Terms of Reference (TOR) For Consultancy Services to Deliver Capacity Building Training for Government Office

Background and Context

SOS Children's Villages Ethiopia is implementing the "Sustainable Training for Employment Promotion" (STEP) project in Addis Ababa and Adama. The project is supported by SOS Children's Villages Worldwide and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and aims to improve wage and self-employment opportunities for 4,500 socio-economically vulnerable youth, with a specific focus on young women who constitute 60% of the target beneficiaries.

To ensure the STEP project remains responsive to evolving realities and effectively addresses the complex challenges of youth and women's unemployment, SOS CVE commissioned a comprehensive assessment. The assessment report, titled "Final Report on Barriers and Challenges to Employment," provides critical evidence on the skills gaps, structural barriers, and institutional challenges facing youth and women in Addis Ababa and Adama.

The findings of this assessment are crucial for informing policy and programmatic responses to youth and women's unemployment. SOS CVE therefore seeks to engage a qualified consultant or consulting firm to deliver a three-day capacity building training course for high-level government stakeholders. The training will equip participants with the knowledge and tools to integrate evidence from the assessment findings into their policy formulation, strategic planning, and implementation of employment programs.

This training is directly aligned with Sub-objective 4 of the STEP project: Development of systems and structures to promote the employment of young people, which includes capacity building for relevant government staff and organization of discussion rounds to develop measures to combat youth unemployment.

Overall Objective

The overall objective of the consultancy is to design and deliver a three-day capacity building training for high-level government stakeholders on the evidence-based findings of the Assessment of Barriers to Youth and Women Employment, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to develop, implement, and monitor effective employment policies and programs that address the identified barriers.

Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the training are to:

1. Enhance Understanding: Equip participants with an in-depth understanding of the assessment's findings, including the skills gaps, economic, gender, and psychosocial perspectives, and the micro, meso, and macro-level barriers affecting youth and women's employment.
2. Strengthen Evidence-Based Decision-Making: Enable participants to use the assessment findings to inform policy development, strategic planning, and resource allocation for youth and women's employment programs.
3. Build Technical Capacity: Strengthen participants' technical capacity to address the systemic challenges identified in the assessment, including skills mismatch, financial exclusion, gender discrimination, and institutional fragmentation.
4. Develop Actionable Strategies: Facilitate the co-creation of concrete, evidence-based strategies and action plans that government stakeholders can implement within their respective mandates and institutions.
5. Promote Institutional Coordination: Enhance understanding of the need for strengthened coordination among government institutions, development partners, private sector, and financial institutions to achieve sustainable employment outcomes.

Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

Pre-Training Preparation

• Review the assessment report "Final Report on Barriers and Challenges to Employment" and other relevant project documents provided by SOS CVE.
• Develop a detailed training syllabus and agenda in consultation with the STEP Project team.
• Prepare comprehensive training materials including presentations, handouts, case studies, and practical exercises.
• Conduct a pre-training needs assessment (if required) to understand participant expectations and tailor content accordingly.
• Submit an inception report outlining the training methodology, detailed agenda, and draft training materials for review and approval by SOS CVE.

Training Delivery

• Deliver a three-day interactive and participatory capacity building training for 40 high-level government stakeholders and 7 project staff (total 47 participants).
• Facilitate presentations on assessment methodology, key findings, and recommendations.
• Lead group discussions, practical exercises, and action planning sessions.
• Ensure the training is participatory, engaging, and responsive to participant needs.
• Provide guidance and technical support to participants during action plan development.
• Ensure the training environment is safe, inclusive, and respectful for all participants.

Post-Training

• Prepare and submit a comprehensive training delivery report.
• Compile all training materials (presentations, handouts, case studies, exercises) in an accessible format for future use.
• Compile and submit individual or group action plans developed by participants.
• Submit a summary of participant feedback and evaluation of the training's effectiveness.
• Provide recommendations for follow-up and further capacity building.

 Training Content

The training shall cover the following core content areas:

Day 1: Understanding Assessment and Key Findings

• Overview of the STEP Project and the need for the assessment
• Assessment methodology and demographic profile of respondents
• Key findings on skills gaps, experience, and employment opportunities
• Economic, income, and psychosocial perspectives on unemployment
• Gender perspectives and participation challenges

Day 2: Barriers and Challenges to Employment

• Macro-level barriers (structural, policy, macroeconomic)
• Meso-level barriers (institutional, service delivery, demand-side)
• Micro-level barriers (individual, household, supply-side)
• Vulnerable groups and special challenges
• Gaps in current responses and partner mapping

Day 3: Action Planning and Institutional Coordination

• STEP Project Sub-objective 4: Building systems and structures
• Developing evidence-based action plans
• Strengthening institutional coordination
• Monitoring and evaluation for employment programs
• Commitment and way forward

Training Methodology

The consultant shall employ participatory and interactive adult learning methodologies, including:

• Expert-Led Presentations: Structured presentations on the assessment's methodology, key findings, and recommendations.
• Case Studies and Real-World Examples: Use of real-world examples from the assessment findings to illustrate key concepts and challenges.
• Facilitated Group Discussions: Structured discussions to deepen understanding and explore implications for respective institutions.
• Practical Exercises: Group exercises to develop actionable strategies, action plans, and policy recommendations.
• Action Planning Sessions: Dedicated time for participants to develop concrete action plans for their institutions.
• Q&A and Open Forums: Opportunities for participants to ask questions, seek clarification, and share perspectives and experiences.

Expected Deliverables

Target Participants

The training will target high-level government stakeholders involved in the design, implementation, and oversight of youth and women's employment policies and programs.

Invited Participants:

 Duration and Venue