Individual National Consultancy on Technical Assistance for Training of Facilitators Courses and Rolling out of Parenting Group Sessions for the IECD Holistic Parenting Programme in Viet Nam

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

To provide technical assistance for facilitating Training of Facilitators courses and coaching for the rolling out of parenting group sessions for the Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) Holistic Parenting Programme in Ha Noi, Hoa Binh, Hau Giang, Can Tho, Khanh Hoa, Hai Duong, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong and Ca Mau.

Scope of Work:

In Viet Nam, improving parents’ knowledge and skills in holistic nurturing, care, and child development is crucial. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) have collaborated on the Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) Holistic Parenting Programme. The programme is designed to support parents and caregivers of children under eight years old by broadening their understanding of their child’s development, building nurturing and responsive parenting skills, increasing parent-child attachment, and promoting non-violent discipline.

The programme is designed to be delivered through a series of eight two-hour sessions, conducted by trained facilitators, for parent groups within the community or workplace. The facilitators are personnel from local key stakeholders – such as the Departments of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs (DOLISA), Vietnamese Women’s Union, and other relevant institutions, who have undergone thorough training of facilitator (TOF) courses organized by UNICEF and its implementation partners. The role of facilitators is to provide key information, raise awareness, encourage the exchange of experiences among parents, facilitate open discussions, address questions,  empower parents and foster community support beyond the parenting sessions.

The UNICEF supported IECD Holistic Parenting Programme programme is being implemented in 15 provinces including Dien Bien, Gia Lai, Da Nang, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Hoa Binh, Hau Giang, Khanh Hoa, Can Tho, Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, and Lang Son. Up to now, TOF courses have been conducted for 12 out of the mentioned 15 provinces. In 2024, more TOF courses need to be conducted for selected districts of Ha Noi, Hoa Binh, Hau Giang and Hai Phong. 

UNICEF would like to recruit a national IECD expert or a team of IECD experts who will help facilitate the mentioned TOF courses and provide support and coaching for the roll-out of parenting group sessions by the newly trained facilitators in the selected provinces of the IECD Holistic Parenting programme.

Objectives and specific tasks:

The consultant or a team of consultants, led by a team leader, will facilitate nine TOF courses for the IECD Holistic Parenting programme in selected districts of Ha Noi, Hoa Binh, Hau Giang, and Hai Phong. They will also provide support and coaching to newly trained facilitators in these location and other provinces under the UNICEF-supported IECD Holistic Parenting programme to improve the organization and facilitation of parenting group sessions.

Detailed Work Assignments and Deliverables as attached  TOR on Trainer for TOF courses.pdf

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

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).   

To view our competency framework, please visit here.   

Assessment criteria:

For evaluation and selection method, the Cumulative Analysis Method (weight combined score method) shall be used for this recruitment:

a) Technical Qualification weight 70%:

– Advanced Degree in social work, child protection and/or related field, 5%

– At least 5 years of working experience in the IECD area, 20%

– Strong experience as a trainer for the UNICEF – MOLISA’s IECD Holistic Parenting Programme, 25%

– Good working experience and familiarity with UNICEF vision, mission and programming on child protection, 15%

– Strong written, communication skills and computer skills, 5%.

b. Financial Proposal weight 30%:

– The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened/evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum 50 points score in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

– The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview if needed.

Submission of applications:

a. Letter of interest

b. CV of an individual candidate or a team of experts, detailing team management

c. Submission of a workplan outlining the timeline for the assignment deliverables

d. Three references;

e. Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including consultancy fee and any other relevant costs for this assignment as per attached 2-sheet template  Template for Financial Proposal.xlsx

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors 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. 

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:  

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.