cropped cropped White with Bold Red Political Logo 1 90 End-of-Project Evaluation - Empowering Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) through Education and Income Generation in Amman, Jordan

End-of-Project Evaluation – Empowering Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) through Education and Income Generation in Amman, Jordan

International Orthodox Christian Charities

Project Title: Empowering Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) through Education and Income Generation in Amman, Jordan

Project period (Consolidation Phase): 01 May 2022 – 31 October 2023

Country: Jordan

City: Amman

Project Partners: Diakonie ACT Austria (DAA), International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), and King Hussein Foundation’s Institute for Family Health (IFH)

Funding: Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and DAA

ADA Project number: 2826-02/2022

Theme: Disabilities, Health, Protection, Education, and Livelihoods

Career Categories: Monitoring and Evaluation

Total Project Budget: 336,600 EUR

Target group: 1,653 direct beneficiaries in East Amman and 10,102 indirect beneficiaries

Job type: Consultancy

Introduction

The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and Diakonie ACT Austria (DAA)-funded “Empowering PWDs through Education and Income Generation in Amman, Jordan” project is a collaboration between DAA, IOCC, and IFH.

DAA is a member of Diakonie Österreich, the umbrella organization of all Diakonie organizations in Austria. DAA was founded in 2009 as successor of the department for development cooperation at the Evangelisches Hilfswerk in Österreich.

IOCC was founded in 1992 as the official humanitarian organization of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the U.S. and to engage the philanthropic work of the Orthodox Church on a global scale. IOCC responds to humanitarian emergencies, as well as makes long-term commitments to communities through development programs. Operating in Jordan since 2005, IOCC has implemented long-term development and resilience activities and humanitarian programs in response to the needs of refugees and vulnerable host community members.

IFH was established in 1986 as a national model for primary healthcare services for mothers and children. IFH was the first health center in Jordan to provide comprehensive training for medical professionals, which included a focus on early detection and intervention for children with disabilities. Since 2002, IFH has expanded its services to address gaps in family health needs.

Background

With funding from ADA –- and in partnership with DAA –- IOCC Jordan and IFH are implementing a project entitled, “Empowering Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) through Education and Income Generation in Amman, Jordan”. The overall objective of the project is: “Refugees and marginalized Jordanians with impairments and disabilities are equipped to access education and livelihood opportunities through provision of assistance that meets their specific needs, promotes inclusive services, and empowers local communities”.

The project has included three individual phases: Phase 1 from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2019; Phase 2 from July 1, 2019, to April 30, 2022; and the Consolidation Phase from May 1, 2022, to October 31, 2023. The focus of this evaluation will include a review of the project’s Consolidation Phase. The first two preceding phases focused primarily on health- and livelihood-related activities for people with disabilities and their caregivers (for example, providing glasses and hearing aids, as well as training to support increased income-generation). The focus of the final phase shifted (as intended and agreed with the donor, based on the changing context in Jordan, and per recommendations from external evaluations of the first phase and second phase) towards sustainability and consolidating the activities. For example, the consolidation phase emphasized securing increased income for project participants (PWDs and caregivers in the formal job market), ensuring that schools are more accessible CWDs (i.e., via training for teachers, activities with peers, and accessibility enhancements), and empowering PWDs and caregivers through PSS components alongside comprehensive health services.

Throughout implementation, IOCC and IFH have followed a community-based approach to holistically address the needs of PWDs through four key results in the Consolidation Phase:

Output 1: Identified CWDs and PWDs’ specific health needs are addressed to promote participation

IOCC and IFH focused on solidifying the impact of disability health services provided during Phases 1 and 2. This included follow-up with assistive device recipients and repair or maintenance to devices, as needed, to ensure these continued to function and supported CWDs and PWDs engagement in their communities, particularly education and livelihood opportunities. As needed, those CWDs and PWDs urgently in need of assistive devices also received services. Trained CBRWs conducted assessments of potential disabilities, and disability specialists from IFH provided treatment, as needed. Prior to the conclusion of the project, recipients of devices also had a follow-up appointment with a disability specialist.

Output 2: CWDs, PWDs, caregivers, and community members are empowered to participate in and foster a more inclusive society

CWDs and PWDs in Jordan face limitations to participating in society due to challenges accessing educational and healthcare services and caregivers’ and community members’ lack of awareness and education on how address the needs of PWDs or CWDs. To increase PWDs’ and CWDs’ participation in society, IOCC held awareness sessions for community and family members, workshops for teachers on inclusive education, recreational campaigns with school children to tackle stigma, and rehabilitation and PSS sessions for CWDs, PWDs, and caregivers.

