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Plan International

PLAN ASIA CIVIL SOCIETY REGIONAL PROJECT FOR INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY OF ASEAN AND SAARC TO THE REALISATION OF CHILDREN’S RIGHT TO PROTECTION (2015-2017)

Terms of Reference for the designing and delivering of

Plan Asia Civil Society Regional Training on Advocacy Skills

2nd – 5th of November, 2015

1.Introduction

Plan is an international child-centred development organisation. Plan’s vision is of a world in which all children realise their full potential in societies that respect people’s rights and dignity. Plan works in 66 countries across the world; in 50 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas supported by fundraising in 21 countries and by 4 regional offices and Plan international headquarters in the UK.

Child Centred Community Development (CCCD) is Plan’s Child Rights approach, in which children, families and communities are active and leading participants in their own development. This approach recognises the intrinsic link between poverty and rights, where poverty is both a cause and consequence of the denial of rights. As defined in Plan’s Global Programme Guide, advocacy is an integral part of rights-based programming. In order to bring about lasting positive changes in children’s lives, it is important for development actors to focus on which policies, laws, attitudes and practices need to be aligned with the UNCRC. Through advocacy, Plan aims to address the injustices and power imbalances that underlie poverty by effecting changes that improve the lives of children, their families and communities. By undertaking advocacy, Plan seeks to positively influence those with power and/or responsibility in order to secure the rights of children, by acting for, with and on behalf of children and their communities. For more information visit www.plan-international.org  

2.Background  

Given the central role that CSO actors play in advocating for children’s rights, Plan ARO has been cooperating closely with national level child rights based CSO coalitions in order to support joint advocacy efforts, particularly around monitoring and periodic alternative reporting under the UNCRC framework. To this end, Plan ARO organised a number of capacity building trainings as part of a four-year regional programme that aimed to strengthen civil society engagement in monitoring children’s rights implementation in Asia.

In 2015, the focus of this regional initiative was shifted towards advocacy by regional CSO coalitions towards ASEAN and SAARC for increased accountability to the realisation of children’s right to protection. The Project is implemented with the financial support received from NORAD, SIDA and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Framework Agreement of Finland. The Project transpires at the regional level and is jointly implemented by Plan ARO, Child Right Coalition Asia (CRC Asia) and National Action and Coordination Group against Violence against Children (NACGs), two regional civil society coalitions operating respectively in ASEAN and SAARC sub regions.

In order to further increase the effectiveness of their advocacy efforts, CSO partners to the Project, namely CRC Asia and NACGs, have identified the need for developing their existing capacities and skills related to advocacy.

3.Objectives

Overall, the proposed training aims at increasing conceptual learning and practical skills to exercise advocacy more effectively and ultimately have strengthened consistency among the CSO partners in practising advocacy at different levels. The training will be designed to be held over a period of four days and will build on existing experiences of the CSO partners. It will also serve as an opportunity for CSO representatives to reflect on the overall achievements so far in order to further strengthen different advocacy actions.  

Overarching objectives of the training include:

To take stock on the existing achievements in the field of advocacy through sharing case studies and exploring strengths and areas for improvement;

To increase understanding and knowledge of various aspects, components and methodologies coming under the broad advocacy realm;

To strengthen practical skills required for effective and safe day-to-day advocacy related activities at different levels and in preparation for the advocacy actions planned within the ARO CSO Project.

Specific objectives of the training include:

To understand core theories of effective advocacy;

To understand the principles of advocacy planning, monitoring and evaluation;

To understand the relationship between advocacy capacity building and advocacy effectiveness;

To understand theories of civil society space and power dynamics;

To create opportunity to share advocacy experiences and learning;

To reflect and plan on how to apply this learning in future advocacy strategies;

To learn advocacy methodologies and the optimal use of social media/other new technologies/applications in advocacy work;

To learn how to best to work with children in defining/designing and organising, implementing and assessing advocacy campaigns.

To reflect and learn on how to document outcome s of advocacy activities

Learn how to practice advocacy with safe child participation

Expected key outputs include:

Enhanced capacity of civil society representatives and Plan staff in exercising advocacy through a systematic process;

Advocacy action plans developed by CSO partners;

Training rollout plans developed to further strengthen the capacities of CSO members. 

4.Participants

CSO partners to the Project will be expected to identify the most suitable representatives with at least 5 years of advocacy background and based on their capability to rollout the training with the rest of the coalition members within and beyond the Project life. From Plan Country Offices, the focal points to the ARO CSO Project (Child Protection/Child Rights Advisers) will be expected to participate in the training. Approximately, the training will be attended by 30 participants.

5.Preparatory stage

In preparation for the training, Plan ARO will conduct a training needs assessment with the participants who sign-up to attend the training. The training needs identified through the assessment will be discussed in depth with the identified trainer, so to align learning objectives and training contents with the expressed needs. Participants will also be required to do some pre-training work in preparation for the training. This is likely to involve the formulation of advocacy case studies (what worked well and why, what worked less well and why). Guidance will be provided on the structure and content of the case studies and sufficient time will be allocated for these to be produced and reviewed prior to the training. Additionally, a set of pre-course reading materials will be shared with all participants.

6.Deliverables/output

The consultant/trainer is expected to:

In consultation with Plan ARO, design the training based on the outcomes of the learning needs assessments shared by participants who sign-up for the training;

Develop required training materials, tools and methodologies;

Deliver the training over the proposed 4 days period.

Share a summary report accompanied by relevant technical details, presentations and training materials.

7.Schedule/Timeline

The training will take place over four days in Bangkok, Thailand in the week commencing 2nd of November 2015. Additional time required for preparatory work and justification shall be specified in the proposal by the candidates.

8.Qualifications

The consultant/trainer should demonstrate the following expertise and skills:

Experience in designing and delivering tailor made training courses on advocacy and policy influencing to civil society members, NGOs, UN and INGOs;

Demonstrated technical expertise on child protection in general, and child protection related advocacy in particular;

Good communications, analytical skills and high proficiency in English;

It is an advantage if the consultant is familiar with Plan, child rights, child protection, the Asian context, ASEAN, SAARC, civil society, Sida, Norad, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Finland

9.Payments

Candidates are expected to indicate fees incurred for the above commission in Euros including VAT.

10.Child Protection

Throughout the process, compliance with Plan’s Child Protection Policy and standards must be assured.

11.How to apply?

Please submit your expression of interest/proposal to Plan Asia Regional Office at the latest by Monday the 21st of September, 2015. To:  PlanAsia.JobVacancies@plan-international.org

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and interview

Plan takes active measures in recruitment and employment to ensure children are protected.

Plan is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

www.plan-international.org