ThaiNGO

THIS POSITION HAS BEEN CLOSED

Background and Context

The International Rescue Committee’s (IRC’s) Certificate in Public Health (CPH) training was implemented in the three target refugee camps in Sites 1 & 2, Mae Hong Son and Tham Hin, Ratchaburi along the Thailand-Myanmar border. The project provided intensive health modular trainings to camp-based health care workers so as to enhance their livelihood and career opportunities, which contributed to necessary skills required for health care services in the disputed areas of southeastern Myanmar upon their return to home country. The CPH training was conducted in partnership between IRC, and the School of Global Studies (SGS), Thammasat University in Thailand, and University of Community Health (UCH), Myanmar. The university-certified training was aligned with the UCH’s curriculum for the Public Health Supervisor II, in preparing for frontline healthcare workers in response to Ministry of Health (Myanmar)’s critical shortage of healthcare workers on the ground. This would enable refugee health workers to acquire necessary skills and credentials required to enter potential career opportunities in Myanmar, as many people anticipate that the recent national election would restore the peace roadmap and promote the possibility for repatriation.

The project implementation started from January 2013 to December 2015 and aimed to achieve the following objectives:

Overall objective: To deliver high quality healthcare services in the three target refugee camps in Tham Hin (Ratchaburi), Ban Mai Nai Soi and Ban Mae Surin (Mae Hong Son) on the Thailand-Myanmar border through the expert-led trainings by health professionals in Myanmar. This will enhance future economic or educational opportunities of refugees outside the camp setting.

Specific objective 1: To strengthen skills and competencies of camp-based refugee healthcare workers by providing intensive health care training courses from joint curriculum between accredited academic institutions in Thailand and Myanmar

Specific objective 2: To provide refugee health workers with public health accreditation and professional certification from the recognized university in Thailand. At the Outcome level, the project sets out to deliver three Outcomes under each of the three Key Results:

Result 1: Thai academic and training institutions develop appropriate and professionalised curriculum for training courses by the end of the first three months of the project

Partnerships are established among IRC, School of Global Studies (SGS), Thammasart University and University of Community Health, Myanmar in support of on-site service training, curriculum development and review, and practical experience.

Result 2: Targeted refugee health care workers participate in training and develop the required competencies 

Refugee health care workers in the three camps receive the CPH training, equivalent to the Public Health Specialist (PHS) II training in Myanmar. The trained health care workers are able to craft new skills while improving their existing capabilities in the areas of public health administration; diseases control, health education and surveillance. In this way, this will ensure increased efficiency in primary health care delivery in the three target camps; improved refugee health care workers’ performance; and strengthened management and leadership skills to better handle case management and referrals in the environment with limited resources.

Result 3: Targeted refugee health care workers receive recognized certificates from professional, academic or training institutions 

The Certificate in Public Health from SGS will award to refugee health care workers who complete and pass all modular clusters.  With the accredited credentials received, the trained refugee health care worker hold a recognized certification for both Thailand and Myanmar in  contributing to career opportunities upon the possible future scenarios of resettlement to the third countries or repatriation to Myanmar.

2.Evaluation objectives and scope

This final project evaluation will encompass the entire project period from 1st January 2013 to 31th December 2015. The geographic coverage covers the three target refugee camps; Ban Mai Nai Soi (Site 1) and Ban Mae Surin (Site 2), Mae Hong Son and Tham Hin, Ratchaburi. With the key results outlined above, the final project evaluation aims to provide comprehensive discussion and analysis in regards to the following objectives:

a. To evaluate the entire project for its effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact of the modular curriculum and trainers on target beneficiaries, with a primary focus on the result assessment at the outcome level;

b. To generate key lessons learned as drawn out from evaluation methodology, identify challenges and problems and recommend future areas for upcoming trainings and improvement; 

c. To provide measurable statistical evidence of the delivered and undelivered rates of the project   

3.Evaluation questions

The key evaluation questions are categorized by the main criteria and project outcomes in response to each key result per below.

4.Evaluation methodology

This final evaluation will be conducted by an external consultant who specializes in monitoring and evaluation for public health trainings in the context of displaced populations at camp-based setting. The evaluation will use qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews with refugee students, field project management teams and trainers, curriculum development committee, quality assurance officer and camp stakeholders. The following evaluation methodology is being proposed in this term of reference. Nonetheless, specific details could be revised based on the discussions with the evaluation consultant:

a) Desk review of program monitoring documents and progress reports from 2013-2015

b) Semi-structured interviews on CPH training participants, SGS project management and training staff, and curriculum development committee, quality assurance officer and senior MOH officer in Myanmar

c) Semi-structured interviews with camp stakeholders (e.g. KnHD, IRC Health Program, camp committee members)

d) Review of M&E activities conducted throughout the project

The evaluation consultant will conduct field visits the three target refugee camps in MHS and Ratchaburi provinces to conduct the semi-structured interviews in coordination with IRC field program officers and camp-based assistant, which involves the meeting and interview with IRC partners from universities, Ministry of Health (Myanmar), and health service providers in Thailand-Myanmar border.

The number of respondents, sampling design and sampling selection in these semi-structured interviews will be selected by the use of appropriate methodological assessments and criteria agreed upon between the evaluation consultant and IRC in advance. Data collection from the evaluation methods will be analyzed and synthesized by the evaluation consultant and compiled into a final narrative evaluation report.    

5.Key deliverables and timeframe

The tentative timeline of the final evaluation period starts from 14 March to 25 June 2016, or 30 working days including the development of semi-structured interview questions (14-18 March); preparation for data collection (21-22 March); field visits to the refugee camps (23 March – 1 April); and a series of consultation meetings with stakeholders from partner universities, Ministry of Health (Myanmar), and health service providers in Thailand-Myanmar border (between March and April); data analysis (4 March – 30 April); and the report composition and review (1 May– 27 June). The reporting template and detailed workplan will be discussed and agreed upon between the consultant and IRC Thailand by the third week of March 2016.

The complete final report will be submitted to IRC’s Clinical Training Officer and Grants Coordinator for technical review by Wednesday 8th June 2016 (Close-of-Business), Thailand time, followed by a report revision period based on technical reviews provided by IRC.

6.Evaluator’s qualifications

(This position is based on local remuneration rate.)

- Excellent command of English writing and speaking skills, able to communicate in Thai and Burmese is an asset

- A minimum of a Master’s Degree in public health, or development studies or economics and/or any related fields

- At least five-year-experience in monitoring and evaluation in  public health and development projects

- Advanced knowledge in teaching and training in public health and development

- The following qualifications are desirable but not limited to:

   * Experience working with refugees or displaced persons in Myanmar and/or Thailand

   * A clear understanding in the contexts of public health, social and political systems and ethnic minority issues in Myanmar    and Thailand

Benefits

The selected evaluation consultant concurs to work under a short-term contract with 30 working days, and will be entitled to competitive consultancy fees, travel per diem, and phone bills. The boarding pass and original receipts must be retained for internal audits.

HOW TO APPLY

Application letter and most recent CV in English stating qualifications and experience should be submitted to the IRC Human Resources Department at:Thailand.HR@Rescue.org All applications will be treated confidentially and not returned. 

The IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, national origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or physical or mental disability.The IRC is an equal opportunity employer.

***Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted***