Evaluation Terms of Reference
Consultancy for the Mid Term Review and Final Evaluation of the “ Promoting Inclusive Peacebuilding and Sustainable Livelihoods in the Equatorias Region of South Sudan through Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship” Project
Key Information
Name of project Promoting Inclusive Peacebuilding and Sustainable Livelihoods in the Equatorias Region of South Sudan through Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship
Organisations Involved: WPDI and SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION
Project Duration: 36 Months
Project funding source and overall project budget: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and WPDI
Type of evaluation: Three-phases evaluation to be conducted in every phase of the project in 2020, 2021 and 2022 mid-way during the implementation of every phase and Final Project Evaluation
A: Purpose of consultancy
The Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) is an international non-profit non-governmental organization. WPDI works to harness the potential of youth for peace through youth-led educational and economic projects and community-strengthening activities.
WPDI has started implementing a three-year project in South Sudan funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation which commenced in August 2019 and running until July 2020 for the first phase of the project . The second phase of the project will commence from August 2020 and running until July 2021 , and finally the third phase of the project will commence from August 2021 to run until July 2022 . Over the course of the project, an outcome monitoring will be commissioned by WPDI to be done by an external consultant/consultant firm, terms of reference of which will be agreed jointly by WPDI and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. This Outcome monitoring is to eventually lead to the monitoring and impact evaluation and review which will be conducted at the end of the project as a part of the outcome and impact evaluation to help assess the project progress, effectiveness and identify any gaps during implementation.
The project focuses on young people as the primary stakeholders to foster conditions for peace and sustainable development in the Equatorias region of South Sudan through the following key delivery areas:
- Building and strengthening a workforce of 360 peacemakers (TOTs and Payam youths) in CES.
- Training in conflict resolution to 800 students from 8 schools of Juba, CES, 4 schools in Yambio, WES and 4 schools in Torit, EES
- Organizing 45 community dialogues to convene local community members around issues concerning peace, human rights and other issues covered by the SDGs.
- Promoting entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods in EES and WES through the organization of Business Plan competition under the Business Boot Camp (BBC) initiative in Torit and Maridi, respectively.
To this end, WPDI and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation are seeking to procure the services of an independent, external consultant (S) to design, plan and conduct a rigorous outcome monitoring and final impact evaluation using the outcome and impact planning as outlined by WPDI in the outcome matrix of the project herein attached as an annex in this TOR document as well as the results of the baseline study to inform the planning and outcome measurements.
About WPDI
WPDI operates in South Sudan through its flagship program – the Youth Peacemaker Network (YPN), a youth empowerment program that equips young women and men from vulnerable and conflict affected areas as partners in the promotion of peace and sustainable development. Based on our theory of change in which young people can be key agents of grassroots transformation, we provide young people with civic and vocational skills that they can put to use in their daily lives and support projects developed by young people to promote peace and sustainability in their communities.
To these effects, the YPN mainly builds on (1) cohorts of young people whom we train and support directly as an on-the-ground force for peace and sustainable community development, and (2) a network of Community Learning Centres (CLCs) that we establish in remote and under-serviced areas and where community members can access Internet-capable computers, library services as well as courses in such areas as conflict resolution, ICTs, arts and crafts and entrepreneurship, and (3), support of grants to youth community groups to implement Income generating projects (IGPs) that can help create employment and improve livelihoods of the youths and community members in general.
Key Project activities and outputs:
1. Building and strengthening 360 peacemakers in CES
In view of its strategy to empower young people as implementers of activities conducive to peace and sustainable development in vulnerable communities, WPDI is in the process of completing the building of its youth force for peace and sustainable development in CES. This requires (1.1) to further strengthen the training of the 40 TOTs (this training has already been completed), and (1.2a) enroll the 320 payam youths that the TOTs will in turn (1.2b) train in the course of the first quarter of 2020. The program is at a critical juncture since we have achieved the basic training of our 40 youth leaders who will deliver training through the Training of Trainers model as elaborated below:
1.1 Strengthen the ability of WPDI to deploy a youth-based force for peace and sustainable development by holding a one-week capacity strengthening workshop of to reinforce the capacity of our young leaders to manage local business initiatives , advocate for peace-related issues among communities, and teach conflict resolution in schools – this particular task was already accomplished in August 2019;
1.2 Ensure the availability in CES of a youth-based force that WPDI lead peacemakers (TOTs) can mobilize for the promotion of peace and sustainable development through :
One (1) recruitment campaign in the counties of CES to select enroll 320 young women and men from the payams;
One (1) training in peacebuilding and entrepreneurship held in four different locations of CES, whereby the youth leaders/ToTs will train the 320 local youth in four respective groups of:
112 youth in Juba (14 leaders/ToTs);
64 youth in Lanya (8 leaders/ToTs);
64 youth in Terekeka (7 leaders/ToTs);
80 in Yei (10 leaders/ToTs).
