Consultant/ Moderator of Dialogue Sessions- Re-advertised

The consultant will lead the process of conducting the second phase of the dialogue discussions on the topic “Perspectives on citizenship in the Syrian context and role of civil society”. The participants are representatives of Syrian civil society organizations who are based in different regions inside and outside Syria, and work in different sectors.
The consultant with the support of the project team will follow up implementing the roadmap that came because of the first phase. He/She will conduct the planned agenda and moderate the discussions among participants in a series of online sessions.

BACKGROUND:

IMPACT – Civil Society Research and Development e.V. founded in Berlin in 2013, is a non-profit civil society organization with offices in Iraq, Turkey and Syria. Civil society support is the core of IMPACT’s mission through long-term and balanced support to individuals and organizations in the conflict and developed countries. IMPACT main areas of intervention are capacity building, research, peace building and diaspora engagement.

The Syrian Civil Society Network Platform (SCNP), a platform of 9 civil society networks, formed in early 2019, aims to act as a cross-country, cross network coordination platform. It aims “to strengthen the collaboration, capacity, and voices of rights-based Syrian civil society and diaspora networks and build dialogue and solidarity between Syrian organizations.”

In the past 10 years, and with the evolution of Syrian civil society, the fragmentation of the country is affecting the channels of communication between Syrian civil society in the diaspora, and across the areas of military control inside Syria. Since the establishment of SCNP, the platform has been providing a Syrian space for Syrian civil society networks to discuss their different perspectives, and share experiences and knowledge where the role of the platform to host such discussions and translate it to advocacy briefs and massages.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The overall objective of this position is to facilitate and moderate a series of online dialogue sessions aimed at fostering mutual understanding, cooperation, and trust between Syrian civil society networks and organizations in the diaspora, as well as those inside Syria. These sessions will focus on the theme of “Perspectives on citizenship in the Syrian context and the role of civil society.” Optional technical mini-meetings may be considered during the process.

In the initial phase, participants were encouraged to share their diverse perspectives on the topic and collaboratively develop a roadmap for continued dialogue. In the current second phase, the moderator will support the implementation of this roadmap, with the following objectives:

1. Facilitate discussions that deepen participants’ understanding of local contexts, insights, and goals, fostering clarity and transparency.
2. Engage participants in in-depth discussions on priority ideas and concepts of common interest.
3. Foster collaborative efforts to deconstruct existing paradigms and explore how this newfound understanding can contribute to positive change.
4. Ensure systematic observation, documentation, and sharing of the experiences and knowledge gained throughout the process.

The moderator’s role will be crucial in maintaining a conducive and respectful atmosphere for open dialogue, ensuring all participants have an opportunity to contribute their perspectives, and guiding the sessions towards productive outcomes. The desired outcome is to build stronger connections and cooperation within the Syrian civil society, fostering an environment for positive change and growth.

SCOPE OF WORK

The assignment is to provide 6 working days of consultancy within 2 months of the project. During this period the consultant will work closely with the SCNP coordinator to set the agenda, moderate the discussions, and finalize the final report includes recommendations, and agreement on next steps.

The consultancy is aimed to implement the following:

1. Preparation session that aims to set the stage and explain the initial process, adjust it if needed.
2. Setting up the agenda for the 4 thematic dialogue sessions. Each session will host an expert guest speaker to discuss experiences related to knowledge production and citizenship. It will provide the space to share related contextual updates, discussion about practical steps and exploring opportunities for collaborative work.
3. Moderate the discussions in the 4 sessions.
4. A final report that summarizes the process and the main outcomes of the sessions, with suggested plan for continuation building on the current phase.

METHODOLOGY:

Even there will be a quiet space for creativity in this consultancy, but there should be basic standards for the methodology. The consultants are welcomed to share their points of view on methodology in their technical offer, knowing that the participants and main themes have already been chosen in the first phase.

KEY DELIVERABLES:

Following deliverables are expected from the service provider:

• Methodology of building the series of sessions and a detailed work plan within the first week of the contracting period.
• Agenda for all 5 sessions in the first week of the consultancy.
• Draft of the final report “most importantly the steps forward” on 5th week, and Final version of the report on the 8th week of the consultancy.

LOCATION:

Online platforms/Main virtual meetings is ZOOM Platform.

TIMEFRAME

This is a short-term assignment for individual consultants for a period of 6 working days in a timeframe of two months.

Tentatively, this assignment will begin on Sep, 01st, 2023.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The consultant or their representative person will:

1. Sign with IMPACT a consultancy agreement and work as a resource person for the 6 days.
2. Discuss and agree with IMPACT on the final deliverable.
3. Design an appropriate process of the consultancy leading to the desired results.
4. Propose on the most appropriate methodology for effective delivery of the assignment.
5. Submit the final deliverables based on the objectives of this assignment.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES:

1. University degree in humanitarian/development related studies
2. Five years of experience in working with civil society in the MENA region (working on Syria is addition but it is important that applicants have experiences in other contexts)
3. Previous long experience in working with similar assignments like mediation, or moderation dialogues in themes related to citizenship.
4. Knowledge and practical experience in working with civil society networks and alliances.
5. Experience working in armed conflict settings, particularly with CSOs, vulnerable groups and cross conflict border contexts.
6. Excellent written and oral communication skills in Arabic. English is a plus.

Language:

The language of this consultancy including all deliverables is Arabic. Communication with SCNP team can be done in English or Arabic.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Applicants are required to submit their technical and financial proposals in English or Arabic as follows:

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL:

1. The technical proposal should include but not limited to the following information:
2. A brief outline of recent experience and client references in carrying out assignments of similar nature (Max. 1 pages)
3. Detailed description of how the consultant understands and will respond to the ToR including time frame.
4. Curriculum Vitae of consultants.
5. The consultant methods to provide this consultancy.

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL:

The financial proposal must contain overall quotation in Euro for all the services to be provided and must follows the following:

• Summary of the total costs for the services proposed.
• Any taxes applicable.

PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

100% of the payment will be released to the consultant after completing the work.