TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AND EMPLOYABILITY STRATEGY
1.0 Introduction
Plan International is an independent global child rights organization committed to supporting vulnerable and marginalised children and their communities to be free from poverty. By actively connecting committed people with powerful ideas, we work together to make positive, deep rooted and lasting changes in children and young people’s lives. We place specific focus on girls and young people’s lives. For over 80 years, we have supported girls and boys and their communities around the world to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights, free themselves from poverty and live positive fulfilling lives. Plan International has been operating in Kenya since 1982 and to-date continues to work in 19 counties: Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Tharaka Nithi, Siaya, Bungoma, Busia, Taita Taveta, Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale, Vihiga, Kakamega, Lamu, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Kisumu and Marsabit.
2.0 Background of the assignment
The 2007 World Development Report estimates that approximately half or the world’s current population are under the age of 24, a phenomenon called the ‘youth bulge’. Africa has the youngest population with 40% of the citizens under the age of 15. These percentages will continue to increase over the next two decades with Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia expected to see the largest increases.
This means unpresented numbers of young people enter into the labour force during a short period of time which is recognised as one of the major global challenges. The high numbers of new entrants to the workforce are presently outpacing the capacity of the economy to absorb them in productive employment. The world economy is failing to create the jobs needed to employ the more than half million youths entering the workforce annually.
The goal of a prosperous society for all Kenyans has yet to be realized. The national poverty rate for 2013 stood at 45.2% implying that nearly half of Kenya’s 44.4 million people are still poor and live below the poverty line. 34% of the population are aged between the ages of 15-35; this principally constitutes the youth in the country who are at their peak in productivity. Between 2009 and 2013, 3 million youths in Kenya came of working age, but the economy was able to add only 2.6 million jobs. During that time open unemployment among Kenyan youths exceeded that in the neighbouring countries of Uganda and Tanzania and also in Ghana. Unemployment is not the only concern; nearly 23% of working youth are ‘underemployed’, living in poverty despite the fact that they work.
According to the 2009 Kenya Population and Housing Census, the rate of unemployment in Kenya stands at 15.8% among those aged 15 – 19 years and 13.1% among those aged 20 – 24 years. Women, particularly single mothers or heads of households are often the most disadvantaged when it comes to employment opportunities. Furthermore, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), through a research with youth, identified the following economic challenges which include, inadequate job creation by the government coupled with inadequate and market driven skills sets, and lack of knowledge of new government youth opportunities, such as the UWEZO (youth) fund, played a key role in the systematic exclusion of young people from the country’s socio-economic development. KNCHR’s research also found a strong correlation between youth unemployment and radicalization. High unemployment amongst youth in particular contributes to crime, violence, substance abuse among others.
The new Plan Global Strategy (2017-2022) with the purpose that “We strive for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.” has placed significant emphasis on the need to listen to the voices of children and youth, and especially adolescent girls and working with them to address challenges that prevent them from learning, deciding, leading and thriving in life. The Plan Kenya’s Country Strategy (2016-2020) also focuses on Youth Employability as one of the key pillars to addressing the economic inequalities among young people in Kenya. Despite the existence of the Youth Employability pillar in the CS, Plan Kenya has not been able to make significant progress towards achieving the YEEE targets. The Youth Employability and Economic Empowerment (YEEE) Strategy will assist in accelerating project interventions and maximize YEEE outcomes.
3.0 The Scope of Work
The main objective of this Consultancy is to develop a Youth Employability and Economic Empowerment (YEEE) Strategy that will inform Plan International Kenya’s approach to programming for and with young people. Prior to the development of the strategy, the Consultant will conduct a contextual analysis of the current youth employability and economic empowerment interventions by state and non-state actors, assess good practices and learnings including Plan Kenya lessons in implementation of YEEE over the past years and currently. The findings and recommendations from this contextual analysis will inform the development of Youth Employability and Economic empowerment Strategy. It will be aligned to the Plan Kenya’s Country Strategy (2016 – 2020) and Plan International’s Global Strategy (2016 – 2022) that emphasises on empowerment as well as influencing change for young people through partners. Throughout the assignment, the Consultant will be constantly engaging with and consulting the YEEE technical team at Plan International Kenya.
