Consultancy for Formative Assessment of Adolescent & Youth Wellbeing and Empowerment Programme Across Three Provinces

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, a brighter day! 

UNICEF’s current five-year country programme of cooperation in Iran (2023-2027) is aimed at ensuring that all children and adolescents, especially the most vulnerable, benefit from an integrated social protection system, which meets their needs for health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and overall protection and well-being of children in both development and humanitarian settings. The programme also aims to ensure that children’s participation and inclusion in their communities are fully realised, allowing them to reach their full potential. 

How can you make a difference? 

BACKGROUND 

Adolescence is a pivotal developmental stage marked by significant physical, mental, and social changes. These transformations render adolescents particularly vulnerable to high-risk behaviors such as substance abuse, reckless driving, cyber bullying and violence. To ensure positive and healthy development, it is crucial that adolescents have access to appropriate and relevant information, services, and opportunities for participation.  

Adolescents in vulnerable situations or disadvantaged areas face additional challenges, often having limited access to the necessary services and opportunities to reach their full potential and break the cycles of poverty. These adolescents are at a higher risk of engaging in high-risk behaviors due to the lack of supportive environments and resources. Community-based, adolescent-friendly services are essential platforms for reaching the most disadvantaged adolescents, providing the necessary support, information, and opportunities they need to become productive adults.  

Evidence indicates that when adolescents have access to comprehensive support systems, including education, healthcare, and social services, they are more likely to make healthier choices, build resilience, and achieve better outcomes in adulthood. UNICEF’s “Adolescent and Youth Empowerment and Well-being Model,” which focuses on skill-building, mental health support, and community engagement, is particularly designed to address the needs of vulnerable adolescents.  

Since 2021, UNICEF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sport and Youth and the Drug Control Headquarters, has been piloting this model in the provinces of Mashhad, Kermanshah, and Isfahan through two key approaches. The TORANJ or AYEC (Adolescent and Youth Empowerment Centre) programme equips vulnerable adolescents and youth with essential technical and soft skills, entrepreneurial mindsets, and opportunities for decent employment. The MASERAT or APSWEC (Adolescent Psychosocial Wellbeing and Empowerment Centre) programme helps at-risk adolescents protect themselves, build resilience, and practice self-care against social harms such as drug abuse and HIV. By fostering an enabling environment and promoting psychological well-being, these programmes help adolescents navigate the challenges they face and develop the skills and resilience needed for a successful transition to adulthood.  

As UNICEF expands the Adolescent and Youth Empowerment Programme to additional provinces, it is crucial to conduct a formative assessment grounded in a results-based approach. This assessment will evaluate the programme’s effectiveness and relevance, identifying areas for improvement. The findings will serve as a vital advocacy tool and inform decision-making processes, ensuring the programme’s design, implementation, and monitoring are continuously enhanced to better meet the needs of adolescents and youth. 

MANAGMENT AND ORGANIZATION 

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of UNICEF Adolescent Development and Participation Officer. The responsible government partner is the Drug Control Headquarters and Ministry of Sport and Youth. 

OBJECTIVE  

The Main objective of formative assessment of Adolescent and Youth Empowerment Model is to provide ongoing feedback and insights to enhance the design, implementation and monitoring of AYEC and APSWEC programmes and assess the relevance, logic and coherence of interventions and its alignment to the context and specific needs of adolescents and youth.  

The results of this assessment will be used to: 

1. Enhance Implementation 

• highlighting best practices and areas for improvement in the implementation process, helping to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery. 

2. Support Monitoring and Accountability 

• Determine if appropriate Monitoring mechanism is in place to monitor progress and ensure accountability, making sure that the programme stays on track to achieve its intended outcomes. 
• Determine if relevant, valid, reliable and measurable indicators are defined for expected programme outcomes. Additionally, suggest relevant and reliable indicators that can effectively measure the success of the programme 

3. Informing Decision-Making and programme adjustment 

• Informing policymakers and stakeholders, guiding decisions on resource allocation, programme adjustments, and strategic planning to support adolescent and youth empowerment. 

4. Capacity Building plan 

•  Identifying training and development needs for staff and stakeholders, helping to build capacity and improve the overall quality of the programme. 

 

SCOPE OF WORK 

The consultant will conduct the Formative assessment of Adolescent and youth wellbeing and empowerment model being implemented through 4 Adolescent centers in 3 provinces of Kermanshah, Isfahan and Mashhad since 2023. 

METHODOLOGY AND TECHNICAL APPROACH 

The formative assessment of the Adolescent and Youth Empowerment programme will employ a mixed-methods approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis techniques.  

Data collection will include but not limited to a comprehensive review of programme documents, including theory of change, result framework, progress reports, monitoring data, and other relevant literature to determine the contextual relevance of the programme to the specific needs of adolescents and youth. 

Structured surveys will be administered to programme participants, stakeholders, and beneficiaries to gather quantitative data on programme reach, effectiveness, and satisfaction. 

Semi-structured interviews with key informants, such as programme staff, partners, and community leaders, will provide in-depth insights into programme implementation and challenges. 

