ThaiNGO

1. POSITION DETAILS

Position Title:              Consultant to Write Abstract and Article to Peer-Reviewed Publication derived from testBKK’s Design and Implementation

Contract Period:          covering 20 consecutive working days between August and September

Reports to:                   APCOM Senior Campaigns Coordinator

Location:                      home-based

2. ABOUT APCOM

Founded in 2007, APCOM is a coalition of members – governments, UN partners, non-profits and community based organisations – from Asia and the Pacific. APCOM represent a diverse range of interests working together to advocate on, highlight and prioritise HIV and human rights issues that affect the lives of gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) and other communities affected by HIV in Asia and the Pacific. Our goals are to improve the well-being of the key affected communities in the region through increased investment, coverage and quality of sexual health services and human rights protection.

3. ABOUT TESTXXX AND TESTBKK

Many countries within Asia are recording alarmingly high numbers of HIV infection among MSM population. This is particularly evident in large urban areas like Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta and Manila where prevalence has been reported between 15-31%. Where data is available, the rate of HIV testing among young MSM aged 18 to 29 is less than 50%. TestXXX is conceived by APCOM to close this gap.

TestXXX is designed to empower the existing community-based clinics to reach wider YMSM audience and to generate more promising behaviour change by harnessing the power of cutting-edge communications and creativity that resonates with today’s culture of YMSM, such as the popular use of mobile sexual networking apps and other online platforms to regularly find new sexual partners. TestXXX tailors strong and provocative messaging to dissociate HIV testing with fear, stigma and/or discrimination. TestXXX employs and integrates online and offline outreach strategies to ensure that YMSM sustainably access HIV prevention and treatment cascade.

TestXXX was piloted in Bangkok, named TestBKK, in 2014 with the support from LINKAGES Thailand led by FHI Thailand funded by USAID and PEPFAR. With the support of Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) in 2015, TextBKK received additional resources for three years (2015-2018) and TestXXX expanded to three new cities:  Ho Chi Minh City (TestSGN), Manila (TestMNL), and Jakarta (TestJKT). Each of these expanded campaign received a one-year grant.

TestXXX campaign has the following four (4) goals:

1. to develop an innovative, sex positive campaign in four cities that normalize HIV testing, ensuring the integration to the continuum of treatment, care and support, and prevention for young MSM;
2. to encourage young positive MSM to access treatment care and support services, by breaking through negative social norms, stigma regarding HIV and to dispel myths and misconceptions around "severity" of HIV treatment;
3. to foster an environment that values innovation and creativity, allowing the sharing of knowledge and best practices between cities, building a sustainable city-based community-led response to HIV through improved collaboration across the region; and
4. to engage and link local community organisations with clinical services, municipal governments and private sector towards developing a sustainable city-based partnership model that adequately responds to the needs of YMSM.

4. PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY

The consultant is assigned to conduct analysis of testBKK’s current and/or past research, programme, project, policy implementation and/or management and desk reviews on the relevant publications; and to develop and submit TWO (2) academic articles based on the findings of the analysis and desk review to pertinent peer-reviewed academic journals.

5. SCOPE OF WORK

The Consultant is expected to do the following assignments:

1. conduct analysis of testBKK’s research, programme, project, policy implementation and/or management
2. conduct desk/literature reviews on the past and relevant published articles (the consultant will be given access to SPRINGER link – database of journals)
3. develop at least two academic papers based on the abovementioned analysis and desk review – each cover different topic and is formatted either as empirical research, review paper, brief report or thought piece, while acknowledging APCOM’s lead correspondent staff and FHI Thailand’s lead correspondent staff as the second and third author, respectively
4. identify two (2) to four (4) relevant journals/publications to send each academic paper to
5. Submit each article to at least two relevant journals for publications, matching the scope, style, requirements of the respective journal. 
6. METHODOLOGIES

The methodology to conduct the abovementioned scope of work may be the following:

1. analysis of the following testBKK’s documents:
2. a) testXXX’s mater workplan
3. b) COMPASS: testXXX (a publication profiling testXXX initiative)
4. c) first-year activity guideline to set up and implement TestXXX and its supplement documents
5. d) biennial progress reports of testBKK from APCOM to EJAF (since the pilot year until present) that provide the Campaign’s narrative and quantitave achievement of the grant’s key indicators and sub-indicators
6. e) quarter progress reports of testBKK from APCOM to FHI Thailand (since the pilot year until present) that provide the Campaign’s narrative and quantitave achievement of the grant’s key indicators and sub-indicators
7. f) assessment reports which periodically evaluates the penetration of testBKK into the target audience and assesses the change in the target audience’s sexual health-related attitudes and behaviors (from March 2014 until April 2018) conducted by testBKK’s research partner (Faculty of Humanity and Social Science of Mahidol University)
8. g) testXXX’s “Thumb Stopping and 16 Other Case Studies on HIV-related Behaviour Change Communication” publication

2. examination of the analytics of the following testBKK’s digital organic touchpoints:
3. a) website (http://testBKK.org)
4. b) Facebook page (http://facebook.com/testBKK)
5. c) YouTube channel (http://youtube.com/testBKK)
6. d) Instagram (http://instagram.com/testBKK)

3. examination of the analytical performance of the following digital advertising/marketing activities:
4. a) ad campaigns on Facebook
5. b) ad campaigns on Google Ads (previously called Google Adwords)
6. c) ad campaigns on Hornet
7. d) ad campaigns on Jack’d
8. e) ad campaigns on Grindr
9. f) ad campaigns with social influencer (influencer marketing)

4. examination on the various capacity building presentations presented by testBKK in national/regional/international conference/seminar

5. key informant interview via phonecall, skypecall or email exchange with the following stakeholders:
6. a) APCOM staff who are directly involved in the implemention of TestXXX regional grant
7. b) current and former staff of TestBKK
8. c) clinic partners
9. d) academician partners
10. e) creative agency partners
11. f) current staff of non Bangkok-based testXXX campaigns (testSGN, testJKT, testMNL, testJOG and testHKG)

7. DELIVERABLES

8. CONSULTANCY PAYMENT

Based on the number of days proposed by the consultant and further negotiated and agreed with APCOM, the fees will be paid against satisfactory deliverables as per the below schedule:

9. KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS

The consultancy service under this assignment should provide the following output:

8.1 Education

a minimum of Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Communication, Social Science, Development, or other academic equivalents

8.2 Professional Experience

1. a) more than three (3) years of professional experience on HIV, health or behaviour change communication – preferably with expertise on Asian countries;
2. b) good understanding of behaviour change communication campaign/programming for young gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM)
3. c) proven experience in designing and/or facilitating a knowledge exchange forum/dialogue;
4. d) proven experience in working with civil society, non-governmental and/or community-based organisations;
5. e) proven experience in writing a community-centric knowledge product

8.3 Functional/Technical Knowledge

1. a) excellent English writing and communication skills; knowledge of Indonesian, Vietnamese, Tagalog and/or Thai language is an added advantage
2. b) ability to analyze and consolidate information from multiple sources and prepare technical briefs
3. c) ability to work efficiently under pressure, with limited or adequate day-to-day support and a willingness to take on different projects and tasks as need arises
4. d) possess well-developed professionalism, tactfulness, personal discipline and impartiality
5. e) able to work as a team, open to sharing information and excels in coordinating efforts
6. f) possess sensitive and professional approach to diversity of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics

9. PREPARING APPLICATION

To apply for this position, the applicant should submit his/her CV and Cover Letter and other relevant documents to the APCOM Secretariat by emailing JoinUS@apcom.org no later than the deadline of this vacancy.

In the cover letter, the applicant is required to state how his/her skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications relating to the position. The applicant should also mention the number of the proposed days to finish the outputs mention in Section 4: Deliverables in his/her cover letter.

Documents to be submitted along with the CV and Cover Letter may include the copy of the knowledge product/publication/resources relating to relating to mental health, drug abuse or harm reduction that has been produced/written by the applicant. If the resource(s) is/are available online, the applicant may mention the URL(s) of the resource(s) in his/her cover letter instead.

For questions or enquiries for the position, please contact APCOM’s HR Officer Rangsit Sanguansak at RangsitS@apcom.org