2. Training in conflict resolution of 800 students from 8 schools of Juba, CES, Yambio, WES, and Torit, EES
The main objective is to sensitize children and youth to values of peace precisely because they are at an age when their value system as future citizens is being shaped but also because they can be agents of peace as of today. The CRE will establish mediators, namely students that we train to help their peers sort out their conflicts. In line with our TOT model, the CRE program will be implemented by our youth leaders, whose age proximity with their trainees facilitates the transmission of values and skills. This we believe is the surest path to establish a long-term culture of peace in the areas covered by the program.
WPDI will contribute to establish a peaceful learning environment in schools of CES and WES by training:
2.a 400 students in 8 schools of Juba, CES;
2.b 200 students in 4 schools in Yambio, WES;
2.c 200 students in 4 schools of Torit, CES.
3. Promoting entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods in EES and WES
Because we assume that peace and sustainable livelihoods are two sides of the same coin the YPN entails both a civic component on peace and a vocational component on entrepreneurship. In 2018, we strengthened the former component by establishing the Business Boot Camp, an integrated facility through which we disseminate entrepreneurship skills and incubate small businesses. The business trainings are provided at our CLC in three levels, basic, intermediate and advanced, each module lasting 3 months. The business incubation process starts with the selection of business plans through a competitive process among former trainees, a criteria adopted to ensure that beneficiaries have a sound understanding of business principles.
At each competition, our committee, composed of WPDI and its partners, selects the three most promising projects. The laureates receive an initial grant with which they launch their business. The ongoing financing of each project is contingent on the compliance of the entrepreneurs to a number of requirements that we have put in view of ensuring that these businesses are profitable and sustainable.
Promote access to entrepreneurship in EES and CES program through the:
3.a Support of 4 existing businesses in EES;
3.b Delivery of business skills courses over 8 months at our CLC in Maridi, WES;
3.c Creation of three new businesses selected upon a business plan competition organized at our CLC in Maridi, WES.
The expected outcomes of the project are as follows:
Outcome 1: Conditions for peace, resilience and sustainable development in the communities targeted by the YPN in the Equatorias region are enhanced through (a) the different activities undertaken by the youth leaders supported by WPDI, inclusive of community dialogues and (b) the peacebuilding undertaken within schools.
Outcome 2: Youth are more autonomous and less inclined to join armed groups or gangs and communities benefit from job opportunities, increased income and livelihoods
Outcome 3: A culture of peace disseminated in communities of the Equatorias region
Outcome 4: Conditions of sustainable development are promoted through the culture of entrepreneurship and opportunities for youth to develop small businesses
Monitoring and Evaluation Process and Methodology:
The Outcome monitoring and final evaluation should focus on participatory methodologies to engage all key stakeholders including young women and men who fit the beneficiary criteria, community members, Community Based Organisations, schools and local decision makers.
A reasonable sample of the targeted beneficiaries and population should be engaged throughout. The Consultant(s) should provide suggested sample sizes in the proposal of all of the above groups and highlight how these figures were calculated. The consultant should also suggest a set of appropriate and adequate indicators to measure the outcomes and impacts of the activities mentioned above.
Monitoring and Evaluation objectives/Detailed purpose of objectives:
- Monitor and Evaluate the effectiveness of the project using participatory methodologies
- Assess level of progress towards outputs and outcomes
- Assess the impact and level of changes for direct beneficiaries, and their communities
- Identify gaps in project implementation to inform project adjustments where relevant
- Verify, validate and analyze the field monitoring data collected by the program coordinators and WPDI Business Officers/Managers
- Produce recommendations to increase program delivery and measure the effectiveness of the project to help guide future project development
- Use the WPDI “theory of change” hypothesis to support the analysis of the project outcomes
Scope, Focus and Monitoring and Evaluation Criteria
The monitoring and evaluation/review will collect information according to the expected results and indicators as set out in the project application, the results framework and the outcome evaluation framework (Appendix 1). The following data in the evaluation reports should also be included:
Detailed overview of other initiatives aimed at improving the lives of young women and men, including services offered by the Government and by local and international Non-Governmental Organizations.