Focus group discussions (FGDs) with various beneficiary groups will explore their experiences and perceptions of the programme. 

Additionally, site visits and direct observations will be conducted to assess the quality of implementation and participant engagement.  

Stakeholder analysis and engagement will be integral to the methodology. This will include identifying and categorizing all relevant stakeholders, conducting in-depth interviews, organizing workshops, and maintaining regular communication throughout the assessment process. This approach ensures that the perspectives and inputs of all relevant parties are considered and integrated into the assessment.  

Upon completion of the data collection and analysis, a comprehensive report will be prepared. This report will detail the methodology, findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The findings will be disseminated to programme stakeholders through presentations, workshops, and summary briefs to facilitate learning and action.  

Note: All the products developed during this consultancy must comply with UNICEF’s ethics norms and standards, which includes but is not limited to obtaining ethical clearance where and as necessitated. 

 Based on the objectives mentioned above the consultant should be able to provide clear guidelines to the following: 

1. Relevance: 

• How well do the programme objectives align with the specific needs and contexts of adolescents and youth in the targeted provinces. 

• Are the services and interventions provided by the programme relevant to the challenges faced by vulnerable adolescents. 

• How relevant are the capacity building plans to the technical staff’s need for appropriate support to adolescents and youth. 

2. Effectiveness: 

• To what extent have the programme’s interventions achieved their intended outcomes. 

• What are the key factors contributing to or hindering the effectiveness of the programme. 

•  What alternative ways could be applied to measure the effectiveness of the programme from technical staff and beneficiary’s perspectives. 

3. Challenges and Lessons learned:  

• What best practices have emerged from the implementation of the programme  

• What challenges have been encountered during implementation, and how can they be addressed. 

ACTIVITY 

#1: Develop an Inception Report with detailed assessment plans, methodology, timeline, and tools for separate assessments of boys and girls in each city

#2: Data collection and assessment tools are developed and approved. 

DELIVERABLES 

Inception report

ESTIMATED TIME  

30 days 

 

ACTIVITY 

#3: Execute data collection and analysis from four AYEC and APSWEC centers in three cities. 

DELIVERABLES 

Gender-specific interim reports including preliminary findings and observations from the assessment conducted are developed and reviewed 

ESTIMATED TIME  

40 days 

 

ACTIVITY

#4: Present key findings and recommendations, including gender-specific recommendations, to relevant stakeholders and facilitate discussion sessions to gather feedback, address questions or concerns, and finalize recommendations. 

DELIVERABLES 

Documented report of the sessions with relevant stakeholders including finalized recommendations.

ESTIMATED TIME  

15 Days

 

ACTIVITY

#5: Final report plus Raw data  

DELIVERABLES 

Receiving the final report in English 

ESTIMATED TIME  

15 days 

 

CONDITIONS OF WORK 

All the products developed during this consultancy are the intellectual property of UNICEF. The consultant may not share these products without the expressed permission and acknowledgement of UNICEF Iran. 

All contractual products are expected to be submitted in English. 

The consultant shall use her/his own facilities to manage the work, but, where circumstances demand otherwise, shall be allowed to make use of available UNICEF office space, computer and internet facilities with prior notification and arrangement with the supervisor and UNICEF Admin/ICT. The provision of these facilities by UNICEF shall be subject to their availability. 

TRAVEL 

The individual consultant will be responsible for his/her travel arrangement

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION  

Education = 10 points max

Experience= 20 points max

Knowledge = 40 points max

Technical proposal= 20 points max

Financial= 10 points max

Total= 100 points max.

 

NOTE FOR CONSULTANTS AND INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTORS:  

The Consultant should submit a technical proposal including a plan and a timeline for conducting the consultancy and an overview of the subject to demonstrate his/her knowledge. 

 Please submit an all-inclusive financial offer along with your proposal, which contains the following information: 

• Fee for services to be provided – based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference 

• Wherever possible, indicate the itemized cost of the travel (air tickets etc.) if an international consultation, and daily living costs for your stay in the country. 

 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

The consultant should possess the following qualifications:  

• Advanced university degree; A postgraduate degree (master’s or above) in social sciences, public health, education, gender studies, or a related field, with a focus on adolescent development, gender issues, and programme evaluation. 

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in designing and conducting gender-sensitive evaluations or assessments, particularly those focused on adolescent programmes and interventions 

• Demonstrated knowledge of adolescent development, gender dynamics, and psychosocial issues affecting both boys and girls in diverse cultural contexts. 

• Proven skills in qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, including surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and gender-sensitive data analysis techniques. 

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, including adolescents, government officials, NGOs, and community leaders. 

• Excellent analytical and writing skills, with the ability to synthesize information, articulate key findings, and communicate complex concepts in a clear and concise manner. 

• Sensitivity to cultural norms and practices related to gender and adolescent issues 

• Previous working experience with UNICEF or other international organizations involved in youth programming is an asset. 

• Proficiency in English and Persian (Farsi) is required.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

  

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.