Consultancy-Impact Review of HelpAge International AFFORD Programme

Are you experienced in programme impact review and research? We need you on board to support with this consultancy!

Background

HelpAge International works with partners and a diverse global network of more than 170 organizations over 90 countries, supporting millions of older people to live safe, dignified, and healthy lives. Through our partnership and collaborations, we work to ensure the inclusion of older people across society and strive to deliver a just and fair world for everyone, whatever their age.

The Accountability and Fulfilment for Older Persons to Raise their Dignity Programme (AFFORD) was delivered from January 2017 to June 2024 (7 years) across four countries; Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania.

The programme had a focus on four key outcomes;

Outcome 1: Older women and men in the targeted countries, including the most marginalised, benefit from increased access to nationally owned, appropriate, inclusive and effective social protection systems.

Outcome 2: National social and health protection policies, public governance systems and structures at all levels are more responsive and accountable to older women and men’s rights and needs.

Outcome 3: Civil Societies and their networks, communities demonstrate more supportive attitudes and actions to promote the voice of older persons in attainment of their rights and entitlements.

Review Goal and Approach

The impact review helps us understand our approach’s impact and identify lasting and significant changes in the lives of older people, relating to their well-being, dignity and voice. The length and wide-reaching nature as well as strong MEAL data available make the programme an exciting option for review, showcasing HelpAge’s multi-layer approach across local, national and regional levels.

Using existing data and reports from across the life of the project we aim to conduct a meta-analysis to answer the following questions;

• What short term and lasting changes have been identified in the lives of older people? Changes include at the individual, community, national or global level and by different groups of older people. Examples of changes include but are not limited to policy and programmatic changes benefitting older people, positive trends in wellbeing indicators, individual testimonials, examples of institutional and legal changes, improved digital technology skills/technology access, evidence of grater empowerment.
• How did HelpAge, network members and partners contribute to those changes?
  • What were the key factors that contributed to the success or failure?
  • What external factors have contributed to the project outcomes?
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches and implementation?
• What lessons have been learnt and can inform future approaches?
• What innovative approaches, structures, methodologies did this project apply?

Final key focus and scope of the review would be confirmed in discussion with the consultant during the initial set up and key documents available for review include;

1. Regional Gender Policy Brief, 2018 (10 pages)
2. Impact Evaluation of Zanzibar Universal Pension scheme, 2018 (62 pages)
3. Coverage of Older people in Ethiopia’s social protection system, 2019 (13 pages)
4. Impacts of Malawi’s Social Cash Transfer on Older People and their Households, 2019 (49 pages)
5. AFFORD II Mid-Term Evaluation, 2020 (41 pages)
6. Older Persons in the middle of the crisis: research on the experiences of older persons with social protection systems during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia, Malawi and Mozambique, 2022 (58 pages)
7. The Global Financial, Fuel and Food Crisis: Putting older Women and Men at the Center of Marginalization in Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique, 2022 (43 pages)
8. Regional Report for the Final Evaluation of the Accountability and Fulfilment for Older Persons to Raise the Dignity Programme II (AFFORDII), Implemented by HelpAge International in Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania,2022 (141 pages)
9. Regional Exit Fund AFFORD Final Evaluation and Learning report, 2024 (31 pages)

Time schedule

The Review is planned to be carried out over 10 days ideally before the first week in October 2024

A more detailed schedule of key deliverables and timing can be agreed in discussion with the consultant.

Deliverables

a) Start-up Meeting: To be held with review leads

b) 3-5 interviews or discussions with key staff or stakeholders to verify information and support review

c) Final Review report: The final report shall be written in English with a clear structure. The report should not exceed 20 pages (excluding annexes) and the executive summary should be a maximum of 3 pages. The review approach/methodology and methods for data collection used shall be clearly described and explained in detail and a clear distinction between the two shall be made. All limitations to the methodology and methods shall be made explicit and the consequences of these limitations discussed. Findings shall flow logically from the data, showing a clear line of evidence to support the conclusions. Conclusions should be substantiated by findings and analysis. Review findings, conclusions and recommendations should reflect a gender and disability analysis/an analysis of identified and relevant cross-cutting issues. Recommendations and lessons learned should flow logically from conclusions. Recommendations should be specific.

Consultant Experience

The accomplish the objectives of the review, the consulting firm/Consultant s key qualifications and competencies as follows:

1. An advanced degree (master or PhD) in social sciences or another related discipline
2. Minimum of 5 years’ relevant professional experience in social science, human rights and development research
3. Experience conducting similar organisational / strategic evaluations or reviews
4. Should have knowledge and experience in at least any of the following key crosscutting issues; gender, age, inclusion and disability issues
5. Strong background and experience in qualitative and quantitative data analysis
6. Proven experience in undertaking evaluation/research, with skills in qualitative and quantitative research and data analysis
7. Excellent communication and report writing skills in English
8. Knowledge of one of the project location languages (e.g.Amharic, Chichewa, Portuguese, Swahili) desirable but not essential
9. Experience or knowledge of working on ageing or relevant ageing issues desirable but not essential

The consultant must be independent reviewer of objectives and evaluated activities and have no stake in the outcome of the review.

Financial and human resources

The maximum budget amount available for the review is 7,000 GBP.

In case of any question during the EOI submission period, please contact Jennifer Benton via jennifer.benton@helpage.org .

Payment will be based on submission of delivery that are satisfactory and have been assessed by the HelpAge team to be of good quality.

• 50% of the contact value on delivery of report draft
• 50% of the contact value after the submission and approval of the final report

Safeguarding

HelpAge International is committed to safeguarding the communities with which we work, our partners, staff and any others who we come into contact with. Therefore you will also be responsible for:

• Preventing harm and abuse from our people, operations and programmes, to anyone that encounters our work;
• Reporting all safeguarding incidents you see, hear, hear about or suspect, using our internal reporting mechanism;
• Complying with all safeguarding framework policies and practices
• Completing mandatory training courses relating to our safeguarding policy framework and complying with HR vetting procedures.

Diversity & Inclusion

HelpAge International is dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for all its employees/consultants while extending the culture of inclusion into our work.

We believe that our workforce should reflect the wide diversity of the communities we serve, and that diverse voices should be elevated and intentionally integrated into our work. We embrace difference and diversity of identity, experience, and thought, and actively strive for inclusive behaviours across our sand work regardless of gender, race, disability, age, nationality, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, marital status, pregnancy, social status, and political beliefs.

How to apply

Interested consultants are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for delivery of the assignment and 1-2 examples of previous work to HelpAge HR Jobs@helpage.org with the email subject: Consultancy- Impact Review of (AFFORD) Programme

The EOI should include:

• Cover letter outlining their suitability for the assignment.
• CV highlighting relevant experience.
• A brief proposal detailing the approach, methodology and proposed budget.

Deadline: Applications should be submitted by Monday, 2 September 2024.