Summary
Date Posted: Tuesday, December 12 2023, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Job Description
The purpose of this assessment is to assess the effectiveness of vocational skills training and mentorship programs in securing dignified employment for youth, to track the progress of training beneficiaries, and to offer recommendations for enhancing youth employment and private sector engagement, with an emphasis on gender inclusivity and post-training change for individuals aged 18-30.
The rationale for this assessment is to assess the effectiveness of vocational training, internships, and job placements with private sector firms on youth employment. It seeks to determine if such initiatives have successfully led to trained youth finding dignified employment in the Moyo, Obongi, Madi Okollo, and Terego districts. By tracking the progress of trainees, the assessment aims to provide an early indication of the project's value and its potential for broader application and likelihood of longer-term effects. It will also generate strategic recommendations for strengthening private sector involvement and youth job programs. The focus will be on the inclusiveness and appeal of the project to both genders within the 18-30 age group, and the tangible outcomes achieved by the participants six months after their training and mentorship period ends. Additionally, the assessment will document the current employment statuses and income levels of the youth post-training completion.
The ultimate result of this assessment is to establish whether half of the skilled youth are engaged in decent/dignified employment opportunities through self-employment or working with other established private sector business entities within districts of Moyo, Obongi, Madi Okollo and Terego. The assessment will trace the beneficiaries of the vocational skills training in both cohorts to establish what they are currently doing to provide early evidence of the project's relevance, effectiveness, impact, scalability, and sustainability and provide key recommendations for effective private sector engagement and youth employment interventions. Consequently, the assessment will account for the youth's engagement in internship placement, decent employment, and formal employment (including employment with private sector employers) and self-employment (including engagement in income generating activities). Special attention needs to be given to the gender inclusive accessibility and attractiveness of the project for young women and men aged 18 – 30 years, as well as the levels of success they have been able to achieve 6 months or more after completion and internship (mentorship) with the private sector business entities. This assessment will also establish employment and income status (monthly earning) following their graduation from the vocational skills training.

Objectives of the assessment
1. Assessment Type: Outcome evaluation/Assessment. Assessment of effectiveness of vocational skills training and youth internship placement (mentorship) with private sector business entities on youth employment in West Nile sub-region, Uganda.
2. Specific objectives.
1. Determine the relevance of SUPREME project skilling component to the labour market needs for youth employment.
2. Determine employable skills trades (marketable skills trades/occupations) with high opportunity for youth employment, with potential growth or with potential to reduce future youth unemployment. In addition, establish the employability of the skills acquired by youth trainees. Further, explore private sector employer’s perspective on viable employability skills for youth employment.
3. Determine the association between private sector engagement and youth employment. In addition, determine the extent to which Private sector employers are contributing to youth employment and explore their perceptions of the factors contributing to youth employment (successes) and factors inhibiting youth employment (challenges).
4. Establish the status of employment and incomes achieved by the graduates of vocational skills training and internship placement. Further determine if achieved employment statuses are sustained (or most likely to be sustained over 1 year) and to examine how and the extent to which SUPREME project sustainably impacts youth employment. Further, establish whether youth employed are earning above the Ugandan minimum wage (or globally accepted standards).
5. Examine the adequacy/appropriateness of basic training materials and resources used during training and internship placement.
6. Establish the factors inhibiting youth employment (wage/formal or self-employment) from the perspective of youth, self-employed business owners and private sector employers. What are the major challenges faced by youths which are hindering them from fully making use of the skills impacted?
7. Examine the role of private sector employers in enhancing the practicality and applicability of skilling program and how these collaborations can bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world skills in the workplace.
8. Determine satisfaction levels of the youths regarding their participation in the technical skills training, life soft skills and leadership training, entrepreneurship & business skills training, mentorship, and internship placements/internship placement implemented.
9. Establish best practices/lessons learned from the project implementation of (ATPs Curriculum, Training quality, Training content delivery, Internship Placement/mentorship).
10. Assess the most effective training approach and the extent to which it contributes to youth employment.
11. Ascertain the level of migration (self-relocation) of the youths from their locality after the skills training completion.
12. Establish resilient mitigations measures towards bottlenecks to rewarding/sustainable youth employable skills training intervention.
13. Established relationship between youth’s and private sector employer’s perception towards effectiveness of employability skills achieved through vocational skills training and mentorship (internship) for youth employment.
14. Examine the perceptions of youths towards youth employment in agriculture (green employment). Further, examine effective strategies to attract youths into sustainable employment in agriculture (green jobs)

