1.6.7: Integrate soft and entrepreneurship skills into the curriculum in 15 BTVET – BRIDGE Project

Consultancy Title: 1.6.7 Integrate soft and entrepreneurship skills into the curriculum in 15 BTVET – BRIDGE Project

Reports to: Regional Coordinator Southwestern region

Supported by: BRIDGE Project Director, BRIDGE Education and Transferable Skills Lead, Bridge MEAL Lead.

Background:

War Child Canada is an international charity organization registered in Toronto, Canada, dedicated to helping children and their communities overcome the devastating effects of active and post-war. Its vision is “Accelerating Peace by disrupting the cycle of violence” and its mission is “Driving Generational Change for The Hardest Hit by Investing in The Power of Local Communities.”

Since being founded in 1999, War Child Canada has worked in 20 countries across the world and we are currently operational in Afghanistan, Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Uganda.

War Child Canada has been operating in refugee-hosting districts in Uganda since 2005. War Child Canada is registered as an international non-governmental organization (INGO) and holds a registration as a Law Firm in Uganda. War Child Canada is currently implementing education, protection, and livelihood programs and currently implements projects in nine refugee hosting districts in Uganda (Adjumani, Koboko, Madi Okollo, Terego, Yumbe, Obongi, Isingiro, Kikube, Kamwenge)

The BRIDGE PROJECT: War Child Canada in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD), Education Local Expertise Uganda (ELECU), and eight refugee-led community-based organizations, will be implementing the BRIDGE: From Secondary Education and Skills Development to Job Opportunities for Refugee and Host Community Youth in Uganda project.

The 5-year BRIDGE project (2022 to 2027) is part of the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works Strategy (2018 to 2030) to address the youth unemployment challenge among refugee and host communities in 9 refugee settlement areas in Adjumani, Obongi, Isingiro, Kamwenge, Kikuube, Yumbe, Terego, Madi Okollo, and Koboko districts.

War Child Canada and project implementing partners will employ a gender-sensitive and inclusive approach to programming, empower young people and recognize their potential as agents of change to ensure effective implementation and sustainability of the interventions. This will be achieved through two outcomes.

1. Increased access to market-relevant secondary and tertiary education and skills for refugee and host community youth
2. Improved capacity of education institutions and teachers to offer quality and relevant education and skills for refugee and host community youth.

BRIDGE’s overarching program goal is to improve access to quality & and relevant education and skills for 73,439 refugee/host community youth and transition 38,912 refugee/host community youth to dignified and fulfilling work in Uganda by 2027.

Consultancy summary:

Development of training module for BTVET students on soft and entrepreneurship skills to be integrated into the BTVET curriculum.

As part of skills capacity-building interventions under the BRIDGE project, the Integration of soft and entrepreneurship skills into the BTVET curriculum for all the selected Vocational Training Institutes will be done.

A Certified or experienced consultant/Developer will be engaged to deliver and develop the soft and entrepreneurship skills module, using various existing soft and entrepreneurship materials, including parts of the ready-for-business.

Soft and entrepreneurship skills consist of four (4) main aspects:

• Business learning: The consultant provides business theories and discussion activities.
• Life skills learning: The developer provides life skills examples and their importance.
• Business coaching/mentoring: provides technical assistance or consultation on a specific task, for example, a trainer provides technical assistance on how to develop a business plan step by step or provides consultation on how to design a competitive product.
• Grant and Monitoring: emphasize having an excellent business plan and monitor the implementation of the business grant.

Purpose of the consultancy

The primary purpose of this consultancy is to develop a learning module for soft and entrepreneurship skills to be integrated into the BTVET curriculum.

Specific objectives include:

• Assess/ analyze the soft skills currently in use by the BTVET against the 21st-century skills and what is highlighted in the labor and market assessment.
• Development of a training module for BTVET students on soft and entrepreneurship skills to be integrated into the BTVET curriculum based on the identified gaps above.
• Together with the WCC, the consulting firm will train 30 TOTs in the developed module to support learners with the skills identified.

Approach and Deliverables:

The consulting firm will conduct a mixed-method assessment. Primary data collection will engage skills staff and focal persons from the Vocational Training Institutions in the delivery of the developed module.

The process will involve:

• Collect, review, and analyze all the necessary documents to fully substantiate all stages of the soft skills and entrepreneurship module developed.
• Collect, review, and analyze all the necessary documents to fully understand the administrative framework for Curriculum development.
• Carry out a stakeholder analysis to bring out the roles and responsibilities of key players and Institutions that play a vital role in the module development.
• Based on the processes mentioned above and in consultation with the Project Team, prepare a Comprehensive list of contents to be included in the life skills module to ensure that all the required contents are included.
• Develop a training guide based on the module layout ready for scaling. Deliver the training in consultation with the WCC skills development team.

The consulting firm will be responsible for providing the following deliverables:

1. Pre-activity level

• Draft inception report: Upon signing the contract, the firm will have 5 working days to submit a detailed report on the proposed approach to this assignment.

The inception report will include a detailed description of the methodology and tools, expected outputs, a budget with a breakdown of costs, and a detailed work plan for the entire assignment. The Methodology will include designing the module and programs, and implementation steps for equipping 30 TOTs and finally integrating the module into the BTVET curriculum.

• Revised inception report: Following feedback on the first draft of the inception report from War Child Canada and partners, the Consulting firm will incorporate revisions and recommendations from War Child Canada.

2. During activity level

• Deliver the consultancy framework and report on its progress regularly on the module.
• Development of a learning module for soft and entrepreneurship skills to be integrated into the BTVET curriculum.
• Development of Soft and Entrepreneurship skills module training plans that are properly designed, documented, and delivered.
• Produce a well-written and comprehensive SOP highlighting:
• Conduct 2 TOTs for the BTVET teachers (1 in Southwestern & other in West Nile)
• Prepare inception and submit a final financial report.
• The integration is expected to take a maximum of 20 working days.
• Within 13 days of signing the contract, the consultant/developer will present a draft progress status module.
• The final assignment module and all other deliverables should be submitted to War Child after confirmation from the team.

Experience, skills

• War Child Canada is looking for a competent firm/individual with skills, knowledge, and proven experience in undertaking soft skills and entrepreneurship skills module skills-set in a development context.
• Applications from consulting firms will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate the following qualifications, experiences, and competencies:
• Team members with a University Degree in Education, Business Administration, information technology, Project Management, or any other related discipline.
• A minimum of 3-4 years of professional work experience in developing soft and entrepreneurship skills information modules, and innovative technology designs.
• The applicant/ team leader would have an educational background in business studies, education, information technology, or any other relevant course.
• Demonstrated expertise in working with social and/or business enterprises in developing soft skills and entrepreneurship solutions for development issues.
• Portfolio of work demonstrating soft skills and entrepreneurship models developed initially.
• Previous experience working with non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, and refugee settlements, especially in the Western or West Nile regions of Uganda is an advantage.
• Experience working on projects related to children’s rights and protection issues, education programs, and youth engagement and skills training in Uganda or a similar context.
• Experience working in Uganda.
• Strong English language skills required, other local languages an asset.