Output 3: PWDs, with a focus on women with disabilities (WWDs) and female caregivers, have equal opportunities (regardless of gender or disability) to livelihood opportunities

While PWDs, especially WWDs, face a number of challenges accessing the labor market in Jordan, IOCC continued to assist WWDs and female caregivers of PWDs to engage in Jordan’s labor market through tailored support that aims to reduce gender disparities in access to livelihood opportunities. Building on the success of women’s livelihood support groups during Phase 2, IOCC supported the shift of these groups to more sustainable peer counseling groups that are led by local community leaders. IOCC provided training for participating women on the peer counseling model and support the formation of peer counseling groups. Shifting to this model of support will leave the groups in the hands of local community leaders at the conclusion of the project. In addition, livelihood activity participants from Phase 2 continued with additional job coaching sessions during the Consolidation Phase. These sessions included ongoing support by IOCC’s Livelihood Coordinator and a legal advisor (consultant) on formalization of work, such as the ongoing process of licensing and registering home-based business for those who received small grants during Phase 2.

Output 4: PWDs have increased household income

Due to a number of barriers, PWDs are not fully integrated in Jordan’s workforce. However, following activities during Phases 1 and 2, as well as the Consolidation Phase, PWDs are better equipped to meet employers’ needs and have made valuable connections with employers and strengthened their networks. In addition, IOCC continued to work directly with employers to raise awareness on the importance of hiring and retaining PWDs – both as it relates to laws and regulations in Jordan and to the fact that PWDs are an integral part of society and Jordan’s workforce.

Purpose

The purpose of the assignment is learning and accountability.

Objectives

  • Assess the effectiveness of the project on beneficiaries and their families (focusing on outcome level) with specific emphasis on women and girls
  • Evaluate the prospects for sustainability of the project results

Scope of the Assignment

  • Scope of the assignment will be the consolidation phase; however, also evidence from the preceding two phases should be considered as much as possible
  • All project components should be assessed by the evaluation team
  • Stakeholders to participate include:
    • DAA, IOCC, and IFH project and organization staff
    • Representatives from Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Social Development, and the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
    • Representatives from private sectors and factories who have hired project’s beneficiaries
    • Project beneficiaries and surrounding communities
    • Other humanitarian and development actors in Jordan (i.e., as reached through UNHCR-led working groups and task forces)
  • Time scope to be evaluated (as above mentioned) is 01 May 2022 – 31 October 2023
  • Geographical scope of the assignment covers all implementation areas of the project (areas of East Amman).
  • The evaluation must be designed and conducted in a way that allows for meaningful analysis with regard to issues for women and girls

Target Audience of the Assignment

  • The main users will be DAA, IOCC, and IFH project staff and organizational leadership
  • ADA program staff

Assignment Approach & Methods

The assignment should include:

  • Desk Study/Document Review:

    • Review the project’s history, location, and implementation context;
    • Review project documentation, such as the proposal, monitoring/site visit reports, and project reports;
    • Review the Phase 2 Project Evaluation report;
    • Review publicly available similar project reports and documents on impairments and disabilities –- particularly pertaining to livelihoods, health, and education access –- and gender in response to the Syria crisis in Jordan by UN, INGOs, and other local and international organizations operating in Jordan.

  • Inception Phase:

  • Field Phase

    • Including involvement of project beneficiaries and other key stakeholders
    • Data gathering and triangulation: Various methods of data collection, such as analysis of documents, structured interviews, semi-structured interviews face-to face or by remote modalities, focus group discussions, surveys (online or in-person) (if applicable), and other methods shall be used.

  • Data review and analysis

  • Report:

The Guidelines for Project and Program Evaluations developed by ADA must be considered throughout the entire evaluation process. Candidates are expected to review the guidelines and reflect them in proposals submitted.

The evaluation design, approach, and methods should incorporate Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA), ADC’s cross-cutting issues, as well as the basic principles and quality standards applying to ADA’s programme and project design. This may include participation of duty bearers and rights holders, especially women and vulnerable groups; the documentation of how data collection will be human rights-based and foster environmental sustainability and gender sensitivity. The evaluator should ensure that these are reflected in the submitted offer.

All data collected should be disaggregated by sex, nationality, age, and disability status.

Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation should follow ADC and OECD/DAC norms and standards, as well as ethical guidelines for evaluations. These should be referenced in offers submitted and in evaluation deliverables. The evaluation should be able to answer the following questions on the project and its activities implemented during the project period:

OECD/DAC Evaluation Questions

Effectiveness

1. Were the overall objectives achieved? To what extent?

  • If they have been, what were key drivers for success? If results were not achieved, why and what were the key factors that influenced this?

