Short Term Consultant, Development of a Community Toolkit on Resilience

Background

ActionAid is building community and local partner understanding and capacity of the factors and conditions facilitating disaster resilience, and the resources on which to call for support. In 2014, ActionAid Australia worked with the Economist Intelligence Unit in developing a benchmark tool that measures and compares the disaster resilience of South Asian countries in the event of a disruptive shock, with a specific focus on the experiences of women in the region.

Building on the South Asia Women’s Resilience Index, ActionAid commences a new phase of the project to build the capacities of communities and the conditions for disaster resilience in South Asia. We will translate the index into a community friendly format that is understandable to community members. Following this, communities will be trained on gender sensitive disaster resilience, interpreting elements of the index, tracking and identifying gaps in government policies/strategies and budgets, and developing advocacy skills. This will be put into practice during dialogues between government authorities and communities on disaster resilience.

With the support of a consultant, ActionAid will develop a gender-sensitive toolkit which includes a community friendly format of the women’s resilience index and various training elements. Thereafter, trainings will be provided to at least 6 communities (2-3 communities in Bangladesh, Nepal and/or Pakistan) on how to use the resilience index and monitor past and existing responses to, and recovery from, shocks. The index will provide a baseline or benchmark for communities on what to expect and seek from governments in the event of natural or man-made disasters (known or unimagined). Such tracking of budget, programs and policy related responses to resilience across sectors or areas of government is key to ensuring services are effective and responsive to community needs and experiences when disaster strikes.

Objective

ActionAid Australia is seeking a consultant to develop a community friendly format of the women’s resilience index, based on the full index, and a toolkit for field practitioners which include the different training steps to prepare communities for advocacy on disaster resilience.

Accountabilities and deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for the following outputs:

a) Developing an easily understandable community friendly version of the South Asia Women’s Resilience Index. This community summary will have to highlight the main and most tangible findings to the community. The specificities of the product will be decided on jointly with the consultant but a possibility would be a brochure or leaflet which includes short written explanation complemented by cartoons/figures.
b) Develop a gender sensitive toolkit that will guide ActionAid staff and community facilitators in preparing community members to assess the vulnerabilities and risks, develop plans, and advocate for government policies, strategies and budgets that build the disaster resilience of their communities. This toolkit will include step-by-step training modules and guidelines that incorporate the findings of the women’s resilience index.

The consultant will be responsible for developing a methodology to achieve these outputs, in consultation with ActionAid.

Person specification

Essential

Education & certifications

• Master degree in a multidisciplinary study such as development studies, urban planning, sociology, environmental or conflict studies (candidates with a Bachelor degree will only be considered in case their experience relates closely to this project).

Knowledge &Experience

• Technical expertise in a field related to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), resilience, and/or climate change.
• Demonstrated experience with community based approaches.
• Demonstrated experience with developing community-focused toolkits.
• Demonstrated experience with gender approaches.
• Ability to conceptualise and understand new subjects outside the formal education and working experience.
• Strong analytical, report writing, and presentation skills (in English), including the ability to present complex issues clearly and concisely.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and resourcefulness.
• Knowledge of relevant Microsoft office software.
• Experience working in a developing country.
• Available for travels for a duration of 1-3 weeks each and flexibility in this.