Baseline Survey | ReliefWeb

Safe to Play – reducing violence within schools in northern Uganda

1. Introduction

Right To Play is an international organization committed to improving the lives of children and youth affected by conflict, disease and poverty. Established in 2000, Right To Play has pioneered a unique play-based approach to learning and development which focuses on quality education, life skills, health, gender equality, child protection and building peaceful communities. With programming in 16 countries, Right To Play transforms the lives of more than 2.3 million children each year, both inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to our work with children, Right To Play advocates with parents, local communities, and governments to advance the fundamental rights of all children. Right To Play is headquartered in Toronto, Canada and in London, UK and has operations in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Our programs are facilitated by more than 600 international staff and 31,900 local teachers and coaches. For more information, follow @RightToPlayIntl and visit www.righttoplay.com.

2. Project description

The “Safe to Play – reducing violence within schools in northern Uganda” project will be implemented in four (4) refugee Settlements of Maaji II, Mungula, Pagirinya and Agojo in Adjumani district. The project seeks to help improve safety in schools for 8,100 girls and boys aged 11 to 18 in Adjumani district, northern Uganda. The project will adopt four strategies to achieve its intended objectives. Strategic interventions will include; strengthening school systems, enhancing the capacity of teachers to strengthen prevention and response to violence against children in schools, empower students to strengthen prevention and response to violence against children in schools and engage with communities to shift social norms and behaviour change towards child protection and rights.

Project title: Safe to Play – reducing violence within schools in northern Uganda

Implementer: Right To Play

Location: The project will be implemented in Adjumani district in four (4) refugee Settlements of; 1) Maaji II, 2) Mungula, 3) Pagirinya and 4) Agojo.

Duration: Start date: 1 May 2020 and End date: 31 March 2021

Project Partner (s): Safer World

Intended beneficiaries: 8100 Children and youths, 600 Junior Leaders, 141 Teachers, 33 Head Teachers, 33 Deputy Head Teachers, 297 PTA Members, 18 SMC Members, 12 Parents, 15 District Officials and 5 Center Coordination Tutors (CCTs).

Operating model: School based

Impact Areas: Equitable Quality Education, Peace building, Gender Based violence, Violence Against Children (VAC) and Child protection.

2.1 Expected results of the project

The project has one outcome and several output areas including.

Outcome 1: Improved safety in schools for girls and boys aged 11-18 in Adjumani District, Uganda

Outputs

• Output 1: School-based child protection mechanisms strengthened to support child protection policy and legislation




• Output 2: School governance structures strengthened on prevention and response mechanisms




• Output 3: Professional development provided to teachers in conflict and gender sensitive play-based approaches to increase children's safety at school




• Output 4: Government education staff actively supporting teachers use of conflict and gender sensitive play-based approaches




• Output 5: Conflict and gender sensitive play-based learning sessions regularly provided to youths in school




• Output 6: Leadership and life skill sessions regularly provided to support student empowerment




• Output 7: Regular engagement with communities, parents and caregivers on violence reduction

3. Purpose and Objectives of the baseline

3.1 Purpose and scope of the baseline

The purpose of the baseline survey is to gather baseline data project indicators outlined in the performance measurement framework of the project. The baseline data will inform the development of realistic and achievable targets that are grounded within the local context. The survey will also inform organizational strategic learning (challenges, lessons and good practices). The survey will explore four types of outcome data aligned with the theory of change. Data will be collected on peace building outcomes, child protection and child rights outcomes, violence against children (VAC) outcomes and life skills enhancement. The survey will also map the existing school-based child protection and referral mechanisms. Baseline data will be collected in the thirty three (33) targeted primary schools in the four (4) refugee Settlements of Maaji II, Mungula, Pagirinya and Agojo in Adjumani district.

3.2 Objectives of the baseline

The main objective of the baseline survey is to assess and provide detailed baseline values against which stated project performance metrics and targets will be measured to ascertain observed impact.

4. Research questions

The baseline seeks to:

• To understand the current status of specific program outcomes and indicators, e.g. “what is the current knowledge of child protection systems of the target child group?”, “what is the current understanding of and form(s) of discipline used by teachers?”




• To identify the contextual factors – including COVID-19 - that might influence program outcomes (positively or negatively), particularly relation to child protection, in the different project locations.




• To inform the development of feasible program targets and expectations, grounded within the local context.




• What is the role of Play based learning in Violence Prevention, Conflict Management and Peacebuilding among children and youths?




• How can participation and leadership of children and youths be strengthened in community structures and peacebuilding processes, strengthening sustainable community protection mechanisms to prevent & respond to violence against children?

5. Methodology

A mixed method (both quantitative and qualitative designs) and participatory approaches will be used to deliver the baseline survey assignment. Primary and secondary data will be collected and analyzed using adequate methods and techniques to produce compelling findings for evaluation questions and project measurement metrics. The survey will use a range of data collection methods and tools that conform to the recommendations of the OED guidelines. Applicants are expected to present a detailed methodology in the technical proposal submission which will be further refined in consultation with RTP during the inception meeting. The proposed evaluation designs and the entire methodology should be adaptive to the COVID – 19 context. The methodology should entail an elaborate evaluation matrix that reflects project result areas, indicators, data sources, and data collection methods for this particular baseline study.

