Terms of Reference for Consultancy To Prepare Documentation of Good Practices (Documentary Videos) For ABCD II and SHASHEP Project

Description of programme location and context

SOS CVE, Hawassa Programme is the fourth oldest village under SOS CV Ethiopia which was established in 1985 due to the drought that occurred amid 1980 in the southern part of the country. We take action for children as an independent non-governmental social development organization. Currently, eight projects are being implemented by the programme location (PL), categorized under three major programs, alternative childcare, family strengthening and humanitarian action programs. The projects include: Standard project (FLC, OAC, FFC, SGH & SIL), ABCD II, ARADA phase II, ECoS-CaR phase IV, SHASHE, Grow Equal, Meeting the right of children and caregivers with disability, Advancing the right of children and young adult with disability at Hawassa & Hosaena city administrations.

Rationale and Overall Objective of Documentation of Good Practices

Documentation of good practices or documentary video, showcase real, positive impact and learning in line with the organization’s purpose. Therefore, this Terms of Reference (ToR) has been developed as a request for proposals (technical and financial) for consultancy firms interested in the making of documentary for both ABCD phase II and SHASHE phase I projects, separately. This project specifically targets the children, youth, families, community partners, such as CBOs, SACCOs and public schools in Hawassa located in three project sites (Tullo, Finchawa and Alamura kebeles) and in Shashemene located in two project sites (Arada and Dida Boke).

Objective of Documentation of Good Practices

Overall objective

The overall objective of documentation of good practices is to document and share effective project approaches, innovative methods, and success stories that strengthen childcare and family support systems of the two projects, ABCD II and SHASHE. The documentary will be 20 minutes audio-visual for each, which showcase projects’ interventions on childcare & protection, family economic strengthening, education and health outcomes of children & young people, families and communities.

Specific objectives

Specifically, the aim is:

• To Capture authentic moments, genuine results, and meaningful practices while preserving the dignity, rights, and privacy of all participants.
• To motivate colleagues, partners, donors, and communities by showing how SOS Children’s Villages’ work creates sustainable change and supports children and young people to become their strongest selves.
• To serve as a practical learning tool to help replicate good practices across member associations and programme locations.
• To align visual and storytelling styles with the global SOS brand identity to ensure that all communications reflect our shared values, tone, and purpose.

Scope of the Documentary Video

ABCD Phase II project is one of the family and community strengthening programs running under the PL. ABCD Phase II is a three-year project and the continuation of the previous project, which was operated from January 2023 to December 2025, in Hawassa City administration, Sidama regional state. It aims at addressing the unmet needs of 1950 children, 200 young people, 540 caregivers thereby the community. The project strives to make sure that children and young people in the targeted families are cared for and protected, caregivers and youths have sustainable income for self-reliance by 2025, children and young people are educated and skilled and Children and young people are growing up healthy. The project has devised workable implementation strategies and activities to derive the intended results.

SHASHE project is one of the family and community strengthening programs running under the PL. SHASHE project is a three-year project which was operated from January 2023 to December 2025, in Shashemene City administration, Oromia regional state. It aims at addressing the unmet needs of 1508 children, 100 young people, 458 caregivers and thereby the community. The project strives to make sure that children and young people in the targeted families are cared for and protected, caregivers and youths have sustainable income for self-reliance by 2025, children and young people are educated and skilled and Children and young people are growing up healthy. The project has devised workable implementation strategies and activities to derive the intended results.

Geographically, the documentation of good practices is limited to the project participants, women, girls, boys and families, the communities, key implementation partners such as CBOs, SACCOs and government schools in Hawassa city administration, Sidama regional state, at Bushullo FSCD project areas, such as Alamura, Finchawa and Tullo kebeles; and in Shashemene city administration, Oromia Regional state, targeting Arada and Dida Boke project sites.

The consultancy firm is expected to lead the whole process of documentary productions for both projects in the two city administrations, separately.

Methodology

The consultancy firm to be recruited is expected to develop appropriate and standard qualitative methodologies to produce high quality audio-visual documentaries. The winner consultant is expected to conduct but not limited to:

Pre-production:

• Hold consultative meetings with staff, individuals, KIPs and so on for the documentary.
• Develop script/story board, share and discuss with knowledge management team (KMT) or focal.
• Select the individuals for film making and shooting locations in consultation with assigned personnel.
• Film making using pre-planned and well-organized questions.
• Use friendly approach to extract better information.

During Production:

• As per approved script, the shooting will be carried out with high-quality resolutions.

Post-Production:

• Editing of the materials (visual footage and stills); Sound mixing; titling, subtitling, special effects, music, and voice over are required for this production.

During Testing/ validation:

• The documentary videos will have to be tested with the selected audience prior to its finalization.
• The first cut will be reviewed by a KMT member/s of SOS CVE HPL.
• The first cut may be modified and finalized based on feedback and comments received from the screening committee.
• Innovative ideas for testing are encouraged

Sampling

The Commissioned consultant is expected to select representative sample size for the video making from participants, staffs, partners and make sure that there is equal and fair participation in the preparation of documentary.

Major Evaluation/research Questions

The commissioned consultant should list script questions by referring to the project document and the projects’ result frameworks (to be delivered to the winning consultant) and show the good practice guiding questions (to be hand over later on) during inception report, draft report and final report presentations.

Work Plan and Expected Deliverables

1. Work plan

The documentation on good practices is expected to be finalized within 30 days after the contractual agreement is signed. The consultant is expected to develop her/his detailed work plan based on the following table.

Deliverables

The commissioned external consultant must deliver the master copy of documentary video within 30 days of the contract signing. Based on the work plan, SOS Children’s Villages of Hawassa programme location MEAL department or Knowledge Management Team (KMT), the national office MEAL and FCS&FD program teams expect the following deliverables:

• An inception report of 8 pages on the documentation of good practices (documentary) design, methodology, sample size, guiding tools and work plan for each project.
• Pre-produced documentary videos and draft completion report of maximum 20 pages for each project separately.
• The consultant is expected to present/share the documentaries to staff for reviews.
• Tools/ storyboards used during the video making.
• Two separate final documentary videos for the two projects, ABCD II and SHASHE :
• One master copy of the DVD, or
• High Resolution DVD Copies, and/or
• High Resolution CD Copies for each project.
• All soft/hard copy of documentaries footage or any relevant material collected during the preparation of the documentary videos.

Report/Documentary criteria

The final audio-visual documentary videos shall be in line with the SOS Children’s Villages brand and communication regulation which is to be shared with the winner consultancy firm along with the review process and/or for the preparation of the inception report.

Qualification of the researcher / research team

The applicant consultant shall have at least a master’s degree in relevant fields of study like communications, literature, journalism and related.

• At least 5 years’ work experience & proven competency in producing audio-visual documentary video, publication of magazine and other communication products. The incumbent shall attach at least one sample of his/her products.
• A good understanding of family strengthening, community empowerment, education, livelihoods and development programme work.
• A good understanding of child/youth rights/safeguarding & other issues affecting vulnerable children in the Ethiopian context.
• Proven experience in working with age-appropriate audio-visual documentation.
• Proven experience in participatory processes.
• Strong skills in coordination, good facilitation, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong skills in coordinating teamwork
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English.
• Good experience of preparing sub-titles in English language for the foreign audiences.
• Experience working with SOS Children’s Villages or similar child focused organizations.
• Legally registered firms with renewed license, VAT registration and TIN number