Oxfam HECA Digital rights capacity building initiative June 2022

  • Contractor
  • Oxfam
  • TBD USD / Year
  • Oxfam profile




  • Job applications may no longer being accepted for this opportunity.


Oxfam

Background and Rationale

Oxfam is an international confederation of 19 organizations working together in over 90 countries and with partners and allies around the world to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. We work directly with communities and seek to influence the powerful to ensure that poor people can improve their lives and livelihoods and have a say in decisions that affect them. Our focus areas are development, emergencies, campaigning, advocacy, and policy research.

Africa is moving steadily towards becoming a digitally transformed continent and examples of this are everywhere. Most countries in Africa are improving infrastructure, enhancing mobile connectivity, and establishing policies and frameworks that govern the use of digital tools. Various governments have embarked on initiatives for the application of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in different sectors. Multiple countries have turned to social media campaigns for mass mobilization and raising awareness. In addition, the rising youth demographic provides an enormous opportunity for the continent to adapt, build and embrace digital solutions. Africa is also home to inventions such as mobile money payments. New and emerging technologies are also finding their ways such as blockchain, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Augmented Reality, Internet of Things, and 3D printing, among others. There’s a boom in technology start-ups and hubs in various countries. With these developments comes a range of ethical considerations for rights in this digital age.

Building on this digital transformation in Africa, Oxfam country teams in the HECA region and across the Confederation have used digital technologies to strengthen program impact for many years. For example, they built the capacity of active citizens to use mobile phones for influencing good governance and accountability, and of small holder farmers to access more diverse markets. Some of the common uses of ICTs have included: Digital data collection and visualization; mobile money and digital payment systems; social media campaigns; web and mobile apps; Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems; Installation of water ATMs, etc.

At the regional level, since June 2020, the Digital in programs staff of the HECA regional platform has been working with the Oxfam country programs, staff and partners across the region to drive the operationalization of the strategic Technology for Development Agenda in HECA. This includes supporting:

  1. digitalization of existing Oxfam programs, (2) the design of new, disruptive digital programs and supporting fundraising for them, and (3) improvements to Oxfam’s internal and external technology contexts so that they are fit for purpose.

Looking ahead, Oxfam’s Global Strategic Framework 2020-2030 highlights the digital rights and space as one of its six approaches necessary to make the organization and its impact distinctive. Specifically, Oxfam commits to engage with and leverage the power and influence of digital technology. HECA vision Framework 2018-2028 identifies Tackling Inequality as one of the key areas of focus in responding to the mega trends. Through this pillar, HECA seeks to address challenges that come with new social biases around urbanization, working with youth, extractives, and technologies. Within these strands of work, HECA is deliberating seeking to work with new and diverse partnerships with civic-tech-movements, social influencers, etc.

To support its digital transformation journey and capacity, Oxfam in HECA intends to engage a digital consultancy firm to accompany it on a digital capacity building initiative for its staff and partners. This will involve an initial digital training needs assessment and thereafter a series of online trainings focusing on various digital principles and concepts based on identified needs but also more practical applications of the social media platforms for campaigns and advocacy. The training will be provided to Oxfam staff at the regional platform, country teams and partners in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.

Objectives of the assignment

    1. To conduct a virtual digital training needs assessment of Oxfam staff at the regional platform, country teams, and partners, in the six countries mentioned above.
    2. Design and deliver a regional digital skills building initiative focusing on understanding of various digital principles and concepts to apply to their day-to-day work.

Methodology and scope of work

  • The assignment will be coordinated by the HECA Regional Digital Rights lead and will be split into three main phases as follows:

Phase one: Needs assessment and analysis

  • The consultancy firm will work together with the Digital Rights lead to prepare short survey for a pre- assessment. This will be shared with select staff and partners for their feedback. A series of key informants’ interviews and focus group discussions will also be held with Oxfam staff and partners.
  • The consultancy firm will identify and analyse digital capacity needs based on the input and feedback provided.

Phase two: A series of virtual workshops

  • The consultancy firm will prepare training modules and materials based on the results of the assessment and Oxfam priorities.
  • The consultancy firm will provide a series of online training sessions to select staff and partners at the regional platform and in the six countries mentioned above. Training sessions should feature a presentation, activity when relevant, and group discussions to apply those concepts to their day-to- day ICT4D programming.
  • The training will be conducted to a group of up to 10 people maximum at any given session, and a follow up one-on-one session with participants who may require further support.
  • Group trainings will not exceed 4 hours a week i.e., a maximum of 2 hours per session, two days a week. The one-on-one online sessions will not exceed a maximum of one hour per person.

Phase three: post-assessment

  • At the end of the sessions, the consultancy firm will conduct another survey to help assess the level of knowledge retention and skills acquired by the program participants during the training.

Deliverables

  1. Phase One

    • An inception report and revised work plan for the delivery of the digital skills training
    • A participatory digital training needs assessment and synthesis report
  2. Phase Two

    • Development of training modules and materials
    • Delivery of a series of virtual digital trainings to Oxfam staff at the regional platform, country teams, and partners based in DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda
  3. Phase Three

    • Post-training assessment and report

Essential skills and qualifications

  1. The consultancy firm must show proven experience of successfully training teams virtually on digital security, digital transformation, digital analytics, and similar topics.
  2. Experience working with local and international organizations and clients of similar discipline.
  3. Maturity and professional ability to handle sensitive information and ability to respect the confidentiality of such information while working with Oxfam and even after the contract ends.
  4. Proven ability to work effectively with others – including in multicultural team – and strong interpersonal skills.
  5. Ability to work under pressure, and commitment to meet deadlines.
  6. Fluency in English and French.
  7. Skills required: social media skills, data analytics, digital rights, search engine optimisation, strategy & planning, content marketing, communication skills, computer skills, time management.

Time requirement

The assignment will commence on 1st July 2022 through 28th October 2022.

Payment

  1. The consultant will be paid per billable hours (effort days) in three phases: (i) Once all deliverables for phase one have been submitted to and approved by Oxfam, (ii) Once all deliverables for phase two have been submitted to and approved by Oxfam, and (iii) once all deliverables for phase three have been submitted to and approved by Oxfam.
  2. Prior to signing of the contract, Oxfam and consultancy firm shall further agree on financial accountability requirements in line with project back donor requirements.

Request for proposals

Oxfam in HECA is inviting proposals from suitably qualified consultancy firms to carry out this work.

Your proposal should contain:

    • The Consultancy Capability Statement
      – Name(s) and CV(s) of consultants.
      – Summary of experience in similar assignments.
      – A budget breakdown for both professional fees and reimbursable expenses, including hourly/daily fee rates for each consultancy firm proposed.

How to apply

Your proposal, which should not exceed five pages in length should be sent by email to [email protected] under the subject line ‘Oxfam HECA Digital rights capacity building initiative’ no later than 26th June 2022 COB.


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