Geographical Locations for evaluation:
The Consultant(s) must visit all the project sites in EES, WES and CES.
The data collection techniques should include a mix of the following:
- Desk research/Context analysis
- Quantitative tools including survey questionnaires
- Qualitative tools including focus group discussions (at least 3 focus group discussions in different neighborhoods) and interviews with key stakeholders (project staff, other NGO staff/volunteers, local government, community leaders, business and technical vocational training centres, potential employers, etc.)
- Direct Observation
- Semi structured interviews and workshops
- Other relevant methods suggested by the consultant(s)
Stakeholder Participation:
The Consultant/s must ensure that a wide range of stakeholders participate in the assignment process as respondents. These will include:
- Young men and women who will fit into the project beneficiary selection criteria
- Direct and indirect project potential beneficiaries
- Key stakeholders, partner organizations and networks e.g. youth and women associations
- Entrepreneurs/businesses, NGOs, CBOs, local government authorities,
- Selected families/households, and Community Leaders/Elders
Note: all data collected should be analysed and disaggregated by gender, age and vulnerability factors.
Key Deliverables
The timeframe allocated to the end of project evaluation process is 30 days, and spread across three processes in the first, second and third phase of the project, covering design and finalisation of methodology and tools, data collection and analysis. The consultant/s are expected to render reports at every phase of the process, which should assume but not limited to the below structure:
▶ At the onset of the consultancy, a baseline for the outcomes and impact of the overall project
▶ Progress reports
▶ Development of methodology and tools for data collection
▶ Agreement and finalization of tools with partners
▶ Field data collection including case studies
▶ Data entry and analysis of data
▶ Validation workshop with team and key stakeholders
▶ Preparation and submission of the Draft Report
▶ Validation exercise with community
▶ Review and feedback from partners
▶ Three phase reports for the outcome monitoring and
▶ Final evaluation
▶ Ethical clearance
Evaluation focus areas
The evaluation must review progress against the project indicators and against the established benchmark and targets for the project.
Relevance:
To what extent was the project strategy and activities implemented relevant in responding to the needs of the young women and men?
Impact & Effectiveness:
- What was the project’s impact on indirect beneficiaries, the local community in general, local CBOs and local authorities?
- To what extent did young women and young men experience the impact of the project differently?
- What were the unintended consequences (positive and negative) resulting from the project? What were the internal and external factors which contributed to the changes achieved through the project?
- How well the project design (approach, methodology, etc.) was appropriate to reach the intended results
- How well the project did meet its objectives?
- Were the implementation strategies appropriate? What could be improved?
Participation:
- To what extent were project beneficiaries actively involved in the implementation, management and monitoring of the project
- To what extent do beneficiaries feel a sense of ‘ownership’ of the project?
Sustainability:
- How are the achieved results, especially the positive changes generated by the project going to be sustained after this project ends?
- To what degree has the project built on existing local capacities and coping mechanisms
Evaluation Timelines
| M&E Deliverable | Number of Days | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1/ First six months of project review/ 5 days | To be completed by 31st June 2020 | |
| Phase 2/first six months of the project review/10 days | To be completed by 31st January 2021 | |
| Phase 3/and final project evaluation/15 days | To be completed by June 2022 |
Submission requests: please include the following
- A technical proposal with a detailed timeframe and budget, outlining the bidders understanding of the assignment.
- CV of main consultant and all team members
Send submission by 5pm and by emailed to ([email protected]) or hard copies delivered to WPDI offices, located within the UNESCO Compound in Tomping.
Consultants are encouraged to submit examples of previous consultancies conducted and evaluation reports.
Closing date: 6th March 2020
NOTE: INTERESTED PARTICIPANTS TO COLLECT HARD COPY FRAMEWORK/OUTCOMES EXPECTED FROM WPDI OFFICE LOCATED WITHIN UNESCO COMPOUND IN TOMPING