National Consultant to providing leadership training , and Entrepreneurship and Business Development Training and coaching to youth, members of the youth organizations in Guinea-Bissau

This consultancy aims to empower youth leaders from youth network associations from various regions and communities of Guinea-Bissau with the skills and knowledge required to lead their communities effectively and develop sustainable business ventures.In addition, the consultancy aims to equip UNFPA interns and fellows with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively engage in leadership roles and actively participate in organizational and community-based initiatives.

Background

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: (i) ending preventable maternal deaths, (ii) ending unmet need for family planning, and (iii) ending gender-based violence, including harmful practices such as female genital mutilation and child marriage towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030.

The UNFPA’s strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction. UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

The youth   and youth institutions play a fundamental role in youth involvement and participatory decision-making. Acquiring leadership skills is essential in order to boost the involvement of young people in decision-making and also to make their organizations more efficient in their actions. A series of training activities, exchanges of experiences and coaching in different youth spaces ("summer camps") are therefore proposed.

The UNFPA country office in Guinea-Bissau is looking for a national consultant to carry out a series of training courses on leadership, entrepreneurship  and provide training  to the beneficiaries of the internship programme. 

Scope of work:

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

Objective of the assignment/Output of the Consultancy

Objectives

Leadership Training:

:

• To develop leadership skills among youth leaders.
• To promote collaboration and networking among youth from different regions and communities.
• To enhance the capacity of youth leaders to address community challenges and lead development initiatives.
• To promote cross-cultural understanding and collaboration among youth leaders from different regions and communities of Guinea-Bissau.
• To instill values of integrity, accountability, inclusivity, and civic responsibility among participants.
• To provide participants with tools and strategies for effective community engagement, problem-solving, and decision-making
•  

Entrepreneurship and Business Development Training:

• To provide selected youth leaders with the knowledge and skill needed to start and manage successful business
• support the creation of viable business plans
• To offer coaching and resources for youth to apply for grants/funds and launch business
• Collaborate with the team on the organization and public launch of the entrepreneurship competition
• Support the programme team in the selection process of potential training beneficiaries
• Prepare the manual and other training support documents
• Animate training
• Collaborate with the programme team in the process of selection of beneficiaries of financial support
• Support in the process of procurement of financing kits
• Support the beneficiaries of financial support in the implementation of their business plans

Interns and Fellows:

• develop and implement a training program on leadership and youth participation tailored to the needs of UNFA interns and fellows.
• To equip participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively lead and engage in youth participation initiatives
• To foster a deeper understanding of the principles and practices of leadership and youth engagement in the context of UNFPA’s work.
• Ensure the application of the internship plan.
• Elaborate a monitoring and evaluation form of the intern's performance.

Scope of the work and Key deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for designing and delivering two interconnected training programs: Leadership Training and Entrepreneurship & Business Development Training.

Leadership Training

Key Deliverables:

1.Training Curriculum:

• Develop a comprehensive leadership training curriculum tailored to the needs of youth in Bissau.
•  Incorporate modules on self-awareness, communication, team building, conflict resolution, and community engagement.

2. Training Sessions

•  Conduct interactive training sessions for approximately [70] youth leaders over [14] days.
• Use a variety of teaching methods including workshops, group activities, role-playing, and case studies.

3. Resource Materials:

•    Provide training materials, handouts, and toolkits for participants.
•   Create a leadership handbook summarizing key concepts and practices.

4. Assessment and Feedback:

• Develop pre- and post-training assessments to measure the progress and impact of the training.
•  Gather feedback from participants to evaluate the effectiveness of the training and suggest improvements.

Entrepreneurship and Business Development Training

Key Deliverables:

1. Selection Criteria

• Develop and implement a transparent selection process to identify youth leaders who have successfully completed the leadership training and are eligible for the entrepreneurship training.

2.Training Curriculum:

•  Design an entrepreneurship training curriculum that covers business planning, market research, financial management, marketing, and legal considerations.

3. Training Sessions:

• Conduct in-depth training sessions for selected youth leaders over [number] days.
• Employ practical exercises, case studies, and guest lectures from successful entrepreneurs.

4. Business Plan Development:

• Guide participants through the process of creating detailed business plans.
• Provide templates and examples of successful business plans.

5. Coaching and Mentoring:

• Offer one-on-one coaching to help participants refine their business ideas and plans.
• Facilitate access to mentors and business advisors.
• Provide training on proposal writing and fund management.

6.Grant Application Support:

•  Assist participants in identifying and applying for grants and funding opportunities.

7. Follow-Up Support:

• Establish a follow-up mechanism to monitor the progress of participants' business ventures.
• Organize periodic check-ins and additional coaching sessions as needed.

 Interns and Fellows

• Develop a comprehensive curriculum that includes modules on leadership, youth participation, and related topics.
• Create training materials, including presentations, handouts, and interactive activities.

All deliverables must be approved and validated by the UNFPA Assistant Representative before any payment is done.

Supervisory arrangements: 

Application Process

Interested consultants are invited to submit the following documents:

Technical Proposal:

Understanding of the assignment.

Detailed methodology and approach.

Work plan and timeline.

Financial Proposal:

 Detailed budget including consultancy fees, travel, and other expenses.

Academic qualification:

• Advanced University Degree Master's degree or equivalent in economics, Business Administration, sociology, Law,psychology, statistics or related degree.

Work experience:

• A minimum of 4 years with a Master’s degree or 8 years with a Bachelor’s degree of relevant progressive experience in leadership, field of youth development, participation and empowerment including gender.
• Proven experience in designing and delivering leadership and entrepreneurship training programs.

Technical skills and knowledge:

• Strong knowledge of Guinea Bissau's youth ecosystem; 
• Previous working experiences with youth institutions, government or international organizations is an advantage
• Strong understanding of the socio-economic context of Guinea-Bissau and the specific challenges faced by youth.
• Excellent facilitation, communication, and mentoring skills.
• Ability to develop comprehensive training materials and assessment tools.
• Strong knowledge of UNFPA mandate on youth development is an advantage;
• Ability to work effectively with youth from different culture and background;

Competencies: 

Demonstrated work  in the field of youth training and coaching;

experience in capacity building, training planning and preparation of training reports; 

Good written and oral communication skills. Open, willing, and able to interact with different stakeholders.

Languages: 

Fluency in Portuguese is required. Excellent command of written and spoken English or French is an advantage.