Terms of Reference for Advocacy & Disability Inclusion Advisor

Introduction

The Federation of Ethiopian Associations of Persons with Disabilities (FEAPD) is a non-profit, non-governmental umbrella association that represents the interests of persons with disabilities in Ethiopia. Established in December 1996 and re-registered as a consortium in August 2019, FEAPD serves as a common voice and public representative persons with disabilities in the country. It comprises of 38 member organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) operates at Federal, Regional and City Administration levels. The organization’s mission is to promote the overall participation of persons with disabilities in society through advocacy, inclusion, capacity building, and partnership formation. FEAPD works towards creating an inclusive society where persons with disabilities are effectively included on an equal basis with others.

FEAPD and Light for the world have long years of engagement on disability inclusion in Ethiopia. In line with its economic empowerment strategy, Light for the World with funding from Mastercard Foundation will implement an 8 year project entitled We Can Work, to impact the lives of at least 1,000,000 young women and men with disabilities and enables them to access dignified and fulfilling work. The program works with umbrella Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and Entrepreneurship Hubs in Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria.

FEAPD is one of the umbrella OPDs representing Ethiopia in implementing the 8 years initiative. To support this initiative, FEAPD is recruiting Advocacy & Disability Inclusion Advisor who will leads in supporting strengthening young women and men with disabilities to meaningfully engage in advocacy for inclusive economic empowerment and responsible for promoting and facilitating disability-inclusive practices among government and non-government programmed stakeholders.

Purpose

The Advocacy and Disability Inclusion Advisor is working under the direct supervision of the Executive Director and will be based in Addis Ababa. The role holder is responsible and led in supporting strengthening young women and men with disabilities to meaningfully engage in advocacy for inclusive economic empowerment. In this regard the role holder is working directly with youth with disabilities, OPDs and youth and women’s rights organizations.

The Advisor will be also responsible for promoting and facilitating disability-inclusive practices among NGOs, government agencies, and private sector organizations. Furthermore, the role holder will collaboratively work and manage the relationships with Light for the World, ADF and programme stakeholders for the effective implementation of the We Can Work program. He/she will dedicate 100% of time for the program to ensure program objectives are met.

Key responsibilities

Advising and training:

• To coordinate, provide and facilitate workshops with OPDs youth and women’s right/led organizations and mainstream organizations to increase inclusion and representation of young women and men with disabilities.
• Develop and deliver trainings and workshops on the inclusion of youth with disabilities
• Coordinate trainings for youth with disabilities to increase their advocacy skills and to develop and implement advocacy plans.
• To provide coaching and advise on the above topics towards youth with disabilities, OPDs, youth and women’s right/led organizations and mainstream organizations.
• Provide input to co-creation processes, building on principles of human centered design; to provide content to training manuals and tools; Pro-actively identify the need for additional training and coaching materials and tools, and support the development of those.

Advocacy:

• Strategic overview and guidance on advocacy related to economic empowerment of youth with disabilities
• Collaborate with YAW partners based on recommendations from Light for the World to advance a nationally significant disability advocacy agenda
• Actively participate in the international OPD working group led by ADF and provide input to the We Can Work Advocacy Strategy and its roll out plans.
• Coach youth with disabilities to align their advocacy plans and actions with WCW’s advocacy strategy

Disability Inclusion:

• Collaborate with Light for the World on disability inclusion advisory approaches: DIF selection, training, mentoring and related activities
• Link Light for the world We Can Work team with regional umbrella OPDs and local OPDs Participate in and contribute to OPD group meetings
• Identify and support FEAPD member OPD’s to ensure inclusion of youth with disabilities.

Networking:

• To represent the FEAPD We Can Work team in networks of OPDs, civil society and/ or government bodies.
• To initiate and build relationships with both mainstream and disability organizations, in order to promote inclusion and representation of young women and men with disability.

Knowledge and information management:

• To gather and disseminate relevant information regarding disability mainstreaming; to document lessons learned, case studies and stories of change.

Responsible for implementing the safeguarding policies at program level:

• Prepare work plans and implement safeguarding (PSEA, CFM) activities.
• Ensures that OPDs are aware of the safeguarding policies and facilitate trainings to build their capacity in this regard
• Ensure that the safeguarding policies are implemented at all levels in the program site
• Ensure that program participants are aware of these policies and promote to report any concern regarding PSEA and discrimination
• Monitor and document the progress of PSEA activities.
• Report immediately any concern, incident to the line manager concerning PSEA.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in fields relating to development work, Law, Social Work, Sociology, Inclusive/Special need education or human rights, disability rights
• At least 7 years of experience working in Non-Governmental Organizations, or Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) with related position.
• Familiar with Adult learning/participatory training and coaching methodologies
• Experienced trainer and facilitator with experience in designing and conducting skills-building workshops and other capacity development approaches with a variety of stakeholders.
• Excellent people skills with the ability to develop others and to impart knowledge and experience in an accessible and clear manner.
• Innovative and strategic thinker always ready to adapt and learn.
• Practical experience on partnership and capacity building initiatives.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated expertise in implementation of programs on advocacy, economic empowerment and disability inclusion.
• Show great initiative and be able to work well in a team and independently.
• Ability to produce timely and deliver high-quality results
• Show great initiative and be able to work well in a team and independently.
• Ability to produce timely and deliver high-quality results

Core Competencies:

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Widely shares FEAPD’s vision, and engages and motivates others future orientated, thinks strategically and on a national and global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take calculated risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integration
• The post holder must commit to work in an international agency that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion and fights racism, gender inequality and discrimination in all forms

Duty station: FEAPD Addis Ababa office, with frequent travel to project areas.

Duration of contract: one year with possibility of extension.

Gross Salary and Benefit Package: Negotiable based on available fund & the candidates previous experience.