MHPSS Arts-Based Interventions Consultant, Child Protection Section, Programme Group, NYHQ (Remote) - Req # 576591

The MHPSS arts-based interventions consultant will work under the supervision of an MHPSS specialist in Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, to consult with relevant stakeholders to determine key parameters of the package, conduct a desk review of existing interventions, compile the package based on existing evidence-based resources, and facilitate the design of the package and roll-out.

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Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: MHPSS Arts-Based Interventions Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Child Protection - Programme Group/NYHQ

Duration: 20 November 2024 to 11 June 2025

Home/Office Based: Remote

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) is an institutional priority for the UN, and for UNICEF. The UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025 identifies MHPSS as a priority area, building upon existing programming through child protection, education, and health. 

UNICEF plays a key role on the global stage in driving developmentally and contextually appropriate MHPSS programming for children and their families, including leading both the Child and Family, Community-Based MHPSS thematic groups, within the Interagency Standing Committee MHPSS Reference Group structure. In collaboration with both of these groups and member organisations, UNICEF is leading a new initiative – “Evidence-Based Approaches to Expression through Art”- which aims to curate pre-existing evidence informed arts-based interventions, resources, and methodologies into a package developed for at risk children that can be utilized across sectors and delivery platforms (including educational settings, child friendly spaces, and other community settings). The package will respond to discernible demand by implementing partners across different areas of work (e.g. Education, Child Protection, Health) for an easily accessible repository of relevant guidance, resources and tools that can inform MHPSS program planning. Through the package, agencies working with children, in humanitarian and other low resource and fragile settings, will be able to more effectively build MHPSS arts-based interventions into their programming. The package will also include other approaches used to promote the mental health and psychosocial well-being of children, such as sports and play-based structured group activities, as well as guidance for stronger M&E frameworks that more adequately link core MHPSS activities with intended outcomes.

This initiative aims to support the transition of community and school-based activities, such as Child Friendly Spaces and others, towards more high quality and sustainable models of care. The significance of this package lies not only in its innovative approach but also in its potential to counteract the harm sometimes induced by ill-informed or misguided art therapy practices, particularly within the challenging circumstances of emergencies where specialist resources might be scarce. By offering a meticulously designed repository of evidence-informed interventions that can be implemented by non-specialists, the package mitigates the risks associated with poorly implemented art therapy, ensuring that vulnerable children are provided with safe and effective avenues for emotional expression and healing.

The development of the package will include a desk review of existing interventions, resources and approaches, and will reflect the evidence available in the field of expression through art. Given that culture is a fundamental component to consider in arts-based programming and the wide range of contexts in which UNICEF operates, a call for contributions will be made through global channels (e.g. IASC MHPSS Reference Group mail-out, Child Protection Area of Responsibility, INEE, UNICEF MHPSS Community Of Practice, United for Global Mental Health, Mental Health Innovation Network) to ensure the package comprises a comprehensive selection of evidence-based approaches  and is relevant in different contexts. Regular consultation with relevant working groups and global initiatives will ensure optimal relevance and incorporation of latest developments in research and practice.

Scope of Work:

The MHPSS arts-based interventions consultant will work under the supervision of an MHPSS specialist in Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, to consult with relevant stakeholders to determine key parameters of the package, conduct a desk review of existing interventions, compile the package based on existing evidence-based resources, and facilitate the design of the package and roll-out. The consultant will work closely with MHPSS specialists across Child Protection, Health and Education, the Child & Family and Community-Based MHPSS Working Groups, and other relevant stakeholders to complete the following tasks:

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

1. Set parameters for package based on broad stakeholder consultation (including age-range, format, criteria for inclusion) by 4 December 2024.
   1. Attend at least 2 meetings with core UNICEF team members, at least 1 meeting with each of the Child & Family Thematic Group and Community Based MHPSS Thematic Group, and meetings with at least 2 other relevant initiatives.
   2. Set parameters based on input given.
   3. 1 call for contributions through: UNICEF MHPSS COP and regional focal points; global channels (e.g. IASC MHPSS Reference Group mail-out, Child Protection Area of Responsibility, INEE, UNICEF MHPSS Community Of Practice, Mental Health Innovation Network).
   4. Summary of input and finalized parameters for the package.
2. Conduct desk review of existing interventions by 20 December 2024.
   1. Global survey targeting practitioners and field workers to identify gaps, map current resources and sites/programmes for field test and implementation.
   2. Desk Review conducted and overview of findings submitted.
   3. Resources from call for contributions compiled and tracked.
3. Develop a package consisting of evidence informed arts-based interventions by 23 January 2025.
   1. Draft package developed and submitted for feedback.
   2. Revision and incorporation of feedback completed.
4. Compile evidence informed structured group activities for children’s mental health and psychosocial wellbeing by 21 February 2025.
   1. Evidence informed structured group activities are compiled and integrated into the package.
   2. Package submitted for feedback.
   3. Revision and incorporation of feedback completed.
5. Develop guidance on MHPSS, Monitoring & Evaluation, Safeguarding, and other identified topics by 20 March 2025.
   1. Guidance on MHPSS, M&E, Safeguarding and other identified topics developed and submitted for feedback.
   2. Revision and incorporation of feedback completed.
6. Gather stakeholder feedback on the package by 25 April 2025.
   1. List of reviewers compiled through consultation with core UNICEF team, with at least 20 reviewers identified.
   2. Content shared with reviewers along with guidance for their written review.
   3. At least 4 consultations held with relevant working groups and initiatives to gather verbal feedback.
7. Liaise with designer for final product by 07 May 2025.
   1. Up to 2 reviews of designed content to ensure satisfactory completion.
8. Coordinate and facilitate 3 global webinars for launch of the package (with webinars targeting time zone/language considerations to maximise reach) by 11 June 2025.
   1. 3 webinars scheduled and conducted.
   2. Content for webinar prepared. 
   3. Advertising material developed disseminated through relevant channels,
   4. Brief report on attendance, questions asked, and feedback submitted.

Qualifications

Education:

• Masters Degree in Psychology, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Child Protection, or related fields.
• Advanced degree in psychology, public health, social work, art therapy, or a related field.

Work experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:

• A minimum 5 years' experience in MHPSS and Child Protection in humanitarian and development settings
• Proven experience in developing resources and toolkits, preferably in the mental health or humanitarian sector.
• Proven experience in conducting scoping reviews or exercises, understanding research findings, and knowledge management practices.
• Good knowledge of global mental health issues, psychosocial support, and common intervention and programming approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including NGOs, government agencies, and international organizations.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, including ability to work independently and productively with multiple stakeholders in fast-paced environment across time zones. 
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; the ability to effectively liaise with people in a wide range of functions in a multi-cultural environment.
• Fluency in English required. Knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

- Upload copy of academic credentials

- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :

• • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability

- Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.

- At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

- Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory 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.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors 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. 

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.