TERMS OF REFERENCE

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Secours Catholique / Caritas France
International Actions and Advocacy
Division
Middle East and North Africa Desk &
co-funded projects Desk
Pontifical Mission for Palestine
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Deepening of project programming about “Short-term employment creation for skilled
graduates in the health and vocational trades” in Gaza Strip and occupied Palestinian
territories, and redaction of a proposal for French Development Agency (DPO – Partnership
with NGO Division) in May & June 2015
1. Context of the project and problem statement
The Gaza Strip is a coastal enclave of the occupied Palestinian territories comprising of 360km²,
entirely cut-off from Israel and Egypt. Access into and out of the Strip is severely regulated by the
Israeli authorities for 1.8 million people; the once economically viable underground smuggling tunnels
which supplied Gaza with many goods from Egypt, have nearly all been destroyed from the latest war
(2014) and a result of the strained relations between Hamas and the current regime in Egypt. The
population is now facing economic isolation, as years of closure, restrictions on movement of people
and import/export of goods exacerbating the already high unemployment and poverty rates. At the end
of 2014, 66 percent of Gaza’s residents currently receive humanitarian aid (1.2 million of people1) and
the official unemployment rate is now reached 43.92 percent and is worst for youth– one of the highest
unemployment rates in the world. Job and investment perspective are limited and difficult to access,
particularly for the young without professional experience. The population today lacks real opportunity
and investment which threatens the livelihood of the population.
Given that the Gaza Strip lacks real economic viability, opportunities and investment, it is through its
population, especially those in the most desired sectors of health and vocational trades, that workers
can improve their skills and be provided with a stable income, in the hopes of some economic stability
in Gaza.
2. Historic of the action and partners
A short-term employment creation program was implemented two years ago (in 2012-2013) with local
partners in the Gaza Strip. The implementing Local Partners were the NECC (Near East Council of
Churches), and Al-Ahli Arab Hospital.
The project was successful, providing on-the-job training for 287 unemployed skilled graduates of the
health sector and vocational trades as well as job placement for a period of 3 months to one year,
improving skills and gaining valuable experience in their chosen professions; 46 percent of the shortterm employees in fact secured temporary or permanent employment after the project had ended which
was rewarding given the terrible economic situation that still persists in the Gaza Strip.
Furthermore, as part of old and trustworthy partnership relationship between Secours Catholique and
Pontifical Mission for Palestine, these two partners are associating in order to formulate a new triennal
program for employment creation in Gaza Strip. Secours Catholique, the applicant, is committed to
provide this new program to Partnership with NGO Division of French Development Agency (AFD)
before July 2015.
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Cf. OCHA “GAZA STRIP : Humanitarian Dashboard”, November 2014
Source : rapport du Bureau central des statistiques palestiniens « Palestine in figures 2014 »
Terms of reference - 5th May 2015 - Mission for programming and redaction of project for youth employment for PMP – Secours Catholique
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3. New expected project with Pontifical Mission for Palestine
The Pontifical Mission for Palestine (PMP) proposes another cycle of its short-term employment
creation program with the same local partners in the Gaza Strip. The proposed project would intend to
work with three local partners, (NECC) Near East Council of Churches (VTC) Vocational Training
Centers, Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, to provide unemployed skilled youth with on-the-job training and
employment. The intended project would also complement ongoing health and vocational training
programs currently underway at two of these institutions funded by multiple donors.
Project Title: Short-term employment creation for skilled graduates in the health and vocational
trades
Project Location: Gaza Strip, occupied Palestinian territories
Project Duration: 36 months (January 2016 – December 2018)
Total Project Cost: €1,000,000 (€500,000 of funding requested from the AFD)
Expected results, impact: The project would aim to develop the skills of unemployed
graduates/women and men through on-the-job training and job placement that maximizes the impact of
trainee employability. Additionally, the project would also help contribute towards the improvement of
healthcare services for the public as well as contribute towards better service support and business
trade in the public and private sectors.
A project draft is proposed in annex, likely to evolve significantly.
