Call for Consultant to facilitate a design workshop, conduct consolations and develop a proposal for Youth Skill Development and Employment project phase III

1.    Background

HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Ethiopia has been operating development projects in Ethiopia for more than two decades and currently focuses on Rural Infrastructure (WASH functionality through youth enterprises and suspending perdestrian bridges and trail development),Local Governance and Youth Skills Development and Employment , . Helvetas is currently active in the  regional states of Sidama, Amhara and Oromia. HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Ethiopia with financial support from Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) has been working to address youth unemployment through its Skill & knowledge for Youth (SKY project I&II) in Bahir Dar, Dangila & Debere Tabor towns of Amhara region since 2015.

With a view at the high level of youth unemployment in Ethiopia, an innovative approach of imparting skills and of adequately preparing the young labour market entrants for the world of work is urgently needed. First steps in this connection have been made by HELVETAS Ethiopia under Phase I of its Skill and Knowledge for Youth (SKY I) project in Bahir Dar, ANRS with the aim to increase employability and labour market insertion of disadvantaged youth, to create more jobs (self and wage employment), and to empower youth in order to escape the “low/no skill – no job – no income” poverty trap. Results based financing (RBF) has successfully been introduced as an innovation in the second phase SKY also expanding its geographic operational area from Bahirdar during this phase as well as its engagement with both public and private training providers and business service development actors. Hence, the two SKY projects addressed the core problem of un- and underemployment of disadvantaged young people in ANRS.

SKY II is currently entering its final phase and based on the good achievements of phase I & II, HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Ethiopia would like to develop and implement a new phase of the project with more innovative and ground breaking approaches. In line with this, the organization is looking for a competent consultant to facilitate a 3 days design workshop in Addis Ababa and produce a draft project document.

2.    Purpose of the Consultancy

The main objective of the consultancy is to prepare a draft project document that pulls together the pull together the ideas that come out of the design workshop in addition to their reading of project document, project report and evaluations.

In collaboration with SKY project staff, the consultant will take the lead in developing an innovative and compelling draft proposal. The project would like to build on the learnings and success of the past two phase of SKY and also introduce new and innovation components.

Helvetas expects the consultant to bring previous experience from developing and writing successful integrated, multi-sectoral, proposals involving several stakeholders for institutional donors. It is desirable that the consultant also brings a good understanding of issues relating to TVET, MSE, Labour, Education and employment policies of the country generally & Amhara region specifically. Helvetas also places a great emphasis on Gender and Social equity and experience in Gender and Skills Development and Employment would be highly valued.

3.    Specific tasks of the Consultancy

Specific Tasks to be performed by the consultancy include:

• Review project documents and reports of phase 1, 2 & evaluation report.
• Review HELVETAS country strategy. & other relevant documents
• Discussion with,  HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Ethiopia head office staffs, SKY project staffs, Monitoring & evaluation staffs, & other stakeholders
• Develop workshop schedule.
• Organize and lead the design workshop.
• Write a report on the design and share it to HELVETA for review
• Develop a draft project document.

2.    Consultancy Deliverables

• Workshop report
• A draft Project Proposal for comments by HELVETAS team
• Present the proposal to Helvetas in person and respond to queries
• Final project document after incorporating comments from actors indicated above.

3.    Lines of Communication

The consultant will work closely with the Skills Development and Employment working area lead and SKY project manager as well as other Helvetas staff including the CD as necessary.

4.    Location

The project location is in Amhara region, Ethiopia.

5.    Venue of the workshop:  Helvetas office, Addis Ababa

6.    Timeframe & deliverables

The design workshop will take place between October 11-20, 2021. The draft report will be presented to Helvetas on October 25 and the final proposal would be due on 30^th October 2021. 

1.    Qualifications and Experience

• The consultant should have an advanced university degree (masters or equivalent) in development studies, TVET, Gender & Development, Education, , project management and other related fields of study,
• Minimum 3 years of experience in the design and/or management of projects in development contexts,
• Experience in Gender in development programming concepts, tools and principles
• Prior demonstrated experience from developing and writing development proposals for institutional donors,
• Ability to integrate different experiences, methodologies, and approaches from a diverse range of stakeholders, organisations,
• Excellent Amharic and English language speaking/writing skills required;
• An in-depth knowledge and good understanding of using a systemic approach (MSD/MMWP).