments;
Participate in and/or facilitate writing and discussion of the workshop report.

Expected results / deliverables:

The Facilitator/s is expected to work closely with UNDP and task team (for 30 working days in total from contract signature date till the end of the regional workshop) to produce the following:

Design/Lesson Plan for workshop in draft;
Pre-workshop meetings;
Workshop facilitation and follow-up for the national workshop;
Workshop support facilitation and follow-up for the regional workshop;
Workshops reports summarizing discussions, participant feedback and proposed way forward/ action points covering the three Workshop objectives.

Expected deliverables and timeline:

Development of the workshops agenda, detailed programme and methodology including list of activities;
Submission of presentations and other materials for the workshops;
Effective facilitation of the national workshop;
Effective support facilitation of the regional workshop;
Workshops process reports with a focus on key insights, evaluation; and recommendations;
Final Report/recommendations and Presentation of overall report of both workshops.

Competencies

Strong facilitation and drafting skills;
Ability to consolidate and synthesize substantive comments and views of multiple stakeholders in a balanced and concise manner;
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to empathize with the various organizational mandates and cultures of the UN system;
Demonstrates expert knowledge of the current programme guidelines and project management tools and manages the use of these regularly in work assignments;
Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives.

Required Skills and Experience

Advanced degree or equivalent in economics, public administration, business administration, social sciences, youth studies or related field;
A certificate in team facilitation is desirable;
Minimum 7 years of relevant work experience with facilitation, with a focus on designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder planning and change processes, workshops and meetings for United Nations and/or other international, regional or bilateral development organizations;
Experience in working on youth issues and facilitation of similar events, is essential;
Hands-on expertise in designing and implementing a wide range of interactive methods for youth learning and change processes;
Cultural sensitivity and experience in moderating meetings of culturally diverse and international groups;
Relevant educational background with an advanced university degree in economics, public administration, business administration, social sciences or related field;
Demonstrated ability in facilitating creative-thinking and innovation learning events;
Background in civic engagement;
Experience working collaboratively in a team structure in a multicultural environment;
Background knowledge about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations and UNDP is highly desirable;
Fluent communication skills in Arabic, English is a plus.