Scope of the assignment.
1. Relevance. This will assess the attractiveness to youth aspirations and ambitions (gender inclusive specific needs), responsiveness of employability skills acquired to labour market needs (in-demand skills) by private sector employers, alignment and responsiveness to current and future technological developments or changes and competency of employable skill trades. How useful and adequate the learning resources were effective?
2. Effects and Success of Vocational Skills Training: To what extent have youth’s employment and incomes statuses changed before enrolment into the SUPREME project vocational skills training and 6 months after completion of skilling or internship placement with Private Sector Employers (PSEs)?
a. Youth employment status (including self-employment, formal employment with PSEs, part-time/full time job)
b. Employment decency
c. Youth incomes status
d. New youth-led businesses/enterprises created by youth and survival of enterprises.
e. Employment potential
f. Entrepreneurial behaviour
g. Employment linkages
h. Length of job search and duration in employment
i. Productivity of trainees
j. Gender inclusivity
3. What has been the short-term effects (including unintended effects) of the SUPREME project on youth employment outcomes and what are their implications?
4. If the vocational skills training graduates are meeting the knowledge, technical skills, confidence, and attitudinal expectations of private sector employers and are more productive in their jobs/work?
5. The effectiveness of the vocational skills training model (YEE approach) which links youth to private sector employers (PSEs) or private sector businesses/companies for internship placement and whether it has increased demand for competency-based skilled workers and contributed to youth employment.
6. What is the most effective training approach/pathway for youth employment in West Nile sub-region?
7. What do other people (consortium partners, UNHCR, OPM, other organisations doing similar work, community leaders (RWCs, SDCs), local government, etc) think about SNV youth employment initiative? ‘"know what others think". Assess involvement of local government actors and other key actors and their willingness/plan in up scaling of employment opportunities for youth on short, medium and long term.
8. Extrapolate good practices, lessons learned and recommendations for sustainable youth employment, low-cost innovation or up-scaling and deepening of impacts. What are the lessons learned throughout the skilling process in achieving youth employment outcomes in a sustainable manner?
9. Establish the factors inhibiting youth employment (wage/formal or self-employment).
10. Establish resilient mitigations measures towards bottlenecks to rewarding/sustainable youth employable skills training intervention.
11. What role do private sector employers play in enhancing the practicality and applicability of vocational skilling component and how do these collaborations contribute to bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world skills in the workplace?
12. What is the relationship between youth’s and private sector employer’s perception towards effectiveness of employability skills achieved through vocational skills training and mentorship (internship) for youth employment?
13. What are the perceptions of youths towards youth employment in agriculture (green employment)? What are the effective strategies to attract youths into green employment in agriculture (green jobs)?
Geographical scope. Uganda, Northern Region in the West Nile sub-region, Districts of: Moyo (Laropi, Lefori, Moyo, Metu subcounties); Terego (Omugo, Odupi, Uriama subcounties); Madi-Okollo (Ewanga, Rigbo subcounties) and Obongi (Itula, Gimara, Palorinya subcounties)

Methodology
1. Assessment Methodology
This assessment will be conducted using methodologies and techniques suitable for the assessment purpose, objectives, and assessment questions (scope) as described in this TOR. In all cases, the Local Service Provider (LSP) is expected to analyse all relevant information sources, and any other documents that may provide evidence on which to inform judgements. The LSP will propose and utilise appropriate methodologies based on technical understanding of this TOR. Proposals that explore use of innovative assessment methodologies may also be considered. The methodology and techniques to be used in the assessment and the assessment questions should be agreed upon with SNV as clearly outlined and described in detail in the Inception report and final assessment report, and should contain, at minimum, information on the instruments used for data collection and analysis.

2. Selection process:
1. Open invitation for Expression of Interest (EOI) (online via smart recruiters)
2. Potential consultancy firms/LSPs/bidders submit their EOI as per deadline provided.
3. A committee shall be set up for evaluation of EOI.
4. Evaluation of the submission will start with eligibility (registration, tax clearance, trading license). It is only eligible submission that will proceed to technical evaluation.
5. Evaluation of bids that passed eligibility (technical and financial proposals)
6. Final selection of bidder (consultancy firm/Local Service Provider/Individual consultant)
7. Contract signing
8. Training/orientation in safeguarding and signing of safeguarding policy.

