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Purpose of Activity/Assignment

Management of the Technical Support Instrument on addressing mental health and psychosocial support needs of children and youth in Italy.

Background

UNICEF mandate is to ensure that children’s life, wellbeing, and rights are protected and supported. UNICEF works worldwide to strengthen institutional and governmental systems protecting children and adolescents, promoting their rights, and supporting their development in a safe and conducive environment. UNICEF promotes community-based actions and programming to empower families and communities in attaining their needs fulfilled and caring for the most vulnerable groups. In a great variety of settings, from war-torn countries to disaster-affected areas, from low- to middle- and high-income countries, UNICEF commitment is to ensure that special attention is given to the most vulnerable children and adolescents so that their fullest potential can be achieved.

Protecting children and fostering their psychosocial wellbeing entails multiple actions that UNICEF carries out together with governmental counterparts, relevant institutions, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). In Italy, UNICEF work focuses on tailored programmes addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged children and adolescents, including migrant and refugee children and youth inside and outside the reception system, alternative and foster care for separated and unaccompanied children, including those of migrant background, children, and adolescents at risk of protection risks and/or developing psychosocial distress, or whose mental health and psychosocial wellbeing is undermined.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) is an institutional priority for the UN and for UNICEF and is critical for the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025 identifies MHPSS as a priority area, building upon existing programming through child protection, education, and health, shaped by actions and standards set out in the Child Protection Minimum Standards (CPMS), Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs) and the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies.

In Italy an outposted team from UNICEF ECARO Regional Office is operational since 2016 to respond to the needs of migrant and refugee children, providing technical assistance to national authorities and civil societies and direct services when needed.

Between 2020 and 2023, UNICEF supported Italian Authorities in piloting the third phase of the European Child Guarantee, an initiative to contrast social exclusion and child poverty with specific focus on most at risk groups of children. A dedicated national action plan has been developed and children with mental health issues has been recognized as one of the most exposed groups and dedicated actions have been included to address their needs. Within this framework, UNICEF will be providing technical support in the implementation of a Technical Support Instrument (TSI) funded by the Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) of the European Commission, which promotes the European Union’s economic, social, and territorial cohesion by supporting Member States’ efforts to implement reforms.

Italy has requested support from the European Commission under Regulation (EU) 2021/240 establishing a Technical Support Instrument, which will be provided as a part of the multi-country project with Italy participating alongside Andalusia (Spain), Cyprus, and Slovenia. All projects have a common aim to improve the provision of mental health and psychosocial support to adolescents and young people. In Italy, support will be provided in the area of mental health and psychosocial support for adolescents (10–19-year-old), with a special attention to the most vulnerable groups, in accordance with the recommendations of the EU mental health strategy, and with the purpose of developing better integration of health, education and social services. Additionally, it will aim at promoting young people’s participation in awareness raising and decision making.

The project will have four main areas of focus:

• A first project inception and research phase focused on the analysis of the state of play of the cooperation of stakeholders providing MHPSS support for children and adolescents and recommendations for enhanced cross-sectoral collaboration with youth participation.
• The proposal and testing of a framework for the development and implementation of a model for mental health and psychosocial support provision for adolescents.
• Capacity building to implement the proposed model for MHPSS service provision for adolescents.
• Communication, consultation, and dissemination activities.

Scope of Work

The MHPSS Project Manager will be responsible for overseeing the entire program, including planning, and allocating resources, preparing budgets, monitoring progress, and keeping stakeholders informed throughout the project lifecycle, reporting to donor, ensuring oversight of implementation. S/he will also work closely with the TSI beneficiary authorities i.e. Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy and PROMIS Programma Mattone Internazionale Salute to ensure the project activities are timely, effectively, and efficiently implemented as per plans and budget. The Project Manager will work under the guidance of the Regional Health Advisor and in close collaboration with the Child Protection Specialist for Rome Outposted Office and RO Adolescent MHPSS Consultant.

The expected deliverables will include:

• Provision of management support at the project inception phase to develop a detailed implementation plan and a coordination mechanism to steer the process and allow for in-course corrections.
• Support the establishment and the discussions of project governance bodies i.e. the Steering Committee, the Advisory Group, and the involvement of the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) in close coordination with all project stakeholders and UNICEF staff, including the organization of a project kick-off event with key stakeholders.
• In collaboration with MHPSS Consultant support the planning and delivery of a desk review and multi-regional assessment on the level of integration of systems providing mental health and psychosocial support for youth and children and recommendations for enhanced cross-sectoral collaboration.
• Work closely with the beneficiary authorities at national, regional, and local level on the elaboration of a proposal of a framework for the development and implementation of a model for mental health and psychosocial support provision for adolescents.
• Provide support in the organization of consultations with experts and practitioners to identify good practices, success factors and transferability requirements to be tested in three Health and Social Districts in three regions, support the testing of such practices and the development of a final report that captures their replicability, recommendations for monitoring and evaluation, as well as data and lessons learnt from the pilot phase.
• Support the organization of a workshop with all health system levels both in person and remotely as relevant for validation of pilot models and findings and to generate recommendations for implementation at all levels.
• Support the development of a final brief that documents the outcome of the capacity building workshops and that includes recommendations to improve integration of MHPSS for sub-national and national authorities and service providers.
• Support the preparation of communication/dissemination materials in close coordination with all project stakeholders, governing bodies of the project, and in consultation with UNICEF colleagues and the YAB, and oversee the production of youth-friendly communication materials that can be used in communication campaigns already in the pipeline.
  Ensure successful planning and delivery of multi-country activities in line with donor plans and work in coordination with relevant colleagues to ensure donor visibility requirements are reflected.

Work Assignment Overview

Estimated Duration of the Contract

264 working days between February 2024 and February 2026

Consultant’s Work Place and Official Travel

The Consultant will be remote/home-based in Rome.

As part of this assignment, some in-country travels are foreseen. The consultant will arrange her/his travel as and when they take place, and related costs will be reimbursed per UNICEF travel policy.

Travel Clause

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSAFE certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Please submit a professional fee (in EUR) based on 264 working days to undertake this assignment, without travel fees as this will be reimbursed as and when they take place.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Master’s degree in Project Management, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Social Work, Education or related topics
• A minimum of five (5) years of demonstrated relevant professional work in, project management.
• Experience in MHPSS project management in NGO’s, INGO’s and UN Organisations is a strong asset.
• Deep understanding and solid experience with multisectoral teams and interventions.
• Excellent planning and organizational skills
• Excellent analytical, communication and writing skills
• Excellent critical thinking capacity
• Excellent ability to work in a team is required
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Fluency in Italian and English is required

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most marginalized children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Please include a full CV and Cover Letter in your application. Additionally, indicate your availability and professional fee (in EUR) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a professional fee will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.