Switzerland: Consultant, Shelter Coordination and Shelter Technical Trainings

Terms of reference for consultancy

Purpose of Project and Background

The following are the Terms of Reference for the preparation, delivery and evaluation of the 17th and 18th editions of the course “Humanitarian Shelter Coordination” and the 18th and 19th editions of the course “Shelter & settlements in emergencies, natural disasters”. Both courses are composed of an online module and a residential component. The 5-week tutored online module is followed by a 6-day face-to-face workshop that participants will attend in locations to be determined, depending on the course. The distance learning captures most of the theory needed to attend the courses such as Humanitarian Reform and the Global Shelter Cluster approach to cluster coordination, Sphere standards and Shelter after Disaster guidance on provision of assistance. It also serves as filter to ensure that participants who come to the face-to-face workshops have the minimum knowledge required to achieve the expected results. While the distance learning part deals with the theoretical content, the residential component focuses on its practical aspects. In partnership with Oxford Brookes University both courses are certified Masters-level credit-rated courses. These are competency based, assessed courses worth 10 Masters level credits (a complete Masters in the UK is worth 180 credits) that can be transferred to the Masters in Development and Emergency Practice (DEP) from Oxford Brookes University or other similar postgraduate qualifications.

Project objectives

The course “Humanitarian Shelter Coordination” aims to equip participants with the skills required to coordinate a shelter response in a humanitarian crisis caused by a natural disaster, a conflict or a combination of both. It will provide participants with an overview of the humanitarian reform process and the transformative agenda, the interagency cluster approach, the role of the Shelter Cluster and the principles and practice of humanitarian shelter coordination.

The course “Shelter & Settlements in Emergencies, Natural Disasters” aims to equip participants with the skills required to plan a shelter response in a humanitarian crisis after natural disasters. It will provide participants with an overview of shelter and settlement in emergencies, their relevance in humanitarian programmes and an understanding of the principles and practice of the humanitarian shelter response.

Desired outcomes

Through the facilitation of the course “Humanitarian Shelter Coordination”, participants will receive the required support to be able to acquire strategic and practical knowledge of shelter coordination policies, methods, tools and procedures in the humanitarian response system and are prepared to apply these in the context of a humanitarian crisis.

1. Demonstrate a depth of knowledge of the main foundations, principles, processes, and complexity of humanitarian shelter coordination.
2. Develop an inter-agency shelter response and advocacy strategy, using current humanitarian shelter and settlements standards, principles, and approaches.
3. Effectively participate in shelter coordination teams at the country level, utilizing the most current knowledge, tools, and good practices at the forefront of the discipline.
4. Apply leadership and coordination skills effectively and appropriately to a professional standard for different audiences in the field of humanitarian practice.

Through the facilitation of the course “Shelter & settlements in emergencies, natural disasters”, participants will receive the required support to be able to acquire strategic and practical knowledge of shelter and settlements policies, methods, tools and procedures in the humanitarian response system and are prepared to practice these in a sustainable manner from relief to recovery.

1. Demonstrate a depth of knowledge of the main principles, standards, approaches, and the complexity of programming aspects in shelter and settlements in relief.
2. Analyse alternative approaches to different aspects of shelter and settlements response using current humanitarian standards and principles.
3. Synthesise an operational shelter response based on the main principles, standards, approaches, and programming aspects in shelter and settlements in relief.
4. Evaluate with critical awareness successful scenarios in implementing programmes for shelter and settlements in relief, utilizing knowledge from the forefront of the discipline.
5. Ability to apply communication skills effectively and appropriately to a professional standard for different audiences in the field of humanitarian practice.

Consultancy outputs

1. Facilitation of the online tutored component of both shelter courses “Humanitarian Shelter Coordination” and “Shelter and Settlements in Emergencies, Natural Disasters”. This will involve in both cases the introduction of different modules following standard text, clarify questions from participants and provide additional materials or advice in the completion of the required activities. The Shelter Sr Officer, focus on Americas, Asia Pacific & Europe regions and Sr Officer, Shelter cluster coordination will provide back-up support.