3.0 The Methodology
In order to conduct the contextual analysis, the Consultant will employ gender responsive mixed methodologies (qualitative and quantitative). A desk review of the relevant documents and strategies will be conducted. Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) will also form part of the methods of collecting information on the ongoing interventions as well as assessing the youth employability and economic empowerment interventions in Kenya. The Consultant will also be expected to carry out Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with young people in all the Plan International Kenya hubs in order to assess good practices and learnings. In the Consultant’s proposal, we expect a detailed breakdown of how these different methods will be executed, which documents will be reviewed, which Key Informants will be interviewed and how the FGDs will be conducted and any other task appropriate methodologies. The development of the strategy will require participatory and consultative methodologies and will be informed by the findings and recommendations from the contextual analysis report.
4.0 Deliverables
In the course of the assignment, the Consultant will present the following to Plan Kenya’s Technical team on YEE Strategy;
1. An inception report – including execution plan, gender sensitive methodology, sample frame and analysis plan.
2. Data collection methods and data collection tools – including consent forms.
3. Draft contextual analysis report.
4. Final contextual analysis report (not exceeding 30 pages).
5. Draft Youth Employability and Economic Empowerment (YEEE) Strategy.
6. Final Youth Employability and Economic Empowerment (YEEE) Strategy.
5.0 Qualification of the Consultant
• A highly qualified Consultant with advanced degree in Economics, Development Studies, International Development and related disciplines.
• Extensive experience (at least 7 years) in Youth Employability and Economic Opportunities.
• Proven understanding of economic situation of young people in Kenya.
• An understanding of the current youth employability and economic empowerment interventions by state and non-state actors, good practices and learnings.
• Experience in partnerships and collaborations, with a bias to YEEE.
• Understanding of global, regional and national policy environment around YEEE.
• Understanding of policy, legislative, advocacy and influencing initiatives with the youth.
• Understanding of devolution and experience working with the devolved governments.
6.0 Management of the Consultancy
Plan International Kenya’s YEEE technical team is responsible for the overall management of the assignment. Reporting to the Convener, the consultant(s) will be working in liaison with the entire YEEE technical team at Plan Kenya offices, and will also receive technical support from Plan Kenya’s M&E Manager.
The consultant(s) will be responsible for planning and conducting the context analysis (including logistics) and report writing. The consultant(s) will also be responsible for developing a YEE strategy informed by the findings and recommendations from the context analysis. Plan Kenya team will be responsible for reviewing tools and reports at all stages in accordance with the Evaluation Standards of Plan International, Kenya. Plan Kenya will also avail, to the consultant(s), relevant project documents and/or resources.
7.0 Plan’s Safeguarding Children and Young people policy and Code of Conduct
The team undertaking this assignment must demonstrate commitment to strictly adhering to Plan’s Child and Youth safeguarding Policy and Plan’s Code of Conduct. It is the responsibility of Plan Kenya to ensure that all persons hired, used or otherwise consulted for this exercise, are made familiar with the policies and are in agreement to also abide by them before their services are agreed to.
8.0 Timeframe
The Consultant is expected to submit a detailed execution plan with reasonable number of days.
HOW TO APPLY:
9.0 Submission of Application
Interested consultant(s) and/or agencies should provide the following information –
1. A statement on consultant’s or firm’s capabilities including:
2. Consultant(s) or agency profile outlining areas of expertise with samples of select works;
3. Any direct or relevant past experience of undertaking similar initiatives.
4. Names and CVs of the professionals who will be the lead and associated with the study and how the study will be managed.
5. Detailed proposal of your understanding of the ToR and the scope of the work, outlining the approach and plan to accomplish the assignment.
6. A proposed timeline indicating activities/sub-activities to be undertaken and the corresponding outputs.
10.0 Financial Proposal Depending on the technical approach and the execution plan, a comprehensive financial proposal should be broken down into specific tasks and their corresponding costs. The financial proposal should be submitted separately from the technical proposal
Interested bidders should subsequently respond and provide a technical and financial proposal
in a sealed envelope clearly marked DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AND EMPLOYABILITY STRATEGY and addressed to:
The Tender Committee
Plan International Inc.
Kenya Country Office
Oloitokitok Road, Lavington
Methodist Ministries Centre, Block C, Ground Floor
P.O. Box 25196, Lavington 00603, Nairobi, Kenya
Closing date for submission of proposals: 27th November 2017 at 10:00 am.