Implementation: The project progress would be measured based on the day to day monitoring
executed by PMP project coordinator based in the Gaza Strip in collaboration with project coordinator,
administration staff of partners during the project’s implementation to collect data relevant to the
project’s progress.
4. Expected beneficiaries of the project
Beneficiaries of the project will be skilled, unemployed men and women from the Gaza Strip that have
completed university degrees in the medical field (doctor’s residency, nurse, anesthesiologists,
pharmacists, technicians, administration, and support services) or those who have completed half or all
of their training in the vocational trades (carpentry electricity, metal works, secretarial,
dressmaking in addition to various professional fields). This program targets young graduates who
are unemployed and aged 18 to 25 years. The total number of beneficiaries targeted by this program
would be to precise, around 400 including trainees including project support staff (project
coordinators, trainers, secretaries and accountant). The duration of the intervention for each
beneficiary is between 6 months to 12 months both part-time and full-time positions (depending on
program, based at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital or NECC’s VTC center under its vocational training
curriculum according to specified vocation and later with local NGO or business partner). The trainees
will be advised (and pertaining to Al-Ahli Arab Hospital’s component with training, uniforms and
educational material) on customer service, basic computer programming, planning and time
management. The trainees will be expected to participate in on-the-job training with experts in their
field, either providing support to local staff and patients or participating with NGO staff, partners,
business representatives and customers. Trainees will be trained in both and with that gain more skills
and experience, a better income and better access to the competitive, small margin of jobs in Gaza that
are seeking skilled and experienced graduates. Most importantly, the beneficiaries will be provided
with an income that has a general improvement of their economic living conditions. The project will
also improve the health services of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital as the trainees will be expected to help assist
medical professionals in their day-to-day tasks in addition to NECC’s VTC graduates involved with
general work in the public and private sectors. The project will also provide an estimated 2,310
Terms of reference - 5th May 2015 - Mission for programming and redaction of project for youth employment for PMP – Secours Catholique
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indirect beneficiaries (avg. 5 people per family of trainees) with an income contributing towards basic
household needs.
5. State of the discussions between the partners
In the perspective of submitting the project to French Development Agency, the PMP and Secours
Catholique have discussed the first draft and highlighted some of the main topics to be addressed:
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Highlight important aspects for French Development Agency: involvement and appropriation
by local authority and institutions, replicability, capitalization, sustainability of the action,
respect of environment, gender discrimination reduction, etc. within the limit permitted by the
local specific context. For example, highlight the existing coordination between the NECC and
the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Social affairs, the UNRWA.
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Highlight the good result of the previous project (percentage of young who have found a job
thank to the professional experience permitted by the project), and explain why this
first/additional experience is decisive.
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Highlight the possibility of procuring an improvement of proximity services for the local
population (health, building, etc.) by mobilizing local skills of young suffering from
unemployment.
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Associate the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Social affairs or other institutions, in order
to identify the more relevant University sectors (needs for employment)
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Develop the link with Universities and employers, in order to formalize and valorize the
internships, and/or integrate them in the professional formation of the NECC.
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Highlight the important network of the local partners (Ahli: hospitals, clinics; NECC :
companies, artisans, etc.).
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The « cash for work » aspect of the project is not completely compatible with the sustainable
development approach of French Development Agency, even if the context of Gaza could
justify this necessity. However, what implication the structures could have in exchange for the
salaries of human resources?
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Necessity of a diversification of the expenses (maximum 50% for traineeship grant), by a
diversification of the activities of the project: developping the aspect of accompaniment of the
young in his/her professional insertion by formalization of the curriculum vitae, development
of professional network (database of contacts of precedent trainees), accompaniment in job
searching or enterprise creation/own activity development (trainings for management, business,
marketing, etc.). Financial help for creation of business. Other partnerships are possible: for
example with Women graduates Society. The creation of a diagnostics center in the Al-Ahli
Arab Hospital was also mentioned by the PMP.
6. Objective of the mission and methodology
Secours Catholique has committed itself to submit a formal funding proposal for this new program to
the Partnership with NGO Division of French Development Agency before July 2015. For this reason,
the deepening and writing of the programme need to be finalized rapidly. On the other hand, the
requirement level of the Development French Agency is high: it seems that an external support of an
expert of the area of intervention is necessary.