2. Correct and grade the assignments to be submitted by participants at the end of each module of the online component and provide final recommendation on participant’s qualification to access the residential component of both courses.

3. Evaluation of the online components, including the submission of a brief report with general statistics on participants’ submissions, suggestions on ways to improve assignments and on the management of the learning process through the modules.

4. Support the preparation of both face to face workshops (residential component for both courses “Humanitarian Shelter Coordination” and “Shelter and Settlements in Emergencies, Natural Disasters”) together with other members of the facilitation team (co-facilitators, resource people and course coordinator).

5. Support the facilitation of the face to face components for both shelter courses. This will involve support to deliver the six-day workshop as co-facilitator working closely with other facilitators, resource people and course manager. Supporting the facilitation of different sessions as lectures, discussions, case studies and simulation exercises.

6. Evaluation of student participation (including the marking of participants’ assignments during the workshop) and the face to face workshop itself with the support of other facilitators, resource people and course manager.

Method of delivery and reasons for selecting that method

The tutored on-line modules will be run in the IFRC learning platform: from 19th February to 25th March, 2018 and from 16 July to 19 August, 2018 for the online component of two Humanitarian Shelter Coordination courses and from 26th March to 29th April, 2018 and from 13 August to 16 September 2018 for the online component of two Shelter & Settlements in Emergencies, Natural Disasters courses.

In both cases, participants follow a tutored distance learning taken by participants from home. Each online component takes an estimated amount of 50 hours of student effort.

The learning process is based in the learning platform from the IFRC “Cornerstone” (www.ifrc.org/learning). In both cases the different modules of the online components are loaded in the platform to be completed in a sequential order. Students are encouraged to follow a suggested calendar. However, it is up to each individual to select the speed to complete the course before the deadline. The new modules become available as the student completes the steps included in the learning plan.

Students are not alone, as it is a tutored self-learning course. At least one tutor is available during the online components to accompany them through their learning process providing guidance, recommending additional up-to-date documents and answering questions.

This method of delivery allows adequate time during the residential components of the training to focus on the practical application of the principles and policies learnt during the online components. It also serves as a filter to ensure that the participants that attend the face to face workshops (residential component) have the required skills and interest, as well as the theoretical knowledge base to take full advantage of the learning during the residential module.

During the face-to-face workshop, from 23rd to 28th April, 2018 and from 17th to 22nd September, 2018 for the residential component of two Humanitarian Shelter Coordination courses and from 28th May to 2nd June, 2018 and from 15th to 20th October, 2018 for the residential component of two Shelter & Settlements in Emergencies, Natural Disasters courses, the sessions, exercises and case studies are designed to engage students actively and encourage reflection and deliberation. They will include the sharing of personal experiences among students as a method to advance learning.

Support to be provided to the consultant

During the online component of the course the consultant will be briefed and will receive backstop in dealing with any questions that training participants may raise regarding the learning platform, the training content and the required assignments. The Shelter Sr Officer, focus on Americas, Asia Pacific & Europe regions and the Sr Officer, Shelter cluster coordination will be the main focal points for the consultant and available throughout the consultancy period to provide support as required.

During the residential component of the course: The consultant will receive support from the facilitators and other IFRC/UNHCR staff (resource people and course manager), during the delivery of his duty.

Time Allocation:

This assignment is for a maximum of 130 working days, during the period: 15th February to 31st December 2018.

Management of consultancy

The consultancy shall be managed by the Shelter Sr Officer, focus on Americas, Asia Pacific & Europe regions and Sr Officer, Shelter cluster coordination. Both will provide the required briefing to the consultant and have weekly monitoring discussions to assess progress. Other ad hoc communications with the consultant will be held as required.

Interested applicants, please send your CV and a cover letter outlining your interest in this consultancy and how your experience, qualifications and skills make you an ideal candidate for the role. Please also include your daily fee.

Applications are to be sent to marta.pena@ifrc.org and pablo.medina@ifrc.org by the end of Friday, February 2nd, 2018.