UNDP Jobs - 16898- Community Conversations International Consultant

Community Conversations International Consultant

Location :

FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

02-Jun-10 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

18 WORKING DAYS

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

Introduction

The National Strategic Plan of the National HIV & AIDS Secretariat also clearly emphasizes the significance of local responses as an integral part of the national response. It categorically notes that those closest to the people are often best placed to respond to their needs. This outlines the critical role local authorities can play in enhancing and scaling up the response to HIV and AIDS at the community level. A body of literature maintains the growing feminization of the epidemic with very serious consequences on women and girls. There is opportunity to enhance through the CCE methodology for communities in Sierra Leone to respond more positively and effectively to the epidemic if carefully and consistently engaged with hope and respect; Effectiveness of prevention strategies for HIV will be enhanced if closely linked to how open and be honest about the threat of HIV and AIDS and how it is addressed in local communities; Criticality of local leaders and community members in addressing the underlying causes of the epidemic such as stigma, discrimination, gender inequalities, power relations using their existing social capital and community structures is critical to mitigate the impact of the disease.

CCE as an approach for mobilizing communities for HIV and AIDS action

The Community Capacity Enhancement (CCE) using Community Conversations has been identified as a methodology for mobilizing communities for action around HIV and AIDS built on trust, accountability and participation. It is based on a vision and recognition that communities have the capacity to prevent, care, change and sustain hope in the midst of the HIV and AIDS epidemic. It is an approach that has as its foundation, the creation of safe, interactive spaces for facilitated conversations, reflections and applications based on relationships of trust and mutual respect. CCE is a methodology that helps communities to: translate the principle of participation into development practice by creating opportunities for the people to understand, discuss, decide and act on issues such as HIV and AIDS, affecting their lives.

Think through on how their individual values and behaviours and those of their families and neighbours affect other people’s lives

Reflect on and dialogue with others on critical community issues such as cultural practices that fuel the epidemic; Decide and act on issues that can address the direct and indirect causes and impact of the epidemic using their own social capital and local experiences

Duties and Responsibilities

Specifically, this approach aims to:

Generate a deep understanding of the complex nature of the epidemic within individuals and communities, and to create the social cohesion that is necessary to create an environment for political, legal and ethical change.
Support the development of self-esteem, self-confidence, tolerance, trust, accountability, introspection and
self-management
Examine social contracts among various groups in the community – for example, between women and men,
people living with HIV and those who have not been tested, the young and the old, the rich and poor – and to
address girls’ vulnerability.
Build a pool of resource persons with transformative leadership abilities and facilitation skills in Community
Conversations to scale up the community response to HIV and related development issues.
Bring the voices of people into the national response, and integrate community concerns and decisions into
national and decentralized plans with the aim of linking resources to individual and collective needs.
Strengthen the capacity of non-governmental and community-based organizations to develop appropriate
strategies for a response that places communities and individuals at the centre.

Planning and coordination of activities

The National HIV & AIDS Secretariat in partnership with UNDP intends to pilot the programme in Sierra Leone with the following objectives. The key objectives for introducing CCE in Sierra Leone are:
To stimulate individual and community reflection on values, attitudes, culture, beliefs, traditions and practices that fuel the epidemic.
To initiate conversations on issues of gender, stigma and discrimination, rights of people living with HIV and AIDS within the community that perpetuate or inhibit the spread of the epidemic.
Investigate and address concerns around prevention, care, treatment including increasing demand and uptake of existing HIV/AIDS services including VCT, PMTCT, and ARV.
Identify and utilize the strengths in the community’s social capital that will contribute to addressing the underlying causes and impacts of the epidemic.
Explore and address community perspectives and attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA); respecting their rights and involving them in processes affecting their life and that of the community in which they live.
Support communities to develop empowering, sustained actions and interventions (including prevention, care support and treatment as well as reducing vulnerability to infection and mitigating socio economic impacts) for integration into the local government planning and implementation processes

