Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Behavior Change and Communications Consultant


The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
Programme Overview and Aims
Part of IRC’s GBV programme in the Chechen Republic, ‘Building Local Structures and Cooperation to End Violence Against Women and Girls in Chechnya’, is aimed at equipping community-based organisations with skills needed to raise awareness that domestic violence and other forms of GBV are harmful, that survivors deserve to be supported, and to promote positive behaviours through the use of Behaviour Change Communication (BCC). Key local organizations acting as community mobilizers will raise awareness and promote positive behaviours through events, debates, video, theatre and other activities, while creating a space which invites beneficiaries to engage in these behavioural change-making activities, and positively promotes support services. Campaign planning, implementation and evaluation will involve participatory processes aimed at engaging targeted and vulnerable groups, and other stakeholders.
Training Workshop Description & Topics
The BCC Consultant will be responsible for designing and leading a 9-day training workshop on developing BCC materials to around 15 participants from 6 Chechen women’s organizations in Grozny, Chechen Republic. The training workshop will employ a highly participatory approach and “learning by doing” methodology that integrates the core theoretical learning of BCC with very practical activities to lead participants through the following topics: 1. Introduction to Behaviour Change Communication 2. Planning for BCC Interventions 3. Conducting Assessments: Problem and Behaviour Analysis 4. Communication Analysis: Stakeholder, Audience, and Communication Tools Analysis 5. Design and Development of BCC Strategies and Materials 6. Implementation of BCC strategies and campaigns 7. Monitoring and Evaluation of BCC Interventions Participants will learn the core concepts and principles of BCC, as well as communication strategies for promoting positive behaviour and challenging community attitudes and beliefs that contribute to the acceptance and perpetuation of GBV.
With the consultant, participants will spend 7 days training and 2 days to develop their BCC messages and start drafting materials. After this, participants will work independently to finish and publish their materials with support from IRC. These strategies and materials may include developing social marketing tools employing the use of social media platforms, events, promo videos or information campaigns. They may also draw upon materials already developed, tried and tested in other regions and adapt them to fit the Chechen context. As part of the training, the Consultant will provide participants with the skills to enable them to conduct ad hoc or informal small scale focus 'group' sessions to test their materials though consulting with former beneficiaries or stakeholders on samples of their BCC materials to gauge the clarity, effectiveness, appropriateness or impact of the materials. By the end of the training workshop with the consultant, participants will have prepared BCC strategies and a selection of materials ready for implementation. They will be prepared with the tools and knowledge needed to implement these and to monitor and evaluate their campaigns with the continued support from IRC.
Location and Duration
The workshop will be conducted in Grozny, Chechen Republic, Northern Caucasus, Russia. The consulting period is for a total of 13 days taking place during February 2013. There will be 3 days training curriculum preparation, 9 days training workshop, and 1 day for reporting within this timeframe. .
Consultant/Trainer Responsibilities
 The consultant will be expected to conduct the training workshop in line with IRC standards  The consultant will provide guidance, advice and leadership on BCC to all of the training workshop participants and the IRC GBV team  The consultant will work collaboratively with the in-country IRC GBV team in Chechnya to ensure that all training workshop materials and curriculum are suitable and relevant to the context; will share all materials developed with the GBV team so that the feedback and development process is fully inclusive and will adapt the materials according to feedback provided  The consultant will submit the training workshop materials and curriculum to the in-country IRC GBV team for review and feedback no later than 1 week prior to the training  The consultant will submit a training workshop report no later than 1 week after its completion.
IRC Responsibilities
 IRC will provide the consultant with information and guidance on IRC standards and policies relevant to working in Chechnya  IRC will provide the consultant with support and guidance on GBV, the regional context, and curriculum development and training workshop facilitation where necessary  IRC will provide the consultant with an interpreter  IRC will manage the logistics of the consultant’s trip including travel, accommodation, per diems, internet access, and visa assistance. IRC will also cover all of these costs.
Essential Qualifications & Experience
 Advanced University degree in social/behavioural sciences (Sociology, Journalism, Communication or Marketing) with emphasis on advocacy, communication tools and material development.  5 years experience in the areas of communication for development, participatory communication, communication planning, social mobilization, participatory research, mass media, training and impact evaluation of communication interventions. Experience or knowledge in gender issues or gender-based violence, especially in the North Caucasus region, an advantage.  Proven skills in communication, media relations and materials design. Experience in the field of monitoring and evaluation, in the implementation of qualitative and quantitative research and in the development of messages and communication tools an advantage.  Strong experience and skills in facilitating workshops and educating others on awareness raising, behaviour change and advocacy strategies.  Fluency in English language; working knowledge of Russian an advantage but not required.

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