Quantitative data: It will be used to measure indicators of the project expressed in terms of numbers/percentages (quantitative indicators). Information will be collected using questionnaire survey which will be administered to a sample of survey elements. The consultant is expected to determine the sample size using a rigorous sampling processes/approaches E.g. Parallel mixed method sampling and others as proposed by consultants/ applicants and approved by Right To Play.

Qualitative data: Qualitative information will be collected through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and In-depth Interviews (IDIs) with key stakeholders including beneficiaries, community/traditional leaders, local government offices, civil societies, local implementing partners and others. While some of the tools could be provided by Right To Play, the consultant is expected to develop evaluation tools that will be refined and approved by the evaluation steering committee.

Secondary documentation: Review of related documents will also be important to establish key insights relevant to the effective implementation of the project.

Overall proposed study designs and methodologies including the sample size will be discussed and agreed with Right To Play at the beginning of the consultancy.

5.1 Selection Process of consulting firm

Applicants will be selected based on cumulative analysis of their submitted technical proposals (100 points) weight [70%] and financial proposal (100 points) weight [30%]. A two-stage procedure will be used in evaluating proposals, with evaluation of the technical proposals being completed prior to financial proposals being evaluated. Only financial proposals of applicants who pass the minimum technical score of 70% of the obtainable score of 100 points in the technical qualification evaluation will be evaluated.

For the evaluation of the technical proposals, the steering committee shall take the following criteria into consideration, with indicated weights:

1. Specific experience of the consultant relevant to the assignment (10 points)

1.1 Experience in similar project

1.2 Experience in similar Areas and Conditions

1.3 Size, organisation, specialisation, Management

1. Adequacy of the proposed methodology and work plan in responding to the TOR (40 Points)

2.1 Technical Approach and Methodology

2.2 Work Plan

2.3 Organization and Staffing

1. Key staff’s qualifications and competence for the assignment (50 Points)

3.1 General Qualifications

3.2 Adequacy for the Assignment

3.3 Experience in the Region and Language

6. The Steering Committee

The baseline survey will engage key staff and perhaps external stakeholders to oversee the planning and the progress. These will form the steering committee, which will constitute: a senior staff who is accountable for the project, a staff with a strong understanding of the context of the project sites and a technical staff who can provide input/feedback on the technical components. While the steering committee will include the key staff for the project at RTP, it might also include external partners or in some cases, even beneficiaries themselves (e.g. Head Coaches). The committee’s main functions will be to:

• To ensure that the evaluator has access to and has consulted all relevant information sources and documents.




• To validate the evaluation framework, questions and methodology.




• To discuss and comment on reports delivered by the evaluator at each stage of the process.




• To assist in feedback of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

7. Work plan and Timelines

Applicants should insert a work schedule including main tasks of the survey and timelines. Remember to consider all of the required steps during the planning, preparation, actual data collection, data entry and analysis, and the report writing.

8. Roles and Responsibilities

The evaluator is expected to abide by norms and standards of development evaluation practice.[1]

• Undertake assignment as outlined in the ToR.




• Complete the tasks in ToR in the allocated time.




• Update Steering Committee on a regular basis concerning progress.

Other specific tasks will include:

• Lead data collection planning, including but not limited to sampling design, tool refinement, overall methodology design, budget management, etc.




• Manage enumerators’ recruitment, lead comprehensive enumerator training on all data collection tools.




• Lead the data collection process.




• Oversee the data entry and conduct data cleaning where necessary. Coordinate in cleaning and validation of data in preparation for analysis.




• Conduct both quantitative and qualitative data analysis.




• Lead process for review and interpretation of findings with internal stakeholders, coordinate country review processes.




• Lead the final report writing process.

9. Deliverables

• Inception report including detailed description of methodology including draft tools.


• Final Data collection tools.


• Draft baseline report.


• Validation workshop including PowerPoint presentation on the main findings and key recommendations.


• All collected data including survey data sets, interviews and FGDs summaries or transcripts. All collected data including reports and transcripts.


• Baseline values as per the indicators in the results frame


• Final baseline report, which should include the analyses of the findings, lessons learnt as well as recommendations.

10. Required Skills and Experience

• University degree in any field, preferably Social Sciences. Post graduate qualification in child protection and conflict sensitivity is an added advantage.


• In-depth knowledge and experience on research methods (Surveys, key informant interviews and focus group discussions etc.).


• Experience in conducting baseline studies, impact evaluations using rigorous designs.


• Knowledge of and familiarity with refugee/ humanitarian context.


• Fluent in both oral and written English.


• Knowledge and experience in Peace building, conflict and gender sensitive play-based approaches, child protection and child rights, violence against children.


• Knowledge of statistical analysis packages; Stata, Epi Info.


• Excellent Analytical, Communication and Report writing skills.