Other related duties, as required

The National HIV & AIDS Secretariat in collaboration with UNDP intends to pilot the CCE programme as an approach to ensure that the “voices and Choices “of communities are reflected in the regional development planning and implementation system in a selected region in Sierra Leone. The role of the international CCE experts will be:

Output Based Results: 1^st Visit

Enrol national stakeholders on the programme and train national trainers as a core group of competent trainers for the programme (12 days). Enrolment of the national trainers will take two days with the aim of building relationships with various stakeholders and to introduce the approach. It is also to build alignment and agreement on implementation. The following will be achieved in the first visit:
Develop alliances with relevant stakeholders (local government leaders; non-governmental and community based organizations, networks of PLHIV, and other stakeholders involved in HIV/AIDS care, support and prevention
Share the methodology, concepts and skills with key stakeholders
Agree on partnerships to implement the CCE approach and ensure that there is a shared understanding of the process and way to move forward;
Choose two/three anchor organizations (NGOs) with national or sub national coverage working on HIV/AIDS or on development issue with an HIV component, six to nine local implementing organizations (CBO) that will participate in the process
Identify co-facilitators (four) who will work as part of the team in facilitating skills building workshops
Skills building session (training of trainers 10days)
The consultant will transfer skills, concepts, aptitudes and tools
Increasing understanding of the nature of the epidemic at individual, family, community and organizational levels;
Facilitating the Community Conversations Methodology and implementation of the approach

Output Based Result II, 2^nd Visit: (12 days)

Follow-up and On-site visit
Getting briefed by UNDP focal points and partner NGOs to understand developments since the last visit on the local scene
Collect and review reports and documentation;
Discuss with focal point an activity timeline; ensure that the timeline is adhered to;
Reflect with the trainers on their insights regarding community capacity and their own concerns regarding HIV/AIDS
Reflect with trainers/ facilitators on the distinctions, skills, tools and concepts they need to further understand and to develop in order to be better facilitators
Establish how the facilitation process has contributed to changes at the individual level, organizational and community levels
Review with facilitators the use of skills/tools acquired in training
Explore with community members and afacilitators the process dynamics of Community Conversations;
Identify other health and social development issues that have been highlighted as a result of CC
Meet with various stakeholders on issues raised and decisions taken during CC
Provide two days of skills reinforcement with facilitators and trainers
Prepare a mission report
Debriefing with CO

Output Based Result III, 3^rd Visit (4 days)

Host a national Review , Reflection and Scaling up Meeting
After Community Conversations have been implemented for one year, a three-day facilitated experience-sharing workshop will be held. This is an opportunity for stock taking, capitalization of outcomes, setting up direction for scaling up and expansion of partnerships. The overall documentation of the approach will be presented.
Increased number of community initiatives for prevention, home-based care, change in harmful traditional
practices, reduction of stigma and discrimination, support for orphans, and voluntary counseling and testing.
Women, men, girls, boys, local authorities, people living with HIV and others are increasingly involved in
decision-making processes that affect their lives.
Decision-making processes affecting the lives of these various groups increasingly reflect the concerns of
communities through a process of active communication.
Increased number of non-governmental and community-based organizations using Community Conversations
To stimulate and scale up social change and to address other issues, such as governance, health, environment,
agriculture and peace-building.
Increased number of community decisions brought into the public domain by artists and media professionals.

Competencies

Displays cultural gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favouritism.
Demonstrates diplomacy and tact in dealing with sensitive and complex situations.
Promotes knowledge management and a learning environment through mentoring and personal example;
Promote knowledge building and sharing with regards to management and operations, organization of project staff trainings, synthesis of lessons learnt/best practices

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Masters degree in social sciences, development planning or related field

Experience:

Clear understanding of HIV and AIDS as a development challenge
Community level development experience
Global experience in training national trainers on CCE
Team builder and motivator
7-10 years of relevant experience at the National or International Level on development planning or related field.

Languaged

Fluency in English,