Terms of Reference for Situation of Young People Leaving Care in Somaliland

  • Location:
  • Salary:
    negotiable
  • Job type:
    Contract
  • Posted:
    11 months ago
  • Category:
    Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Deadline:
    13/11/2022

Terms of Reference for Situation of Young People Leaving Care in Somaliland

1. Introduction

SOS Somaliland is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that is not for profit, non-sectarian and non-partisan and which has been in existence since 1999. SOS Children’s Villages in Somaliland beliefs that every child belongs to a family and grows with love, respect and security. To realize this, SOS Children’s Villages in Somaliland builds families for children in need, help them shape their own futures and share in the development of their communities. The 2019 UN Resolution on the Rights of the Child (hereafter the Resolution) directly urges States Parties to ensure special protection and assistance to adolescents and young people leaving alternative care in preparation for their transition to independent living. This includes support in gaining access to education, training, employment, housing and psychological support, reintegration with their families when that is in their best interest and gaining access to aftercare services. In line with the recommendations from the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), this partnership engagement promotes young care leavers’ right to mental health and sexual reproductive health, decent livelihood and active participation. SOS Children’s Villages in Somaliland is implementing ‘Leave No Youth behind’ project. The overall objective of the project is – young people in Somaliland to be resilient and self-reliant to become independent and contributing members of society with a special focus on youth leaving care YLC. This project is to contribute to the realization of a better society where young people are self-reliant and depend on their own powers, resources and abilities to meet their needs and manage their own affairs. The project also aspires to make young people resilient to adversities/challenges in life and capable to withstand and recover quickly from difficult conditions. The project will address the problems of discrimination, marginalization and stigmatization of young people aged 15–25 who grow up without parental care. Whether they have been placed in residential care facilities, in foster care or other types of care, they are at high-risk suffering from a variety of challenges including poor social networks, mental health problems, unemployment and homelessness. Cultural and gendered norms give young women and men different vulnerabilities as they grow out of care and transition to independent living. Young women are at high risk of gender-based violence, trafficking, early pregnancies and early marriage, and school drop-out while young men are at risk of ending up in hazardous work, living on the streets and in conflict with the law. Consequently, they risk exacerbating intergenerational poverty, and intensifies the risk for young care leavers to be either the drivers of conflict or the victims of conflict. The context of complex crisis compels sensitivity to the humanitarian, development and peacebuilding nexus in order to contribute to the sustainability of programme outcomes and longer-term resilience and rehabilitation of the communities where we plan to intervene. In addition, even though the government of Somaliland has enacted policies and guidelines through the various agencies and ministries such as the national youth policy, employment policy, the national development plan two, sector development plan 2022 to 2026 of the Ministry of Employment and Family Affairs, Child policy, national alternative care guidelines (still a draft); finalization and implementation of such policies and guidelines is very minimal. Besides, there are no limited focus on young people who have left care. The government of Somaliland has put in place efforts to address the holistic issues of that affect young people as a vulnerable group i.e unemployment, education access among others. It was found that, there is no specific focus or arrangement to target young people who are in care or have left care in Somaliland. The project focuses on 3 major outcomes with their relevant outputs to achieve the above stated goal and focuses on human rights-based approaches and targets duty bearers to demonstrate capacity and commitment to fulfil their responsibility to respect, promote and realize the rights of youth, and Rights Holders (youth leaving care) to have the capacity to exercise and claim their rights, hold duty bearers accountable and understand their corresponding entitlements in relation to specific duty-bearer. In summary, the project aims to achieve the following outcomes: Outcome

1: Policy Environment:

Decision makers put policies/laws in place that strengthen the support for YLC. Outcome 2: Strengthening Duty Bearers: Social protection systems respond to the needs and rights of young care leavers on their journey to independent living Outcome 3: Empowering Right Holders: To produce evidence, the project is initiating Research on the situation of young people leaving care in Somaliland (4 regions Maroodi-jeeh, Togdher, Awdal and Sool) to provide insights and recommendations on the challenges faced by young people leaving care. This research will add to the scant literature and body of information about young people leaving (Residential care centers and other forms of alternative care) in Somaliland and hopefully be a benchmark for both national and international efforts for improving the process of family and social integration of young people leaving care. The study contributes to the first outcome of the project, which is strengthen the support of YLC through analyzing, improving and advocating the existing policies (alternative care policy & youth policy), and developing contextualized guidelines (gatekeeping guidelines, foster care guideline- and minimum standards of care).

2. Aim & Objective of the research Objective research:

The aim of the study is to assess the situation of young people leaving care in Somaliland. This entails mapping out the opportunities, challenges and threats that young people leaving in Somaliland are facing. Based on the study findings, the research will provide recommendations to address the barriers, take advantage of the opportunities, and avoid the threats that youth leaving care face during/after the transition period (leaving residential care centers and other forms of alternative care settings).

Specific Objectives:

1. To assess the level of social integration of youth leaving care (leaving residential care centers and other forms of alternative care settings) in Somaliland.

2. To assess the overall situation (challenges, opportunities and threats) of young people leaving care in Somaliland prior to/during the transition period.

3. To analyse the root causes of the challenges and barriers including cultural norms and social integration.

4. To examine the level of support (from government, CSO and community) youth care leavers reaceive during the transition period.

3. Research Question(s)

1. What are the challenges young people leaving care in Somaliland face during the transition period (leaving residential care centres and other forms of alternative care settings)?

2. What are the root causes of the challenges faced by young people leaving care?

3. What opportunities are available for young people leaving care in Somaliland during the transition period (leaving residential care centres and other forms of alternative care settings)?

4. What is the overall level of social integration of youth leaving care (leaving residential care centres and other forms of alternative care settings) in Somaliland. 5. What are the recommended solutions for the challenges in the different aspects affecting the lives of the children and young people living or leaving alternative care settings?

5. Methodology & scope

5.1 Study Area The study will be conducted in all the regions of Somaliland (Maroodi-jeeh, Togdheer, Awdal and Sool).

5.2 Study population

The study population include children in care setting, youth leaving care, residential care centres worker (caregiver, staff and management), other forms of care caregivers, relevant government agencies, relevant CSO, INGOs, and relevant courts (district and regional level).

How to apply

Process of Submission of Bids

To facilitate the submission of proposals, the submission can be done electronically in PDF format and sent to SOS HR Department via to hr@sos-somaliland.org on 16-Nov-2022. The titles of the submitted document should clearly state in block letter ‘TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR SITUATION OF YOUNG CARE LEAVERS IN SOMALILAND’ for further information and inquiries please email monitoring.evaluation@sos-somaliland.org before 13-Nov2022. 10.How to apply 10.1 Logistical arrangements When at the field, transport will be organised by the SOS Somaliland for the Lead Consultants. The costs of this shall not be included into the price proposal. SOS staff will be available to organize the interviews and community meetings.

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