Seeking Consultants to Conduct a Training of Trainers Programme in Physical and Psychosocial Security

Civil Rights Defenders is looking for an experienced security trainer in the East and Horn of Africa to develop and conduct a physical and psychosocial security training of trainers, ToT programme. Please read ‘Call for consultancy’ below.

1. Background 

Civil Rights Defenders is an expert organisation that partners with and supports human rights defenders (HRDs) globally. We have extensive experience in supporting HRDs most at risk in several of the world´s most repressive countries and regions. Our vision is a world of democratic societies in which we all enjoy our civil and political rights. Civil Rights Defenders works through flexible, context-sensitive, and, when needed, fast interventions in order to support local actors who are at the core of ensuring respect for human rights.   

Civil Rights Defenders works in the Africa region and has a close collaboration with local HRDs. Our aim is to provide skills, knowledge, and resources that increase their continued presence and the impact of their work. The Training of Trainers program, ToT in Physical and Psychosocial Security is a part of this effort.  

One of our current collaborations is undertaken under the “Consortium to Promote Human Rights, Civic Freedoms and Media Development in Sub-Saharan Africa” (CHARM), which came into existence in October 2019 with funding from SIDA. CHARM is working collectively to nurture civil society, human rights defenders, independent media, and journalists in the region, by supporting actions to protect and expand freedoms to speak out, organise, and take action. The six consortium partners are CIVICUS, Fojo Media, Wits Journalism, Civil Rights Defenders, Magamba Network, Le Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD) and Defend Defenders. These partners from across the Africa continent, are collaborating to strengthen the effectiveness and build the resilience of journalists, media practitioners, social media producers, human rights defenders, civil society activists and their organisations, to advance democratic and free societies.   

As part of the CHARM consortium, CRD is leading the implementation of a Physical and Psychosocial Security Training of Trainers program. This ToT program aims to educate front-line human rights defenders on how to independently carry out a made-to-measure security trainings and support activities according to current best practices. The program is comprised of 3-week self-study and 5 days of in-person training. The remote self-study period provides a theoretical background to technical skills and teaching methodologies. The in-person training adds emphasis on practical exercises and participatory learning. After completing the course, participants will conduct their own trainings as part of the training program.  

2. Description and Objective of the consultancy  

CRD is looking for an experienced security trainer in the East and Horn of Africa to develop and conduct a physical and psychosocial security training of trainers, ToT program. The target group includes but not limited to women environmental rights defenders and HRDs working with marginalized communities. The objective of the consultancy is to train a group of human rights defenders to become security trainers ready to independently conduct their own trainings. The training will have a hybrid model in which the participants will have three weeks of self-study whereby they are supported by the trainer to read, get assignments, and attend weekly webinars, followed by one week in person training and after that a mentorship phase follows.  

1. Design a locally replicable physical and psychosocial security TOT program for a group of 10 participants together with Civil Rights Defenders. 

2. Prepare reading materials, assignments and supporting webinars for the participants during the three weeks of remote self-study. 

3. Plan and conduct the one week in-person section of the program, including designing cases, scenarios, and practical exercises.  

4. Provide mentorship and support for participants during the course of the training program based on their individual needs.  

5. Provide tailor made guidance and support to participants as they conduct their own trainings after the training program. 

6. The training must have equality, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility at the core of planning and execution.  

7. Create a safe space for learning and foster cooperation in the group of learners.  

3. Scope of work and expected deliverables  

The consultant is expected to deliver a training in physical and psychosocial security that meets the objectives listed under section 2. Training deliverables include:  

a) Prepare appropriate content and training curriculum for physical and psychosocial security ToT. Develop the structure, assignments, and content of the training program, both the remote and in-person segments of the program. Identify relevant training material and adapt the content to suit the needs and background of the participants; Direct participants to supplementary resources and reference materials; Manage the learning platforms, and support participants as they complete their assignments.

Other preparation:  

• Support Civil Rights Defenders in assessing and selecting participants. 
• Conduct a needs assessment of participants and design the training based on the outcomes. 
• Provide supplementary resource material prior to the training for participants in need of additional support. 

• Pre – training/baseline and post training assessment of skills and training results 

b) Deliver a Physical and psychosocial Security ToT program based on the hybrid program curriculum developed in cooperation with Civil Rights Defenders.  

c) Provide mentorship, assess participants’ skills, and provide tailored support as the ToT participants design and conduct their own training sessions. Allocate a reasonable number of hours for each participant as per their needs (approximately half a day per person).

d) Evaluate the training program and document lessons learned for Civil Rights Defenders and future trainers.

e) Narrative report and evaluation of participants’ skills after the training program. 

4. Required expertise and qualifications 

Required Qualifications 

• Extensive experience in teaching physical and psychosocial security to human rights defenders, including knowledge of gendered security threats. Knowledge in holistic security or other fields of security is considered an asset. 
• Expertise on wellness and psychosocial security. 
• Experience working on gender and security as well as gendered threats with Women Human Rights Defenders. 

• Experience working on environmental rights and/or experience working with environmental human rights defenders.   
• Experience of innovating, designing, developing, conducting, and evaluating training programs. 
• An advanced skill level in training and facilitation skills and engagement of adult learners. 
• Experience in interactive and participatory learning methods. 
• Experience in delivering online and remote trainings.  

• Experience and knowledge in creating safe spaces for adult learners. 
• Proficiency in English and ability to conduct trainings in English. 
• Experience of working with human rights defenders, CSOs and local communities in the East and Horn of Africa. Experience of working with women human rights defenders or marginalized communities is considered an asset. 

Preferred qualifications 

• Strong communication, presentation, and public speaking skills. 

• Strong organizational and time management abilities. 
• Diploma or otherwise documented trainings in security management, physical security, psychosocial security or similar.  

Ethics 

• An understanding and strict adherence to all human rights principles provided in international instruments and jurisprudence is mandatory. 
• An understanding of the unjustness of inequality (whether based on gender, sexual orientation, class, ethnicity, citizenship, economic status, etc.) and a commitment to strive for social change towards equity and justice. 

5. Payment schedule 

The consultant will receive 30% percent of the total payment in advance.  The consultant will receive the remaining amount (70 percent of the total payment) upon the completion of all deliverables as approved by CRD.  

6. Tentative training schedule  

• The three weeks long self-study sessions run from 15^th January 2024 to 2^nd February 2024.  
• The in person five days long training will be from 12^th to 16^th of February 2024.  

• Starting from 19^th of February to the 15^th of April mentorship for trainers (approximately 6 working days in total) 
• Final experience sharing webinar. 

Application for this consultancy should include:  

1. The Applicant’s profile (max. 1 page) focusing on what makes the applicant the right person for the consultancy – Your experience performing security trainings and a brief overview of how you work—your “teaching style” or methodologies. 

2. CV and Relevant experience   

3. A narrative proposal including a proposed curriculum and structure for the remote studies as well as in person training. 

4. Financial proposal. 

5. Three references (at least one fellow HRD and one human rights organization) should be included in the application.   

Please note that the 5 days in person training may require travel to a third country in the East and Horn of Africa depending on where in the region the trainer is based. 

We welcome applications until October 11. We encourage potential applicants to contact us directly in case of questions or further discussion.   

Please send your applications to nardos.tadesse@civilrightsdefenders.org and africa@crd.org using the headline “Application for Physical and Psychosocial Security ToT Trainer 2024”.