The consultant will support the implementation of “Pode Falar” (Speak Up) initiative, which started to be implemented by ADAP Section in UNICEF Brazil to respond to a mental health crisis specially felt by adolescents and youth in 2020 since the beginning of COVID-19. Pode Falar is conceived as a virtual space for helping and welcoming adolescents and young people in mental health. It is part of a wide strategy including:

1) Capacity building of professionals on health, education, social assistance, and other areas in direct contact with adolescents;

2) A digital platform dedicated to 13-24-year-old people offering materials, testimonials and human assistance;

3) A national network of 20 public and private universities from different States of Brazil, 3 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with expertise on childhood and adolescence and 1 municipal government program offer continuous training, supervision and support to the online human attendants, discussing cases and monitoring quality of service delivered;

4) Adolescents’ direct participation in public spaces to debate mental health public policies; and

5) Advocacy efforts to strengthen national and local intersectoral public policies on adolescents and youth mental health.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The main objective of this consultancy is to provide support and technical assistance to UNICEF team to accelerate the results of Pode Falar initiative in Brazil, taking into account the different components of this initiative.

The consultant will be responsible for proposing recommendations to strengthen the sustainability strategy of the project, for suggesting the next steps for UNICEF to contribute to the mental health ecosystem in Brazil and for advising how UNICEF can act as significant player in the area of adolescents’ mental health.

The following results are expected from this consultancy:

1. Pode Falar strategy scaled up at the national level with a successful outreach plan implemented.
2. Technical assistance to UNICEF team to accelerate the results of Pode Falar and to have a sustainability strategy planned.
3. Adolescents and Youth’s mental health intersectoral public policies advocacy strategy planned and delivered to UNICEF.
4. A national mental health observatory created with key actors working on intersectoral public policies, knowledge generation and monitoring of mental health strategies in the country (including in the legislative section).
5. A mental health national event organized to disseminate lessons learned with the implementation of Pode Falar initiative.

DELIVERABLES

1. Evaluation of Pode Falar outreach strategy

1.1. Deliverables/Outputs: One report with lessons learned of previous outreach strategy based on evidence collected with partners with positive and negative aspects and recommendations to improve the platform visibility in the country.

1.2. Deadline: 05 Jan 2024

1.3. Estimate Budget: 10% of the budget

2. Revamp of Pode Falar outreach strategy

2.1. Deliverables/Outputs: One presentation with a new outreach plan of action engaging Pode Falar partners and UNICEF, with strategic activities, budget, measurable goals to be monitored and a timeline.

2.2. Deadline: 05 Feb 2024

2.3. Estimate Budget: 10% of the budget

3. Technical assistance to UNICEF team to accelerate the results of Pode Falar and to have a sustainability strategy planned

3.1. Deliverables/Outputs: At least 3 strategic meetings with key partners organized to collect data for the sustainability strategy.

3.2. Deadline: 05 Mar 2024

3.3. Estimate Budget: 10% of the budget

4. Pode Falar fundraising strategy planned

4.1. Deliverables/Outputs: One report with suggestions on how to improve the fundraising strategy of Pode Falar delivered to UNICEF.

4.2. Deadline: 05 Apr 2024

4.3. Estimate Budget: 10% of the budget

5. Intersectoral strategy to strengthen the provision of mental health services for adolescents prepared

5.1. Deliverables/Outputs: One advocacy plan with supporting material for UNICEF to approach the legislative and the executive sections of national and subnational governments.

5.2. Deadline: 05 May 24

5.3. Estimate Budget: 10% of the budget

6. Advocacy strategy plan to strengthen mental health public policies delivered.

6.1. Deliverables/Outputs: An advocacy plan elaborated with recommendations for UNICEF on how to influence in the improvement of national and subnational intersectoral mental health public policies for adolescents.

6.2. Deadline: 05 Jun 24

6.3. Estimate Budget: 10% of the budget

7. Adolescents’ mental health observatory planned

7.1. Deliverables/Outputs: One plan of action to establish a national adolescents’ mental health observatory, including key expected results, activities, partners, budget and timeline.

7.2. Deadline: 05 Jul 24

7.3. Estimate Budget: 10% of the budget

8. Adolescents’ mental health observatory implemented

8.1. Deliverables/Outputs: One report, one webpage content (for UNICEF website) and at least two strategic meetings with UNICEF organized for the implementation of the adolescents’ mental health observatory, including papers, data collection and practices registered.

8.2. Deadline: 05 Aug 24

8.3. Estimate Budget: 10% of the budget

9. National adolescents’ mental health event planned

9.1. Deliverables/Outputs: One plan of action for a national adolescents’ mental health event, with list of participants from the civil society, the government, the private sector, adolescent groups, a budget, guide of activities and responsibilities, expected results and logistic details (venue, air tickets, etc)

9.2. Deadline: 05 Sep 24

9.3. Estimate Budget: 10% of the budget

10. National adolescents’ mental health event planned

10.1. Deliverables/Outputs: A plan for the organization of the National Adolescents’ Mental Health event delivered, with the script of the event, list of guests, logistics and other details included.

10.2. Deadline: 05 Oct 24

10.3. Estimate Budget: 5% of the budget

11. Annual report on adolescents’ mental health

10.1. Deliverables/Outputs: One report with the main results achieved by UNICEF in the are of adolescents’ mental health to feed donor reports and End Year Report and to inform the programmatic area with recommendations for the future.

10.2. Deadline: 05 Nov 24

10.3. Estimate Budget: 5% of the budget

DURATION OF CONTRACT: 11 months

TRAVEL PLAN

Not Applicable

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Social Sciences, Psychology, Social Assistance, or related fields
• Master’s degree is an asset
• Previous professional and/or academic experience of at least five years in the area of Psychology, Communications, Human Rights and/or the rights of children and adolescents
• Previous professional and/or academic experience in the areas of gender relations and ethnic-racial relations, preferably with an intersectional and / or decolonial approach is an asset
• Previous professional experience with UNICEF is an asset
• Previous professional experience with project management

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

• Excellent written skills in Portuguese and English
• Excellent negotiation skills in Portuguese
• Native Portuguese and fluency in written English

UNICEF’S CORE VALUES

Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS)

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

GENERAL CONDITIONS: PROCEDURES AND LOGISTICS

• Consultant will work from home using own equipment and stationery. UNICEF will provide office space for consultative meetings when needed. UNICEF will support the provision of an institutional email (@unicef) for the consultant.
• There’s no need to include consultant’s travel costs. If a trip is needed, Consultants are responsible for arranging their own travel and must submit all invoices to UNICEF for payment via a contract amendment.
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant and mandatory courses are completed.
• Consultants will not have any representative, certifying, or approving authority, or supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.
• The consultant will work remotely on a delivery basis.

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

• Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee.
• A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted. Consultants are asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum, administrative cost, travel cost and subsistence costs, as applicable.
• The payment will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

INSURANCE AND HEALTH COVERAGE

• The contractor is fully responsible for arranging, at his or her own expenses, such life, health, and other forms of insurance covering the term of the contract as he or she considers appropriate.
• The contractor is not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to UNICEF and United Nations staff members.

RESTRICTIONS

• Consultants may not receive training at the expense of UNICEF.  Notwithstanding, consultants must complete the applicable mandatory trainings before the signature of the contract.
• In case of government officials, the contract cannot be issued without prior written clearance by the Government​, or unless on leave without pay.

REMARKS:

Individuals engaged under a consultancy will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.