Team Members and Roles
Below is a list of partners that will play a key role in the Assessment;
SNV
• Ensure that consultant and team adhere to research ethics and child protection policy
• Ensure quality assurance throughout study implementation
• Provide the selected consultant with necessary documents to enable a clear reporting and understanding of the EU-SUPREME Project.
• Create linkages with field staff, Implementing Partners and other stakeholders to ensure effective accomplishment of assignment.
• Review report and provide feedback to the consultant to ensure consistency with assessment objectives, scope of assessment and agreed deliverables.
• Arrange or mobilise key stakeholders as per agreed assessment methodology.
• Liaise with local implementing partners on behalf of the consultant to plan data collection
• Providing Contextual Knowledge: Offering insights into project activities and the local context in West-Nile's refugee-hosting areas.
• Provide necessary orientation and training to the consultant.
• Review and approve field approaches to be used by the consultant.
• Review the draft report and provide feedback to the consultant.
• Review and approve the inception and final assessment reports contingent on the reports meeting the intended objectives and quality assurances.
• Provide technical guidance to consultant and supervision on overall design of the study to ensure quality assurance throughout the process and successful completion.
Consultant
• Develop inception report before actual roll out of the assessment detailing study methodology, approach and appropriate/relevant data collection tools.
• Work closely with SNV Project Manager, MEL Officer and Youth Skills & Employment Advisor during the design of the methodology/ tools; agree on the tools that will be used.
• Ensure proposed team members are on the ground and supervising the Assessment.
• Incorporate feedback into tools and reports which will be given by the team.
• Share staff table summarizing key personnel expertise and value to this assessment, recruit and train Research Assistants/enumerators, guide and supervise enumerators during data collection in the field.
• Pilot (field test) the tools and adjust as a result of the piloting.
• Make visits to data collection sites and perform data collection based on appropriate data collection methods and sampling approach.
• Data entry, management, analysis and interpretation
• Do de-briefing of SNV on progress of data collection, report writing and preliminary findings.
• Presentation of results and discussions to be delivered in a validation meeting upon submission of acceptable draft report. The consultant needs to give due attention for the quality of the report.
• Submit draft and final assessments reports as per assessment schedule, agreed formats and quality standards.

Qualifications
Required Responses to the TOR
• A one-page capability statement detailing previous experience, similar assignments and how it is relevant to this proposed assignment, a brief explanation as to why the LSP is well-placed to carry out the assignment.
• A technical and financial proposal based on this TOR is required from interested consulting firms/bidders. At minimum, the proposal should contain:
• Consultants understanding of the TOR, introduction, methodologies including survey/research design, sampling approach, field procedures for data collection and analysis plan, workplan of key activities, detailed budget indicating fees in UGX, operational costs with clear justification for such expenditures.
• The financial proposal should contain detailed budget with justification. The detailed budget should cover all costs (operational and professional fees) associated with the tasks. This should be submitted by major activities and line items. The fee will be all-inclusive, including all applicable taxes, allowances, and accommodation in the study regions (if required).
• Updated CVs of Team Leader and core assessment team members showing relevant experience and their technical contribution in the areas required by the TOR.
• An updated profile of the LSP including at least one (1) past evaluation or assessment report/s of similar assignments attached.
• A statement/declaration confirming the availability of the team leader and core assessment team members to successfully conduct this assessment.
• Contact details (e-mail address and phone number) for at least two (2) references, one of whom must be of similar work assignments.
• Registration certificates (for firms).
• Tax clearance certificate (for firms).


Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 24

Level of Education: Postgraduate Degree

Job application procedure
All interested bidders (either consulting firms/local service providers or individuals) are required to express interest following the TOR by email to be submitted in soft copy (Zip folder) to: ugandatenders@snv.org 

The applications close on Friday 15th December 2023 at 11:59pm (EAT).
 https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/oneclick-ui/company/SNV/publication/02cfb37c-e022-4d41-8140-f5a968d0f1f3?dcr_ci=SNV&sid=c2cc8851-dfcc-467d-8da5-3051a6896ef6  

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