Terms of Reference
for
Research on Practices and Policies for GBVO Staff Self-Care, Well-Being, and Resilience
Introduction
The Crisis Center Hope/Krizen Centar Nadez (henceforth Nadez) is implementing the project Supporting Innovative Practices in Self-care, Wellness, and Resiliency among GBV Workers in North Macedonia. The project is funded by the USAID Collective Action to Reduce Gender-Based Violence Grants Program, run by CARE GBV. Nadez is implementing the project with its partner Pleiadis from North Macedonia.
The overall objective of the project is to promote learning and good practice in self-care, wellness, and resiliency for staff of GBV prevention and response organizations.
The proposed project is focused on introducing policies and practices of self-care, wellness and resiliency among the staff of GBVO in North Macedonia.
Professionals working with victims of gender-based violence are exposed to highly stressing situations that can cause physical, psychological, and emotional health problems. Designing and implementing personal and institutional self-care measures is fundamental to address this problem. In the context of the workers engaged in care for gender- based violence, multiple research refers to the complexity of roles and tasks that confront these professionals and their relationship with stress and spillover in professional practice.
The results of these studies conclude that burnout rates are high among the professionals working with these problems. Some studies indicate that possible “effects of this violence” can be related to specific physical symptoms, paralysis, and low self-esteem because of the workers’ professional activity.
The project idea emerged as a result of the conclusion that no GBVO in North Macedonia have plans or programs to support GBV staff’s physical and psychological wellbeing.
At present, there are no systematic studies into the health and mental health risks for GBV workers; such programs are not included in formal education of GBV workers.
The key innovation of the project is the effort to design programs that are suited to the needs and challenges of local GBV workers (to be identified through a research).
Several outputs in the frame of the project (curricula, guide for GBV workers) aim to ensure strong dissemination and multiplication of the action, by providing GBVOs with resources to train and support GBV staff on a continuous basis.
All data from stakeholders and beneficiaries (participants in research, participants in mentoring and psycho-social support meetings) will be confidential, and will not be used for any other purposes than stated in the activity.
An important step in addressing the issue targeted by the project is conducting a thorough assessment on the existing policies and practices (formal and non-formal) of self-care, wellness and resiliency of GBVO staff workers.
Taking in regard that there are no official programs or policies for support of GBV workers, such an explorative research will primarily be based on qualitative methodology for data collection and analysis (analysis of internal policies and documents of organization, training programs, conducting interviews with key respondents).
To this end Nadez requests offer from qualified research organizations and individual consultants to conduct research of the reality, current practice, and organizational policies of GBVOs for promoting the self-care, wellness, and resiliency of GBV staff.
The objective of the research is to map and explore existing practices and in addition to assess the level of needs, particularly unmet needs. Based on the finding of the assessment, the researchers are also invited to provide recommendations on the viable ways for promoting effective practices of self-care and wellness in the local context of GBVOs operating in North Macedonia.
The researcher/s will be expected to conduct the following tasks:
Tasks
To conduct exhaustive mapping of GBVOs operating in the country.
To conduct extensive review of secondary data including but not limited to available reports, analyses, web pages, media sources, data of relevance to the research question.
To conduct at least 30 qualitative interviews with GBVO staff, activists, staff of other institutions involved in victim protection, and relevant stakeholders.
Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the collected data.
Produce a succinct analytical report of max. 30 pages (without annexes) including recommendations.
Deliverables
Analytical report with recommendations.
Timeframe
All research work has to be completed and the final version of the report delivered by 30 October 2021.
Required Skills and Qualifications of the Expert (or Team)
The offeror will provide at least 1 key expert (or a team), with the following skills and qualifications:
General
University degree in social sciences. An advanced degree would be an asset.
At least 5 years of experience in social research.
Excellent knowledge of Macedonian and English languages.
Specific
Key role in least 3 qualitative and/or mixed researches in the past 3 years.
Authorship of at least 3 research reports in the past 3 years.
Experience of working with GBVOs would be an asset.
Budget
The total budget for the assignment is USD 6,709, inclusive of researcher fees, travel, accommodation, and all other costs and taxes.
Selection Criterion:
Best value for money
How to apply:
Please send:
Cover letter explaining how you meet the criteria.
CV/s of the key expert (or team).
Research portfolio of the organization (if the offeror is a legal entity),
to info@krizencentar.org.mk, with the subject line “Research on GBVO staff self-care, wellness and resiliency” by 17 September 2021, the latest.
Short-listed offerors may be invited for the interview.