The objective of the mission is:
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The revision and finalization of the project intervention strategy, in consultation with the
Pontifical Mission of Palestine (main partner), respecting their expectations and those of
Secours Catholique (the applicant) and of the French Development Agency. As PMP have a
deep knowledge of the context and actors, and will be responsible for the implementation of the
Terms of reference - 5th May 2015 - Mission for programming and redaction of project for youth employment for PMP – Secours Catholique
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project, a deep consultation with them (with all the team of the project) is primordial as well as
the “co-design” of the proposal. So this part of the mission will take place in their office in
Jerusalem, (around 2 weeks). If possible, with visit to their partners of the Gaza Strip. The
consultant will base his work on the available documents of Secours Catholique and PMP (cf.
list in part 9). A short meeting or skype with the project officers of Secours Catholique will be
necessary before this stay in Jerusalem, and a remote dialogue with them will be maintained for
any question during the stay in Jerusalem. It would be appreciated to foresee a short meeting
with the local office of French Development Agency and with the SCAC, in order to valid with
them the global approach and intervention strategy. For the elaboration of the budget, the
consultant will also check the unit costs during this stay in Jerusalem. If necessary/possible, a
member of SC staff can also join the mission in Jerusalem.
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The writing of the complete proposal in English, respecting the template and expectations
of the French Development Agency. It is compound :
o Detailed description of the project (20-30 pages) in English and if possible, translated in French
(final proposal)
o Synthesis of the project (15 pages), useful only in French (if not possible, in English)
o Communication form (3 pages), useful only in French (if not possible, in English)
o Annexes:
logical framework, detailed budget, chronogram (in English and if possible, translated in
French);
+ applicant information sheet, list of the retrocession beneficiaries, partners information sheet
(useful only in French - if not possible, in English);
+ map and any other relevant document.
During this phase, the remote dialogue will also be indispensable with the two organizations (Secours
Catholique, PMP), through direct discussions and the submission along the mission of the written
paragraphs in order to permit a progressive validation of the proposal (the two organizations will be
available to give all necessary feedbacks on the shared documents rapidly).
The consultant will write the integrality of the proposal: first the exhaustive description of the project,
second, the synthesis where he will keep the indispensable information for the project understanding,
with a precise description of the activities and indicators (the synthesis is the contractual part of the
proposal, annexed to the convention). Third he will resume the project in the communication form.
In the whole proposal, particular emphasis will be placed on capacity building of the civil society and
of the partner, on the replicability of this alternative strategy with an appropriation by the local
authorities, on the education for Development in France through the national network of Secours
Catholique, and on gender discrimination reduction.
This document will be sent to the Secours Catholique in its final version in English, with the same
proposal translated in French, if the consultant can.
7. Wished profile:
- Proven expertise and confirmed experience in project design (if possible, with French
Development Agency template and expectations)
- Good knowledge of the area of intervention and its context and specificities, and of the
potential actors and stakeholders of the project (local authorities, NGO, civil society)
- Knowledge of the specific issue of access to employment, especially for youth and in the crisis
context of Gaza.
- Capacity to work with a participative approach with the project team and the different partners,
capacity to listen.
- Good writting skills in English, and if possible, in French
- Synthesis capability, diplomaty, pedagogy
- Possibility of travel to Jerusalem (and Gaza).
Terms of reference - 5th May 2015 - Mission for programming and redaction of project for youth employment for PMP – Secours Catholique
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8. Period and duration :
May or June 2015 – estimated duration: 3 weeks. A part of the writing can be done in another country.
9. Available documents :
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Template of French Development Agency (“Note d’initiative ONG” - NIONG) including the
communication document, the synthesis, the description of the project, and the annexs (Logical
framework, detailed budget, applicant information sheet, list of the retrocession beneficiaries,
partners information sheet, chronogram, map, and any other relevant document). The template
is available in French and in English.
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First draft of the projet (concept note and budget) by the PMP
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First draft of the project in French (concept note only) by the Secours Catholique
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State of exchanges between PMP and Secours Catholique – Caritas France on this subject.