2. How and in what ways did the project affect the lives of the targeted populations? (focus on outcome level)

  • Were there any unintended impacts (positive or negative) on the target population? If negative impacts occurred, how could they be prevented? If positive impacts occurred, how could they be replicated in future projects?

Sustainability

3. Which project design elements have been put in place to achieve to facilitate sustainability? (including adjustments made during and between the various phases), particularly the project’s Consolidation Phase?

4. What factors facilitated or hindered the sustainability of project activities and their results?

5. Has the project achieved any positive or negative lasting effect/impact on project stakeholders (i.e., teachers, employers, family members, local partners)?

Consultant/Consultancy Team

To achieve the objectives of this assignment, the consultant or team should be an experienced individual or professional firm with the following skills:

  • A strong knowledge of humanitarian and development issues and the socio-economic and political context of Jordan and the impact of the Syria crisis.
  • Experience with European-donor-funded projects and evaluations.
  • Has conducted at least three evaluations in the last five years ideally in the relevant field.
  • Evaluation management must not have been involved in the design or implementation of the project being evaluated.
  • Experience on projects and evaluations targeting PWDs, experience specifically on projects targeting PWDs with hearing or visual impairments, a plus.
  • Must be able to articulate evaluation methods to elicit feedback from people with impairments and disabilities (particularly hearing and visual).
  • Experience on livelihoods and education projects.
  • Experience in social science methods.
  • Experience in project cycle management and preparing and analyzing a theory of change.
  • Culturally sensitive.
  • Ability and willingness to conduct the work in Jordan, including in the field.
  • Ability to work within constraints that may arise due to COVID-19 (including experience with utilizing remote modalities, if necessary).
  • Excellent communication skills, fluent in English with a good command of Arabic.
  • Excellent English writing skills.
  • In case of team/group applications, a gender balanced and diverse team is required.
  • Evaluation management must respect ethical standards and guiding principles for evaluation, including impartiality and independence.

Note: Evaluation management must not have been involved in the design or implementation of the project being evaluated.

Period and Timeline

The consultant(s) is expected to complete the assignment within approximately 40-45 working days, including up to 13 days of field work (September 12th to 28th).

Work may begin on July 25, 2023 (with the evaluation kick-off meeting and may conclude in end of November- Early December 2023 (with the final report), depending on the agreed upon dates for the field work (target timing between September 12 and 28, 2023). An initial summative inception report (approximately 10 – 20 pages without annexes, including an evaluation matrix) should be submitted for discussion on August 1, 2023. A precise timetable (by days) will be set by the evaluator(s) according to plans made and finalized with the inception report.

A first draft of the final evaluation report [no less than 25 and no more than 40 pages, including a two-page executive summary with key findings and recommendations and excluding annexes and the results-assessment form (Annex 1)] will be submitted to IOCC and DAA no later than October 17, 2023. Findings and recommendations must be structured according to the evaluation questions.

For the evaluation report, structure and guidelines will be provided, in line with ADA Guidelines for Programme and Project Evaluations.

IOCC, IFH and DAA will review the report and submit comments within seven working days. The evaluator(s) will incorporate all comments and submit the final draft to IOCC no later than November 7, 2023, and the final report (including all annexes) no later than November 28, 2023.

All documents should be submitted in English. If an Arabic version (i.e., of survey questions) is provided, an accompanying version in English must be provided.

Annex 1: Results-Assessment Form for Mid-Term and Final Project Evaluations/Reviews – see page 53 of The ADA Guidelines for Project and Programme Evaluations https://www.entwicklung.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/Evaluierung/Evaluierungs_Leitfaeden/Guidelines_for_Programme_and_Project_Evaluations_ADA_2020.pdf

How to apply

Proposals Requested

Interested candidate(s) are expected to submit narrative and financial proposals via email to IOCC. Offers should include:

  • Narrative: cover letter summarizing experience in relation to this ToR; the proposed methodology; planned, detailed schedule for the assignment; CV (of all proposed parties); writing sample from similar assignment; and three professional references with contact information.
  • Financial (in euros): detailed budget, including fees (with daily fees and expenses), travel costs, and all other anticipated costs.

In review of proposals, the narrative will be weighted 70% of the total score while the financial proposal will be weighted 30%.

The budget available for this evaluation [inclusive of all costs, including, but not limited to: consultant fees, travel costs, all logistics costs related to the field work (including transportation of project participants to/from the field work location), and relevant taxes in Jordan] is 25,000 euros.

Deadline for Offers

Offers should be submitted to IOCC Jordan no later than 24 July 2023, at 16:30 Jordan time to [email protected]

Only selected candidate(s) will be contacted.

To apply for this job please visit reliefweb.int.

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