JOB DETAILS:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Background of the project (information about project and the process)

The Play Matters - Sparking Lifelong Learning through Play aims to improve holistic learning and wellbeing outcomes for 800,000 school going children (aged 3-12+) in in refugee settlements and host communities in East Africa (Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania). The project aims to impact children’s learning experiences in school by influencing and changing behaviors of adults’ surrounding children to incorporate Learning through Play (LTP) approaches into regular interactions with children at school, home and in the community.

An evidence-based approach to strengthening the skills, resources and motivation of teachers, parents, caregivers, service providers and system actors is employed through a core package of six intervention components applied in a school for an entire school calendar year followed by light touch support. These interventions among others consist of foundational teacher training at the beginning of the year, a follow-up training midway through, and a Teacher Continuous Professional Development (TCPD) package to strengthen teachers' school-based practice and ap-plication of Learning through Play (LtP) in classrooms.

The CPD Package facilitated by trainers, the school leaders and TCPD Committees, includes support supervision, classroom observations, coaching, mentorship of a CPD Committee, and support for teacher peer learning mechanisms implemented at the school level during the school terms throughout the year.. The delivery modality emphasizes the utilization of existing school routines to expand opportunities for teachers to learn from each other as well as ensure more frequent and regular sup-port within and across schools

Field monitoring reports and data indicate that integrating LtP in school based TCPD activities has shown promise, yet some areas need improvement and sup-port. This documentation aims to capture these aspects to enhance future program implementation

Need for consultant
To comprehensively document the successes, challenges, and opportunities for strengthening the integration of LTP in delivery of School based TCPD activities in selected schools and provide valuable insights for future program enhancements.

Objectives
• Take stock of current implementation modalities of integrating LTP in school based TCPD processes and activities in selected schools.
• Identify and capture successes, lessons learned and best practices related to integrating LTP in school based TCPD delivery.
• Highlight gaps and obstacles faced in integrating LTP in current implementation of School based TCPD activities, including resource constraints, training adequacy, and teacher engagement.
• Suggest potential areas for improvement and innovative solutions to strengthen integration of LTP in School based TCPD modalities, activities and routines.
• Outline opportunities for enhancing the effectiveness and scalability of LTP integration efforts in School based TCPD activities.

Scope of Work
The consultant scope of work entails the following:
• Review relevant project and other literature existing documentation, guidelines , reports, and other guiding the project philosophy and implementation of LTP and TCPD initiatives .
• Conduct site visits to selected schools participating in TCPD activities to gather insights and data through observations, interviews, and focus group discussions.
• Engage with key stakeholders, including DEOs, teacher trainers, and community members, to gather insights and perspectives on TCPD implementation.
• Analyze collected data to identify patterns, trends, and critical areas needing attention and propose practical opportunities and strategies.
• Compile a comprehensive report detailing the findings, including case studies, success stories, identified challenges, and actionable recommendations.

Expected deliverables.
• Inception report outlining the work plan, methodology, and timeline within two weeks of contract commencement.
• Interim report: Preliminary findings, key insights, and initial recommendations midway through the consultancy period.
• Final report with a comprehensive documentation of successes, challenges, and opportunities, along with actionable recommendations, case studies and summaries of field visit and interviews.
• A PowerPoint presentation summarizing the key findings and recommendations, to be presented to the project team and stakeholders.

Duration and Timeline
The consultancy is expected to be completed within two calendar months starting from 16th September to 30th October 2024 not exceeding a total of 20 working days. The proposed timeline for deliverables is as follows:
• Inception Report: By 20th September 2024
• Interim Report: By 18th October 2024
• Final Report: by 25th October 2024
• Presentation: By 28th October 2024

Management and Reporting
The consultant will report to Sr. Project Coordinator and will work closely with the project team and relevant stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications:
• Advanced degree in Education, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Proven experience in documenting educational programs, particularly in crisis-affected contexts.
• Strong understanding of the Uganda teacher educational landscape and education challenges in refugee settings.
• Demonstrated experience with Learning through Play Methodology and Teacher CPD programs in refugee settings .
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines

Requirements
• A cover letter and detailed CV highlighting relevant qualifications and experience.
• A brief proposal outlining the proposed approach, methodology and budget for the consultancy.
• A sample of previous work relevant to this consultancy.
• Contact details of at least two professional references.