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Sectoral Intervention Framework of French Development Agency for Middle East
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Documents about precedent project of 2011-2013 of PMP (proposal, reports).
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Proposal for short term employment 07/2015-12/2015
10. Restitution and reports :
A first draft will be submitted to Secours Catholique and to the PMP in the following days of the
mission, in order to have their feedback. The final version will be submitted to Secours Catholique,
before the middle of June, in order to introduce it to French Development Agency at the end of June.
It will be written in English and if possible, translated in French (2 documents expected), including all
annexes (logical framework, budget, partners information sheet, etc.).
11. Budget :
The proposed budget should only include the consultant fees. Travel and mission expenses will be
reimbursed on the actual costs by Secours Catholique – Caritas France at the scale established and
which will be transmitted to the chosen candidate.
12. Provisional timetable of the assessment:
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Deadline for receipt of applications (only CV and fee amount): 19th May 2015
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Beginning of the work, documentations and scoping meeting: before 1st June 2015
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Field mission: beginning before 1st June 2015
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Submission of the first draft proposal and other deliverables: before 20th of June 2015
1. How to apply :
The candidate’s CV and fee amount should be sent to Secours Catholique, before 19th May 2015 by
email at:
[email protected]
missioncourteduré[email protected]
Terms of reference - 5th May 2015 - Mission for programming and redaction of project for youth employment for PMP – Secours Catholique
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Annex: First draft of proposal by Pontifical Mission for Palestine
Project Title: Short-term employment creation for skilled graduates in the health and vocational trades
Project Location: Gaza Strip, occupied Palestinian territories
Project Duration: 36 months (January 2016 – December 2018)
Total Project Cost: €1,000,000 (€500,000 of funding requested from the AFD)
Expected results, impact: The project aims to develop the skills of unemployed graduates/women and men
through on-the-job training and job placement that maximizes the impact of trainee employability. Additionally,
the project will also help contribute towards the improvement of healthcare services for the public as well as
contribute towards better service support and business trade in the public and private sectors.
Possible outcomes:
- Greater in-depth knowledge and skills and familiarity of work environment are transferable for entrylevel positions or apprenticeships,
- Enhanced network of service support between trainees and medical staff improving quality medical
treatment and care,
- Greater network of support for local business owners and personnel leading to quality products and
services for the public and increased profit for organizations and/ or business,
- Increased household income for the participants to the programme, enabling them to meet household
needs such as education, food and healthcare.
A project draft is proposed, likely to evolve significantly:
R1: Young graduates, men and women, develop their competence through professionalizing training period.
Training period remunerated by the project for 6 or 12 months, accompanied and supervised by professionals, in
one of the institutions partner of the project:
- Remunerated training period of 6 months in the network of small companies partners of the vocational
training center of the NECC (carpentry electricity, metal works, secretarial, dressmaking in addition to
various professional fields).
- Remunerated training period of 6 months of young graduates from university (administration,
accountancy, information technologies, etc.).
- Remunerated training period of 6 or 12 months of young graduates from health sector: doctors
(emergency, gynecologists, etc.), nurses, pharmacist, technicians of radiography, etc. at the hospital alAhli.
R2: Young graduates, men and women, are accompanied in their access to employment after this training
period.
Social workers accompany the trainees in their job searching after the training period, in the network of
institutions and companies partners, or by accompaniment in the creation of their small business or own activity.
R3: Contributing to improvement of the health and artisanal services for Gaza population.
In a context of collapse of basic services for population in all areas, the implementation of this training will also
support the institutions in their mission for the population, providing qualified human resources.
R4: Improvement of standard of living of the families of the trainees thanks to their remuneration.
During the project, they will improve temporary their incomes, and take advantage of it for investing in
equipment in order to create their income generating activity.
Implementation: The project progress will be measured based on the day to day monitoring executed by PMP
project coordinator based in the Gaza Strip in collaboration with project coordinator, administration staff of
partners during the project’s implementation to collect data relevant to the project’s progress.
Terms of reference - 5th May 2015 - Mission for programming and redaction of project for youth employment for PMP – Secours Catholique