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Consultancy Title: Adolescent Kit Training Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Education Section, Programme Group, UNICEF NYHQ

Duration: 1 February 2025 to 31 July 2026

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ / 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:

This consultancy is to support ADAP’s work in humanitarian contexts by building UNICEF’s global capacity to use the Adolescent Kit for Expression and Innovation (Adolescent Kit) as a programmatic resource to effectively reach, support and engage adolescents ages 10-18, and by enhancing and expanding the guidance, activities, training materials, digital resources and supplies that compose the Kit. This consultancy will be managed by UNICEF’s Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP) team.

The Adolescent Kit, a toolkit of adaptable supplies, programme and curriculum guidance materials is a global good/product that has been developed by the ADAP Section and implemented across all regions in more than 45 countries reaching more than 1.5 million adolescents since its launch in 2016. Through the ADAP Section’s ongoing advocacy and support, the Adolescent Kit has become a flagship resource promoted and used by UNICEF’s global, regional and country-level education, child protection and ADAP teams worldwide, with adolescents in humanitarian and vulnerable development contexts, through interventions that support their protection, mental and psychosocial health, learning and skill development, and active engagement in their communities and societies. Within the PROSPECTS Partnership, a key donor partnership funded by the Netherlands to support young people’s education, skilling, protection and transition to decent work in forced displacement contexts, the ADAP team has supported country-level use of the Adolescent Kit to catalyze and build relevant, effective, scalable and institutionalized educational programmes and interventions. ADAP has also promoted and supported use of the Adolescent Kit to build and strengthen programmes in countries facing new onset emergencies at the L-2 and L-3 through approaches that operationalize and uphold practices and standards established in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Youth Guidelines. As a few examples, ADAP has supported country offices in using the Kit provide psychosocial support and peer education for conflict-affected adolescents and youth in Sudan and Gaza, to engage youth in ongoing post-earthquake recovery efforts Türkiye, and to support youth on the move in Panama and Italy. UNICEF has also integrated the Kit into both Venezuela’s and Uganda’s national secondary curricula to promote children’s and adolescents’ development and use of transferable socioemotional and cognitive skills for civic engagement and social and economic entrepreneurship.

This consultancy supports three interconnected areas of ADAP’s upcoming work. The consultant will support the ADAP team in responding directly to the increasing demands from PROSPECTS Country Offices and those in other L-2 and L-3 emergencies for technical support in adapting and utilizing the Adolescent Kit in new initiatives or ongoing programmes. This consultancy will also enable the ADAP team to enhance and expand the Adolescent Kit as a relevant, effective, global resource that reflects evolving needs and possibilities for youth, while incorporating new and emerging global knowledge, methodologies and technologies. Third, this consultancy will enable ADAP to identify opportunities and leverage funds to integrate the Adolescent Kit into UNICEF’s wider initiatives and emerging priorities to support, engage and collaborate with youth in forcible displacement, humanitarian and other vulnerable contexts.

As currently ADAP HQ doesn’t have sufficient funding to cover all planned activities, some deliverables are planned to be completed only if additional resources will become available especially in light of support to acute and protracted emergencies/vulnerable contexts.

Scope of Work:

The Programme Group/Adolescent Development and Participation (ADAP) team in UNICEF NYHQ seeks to hire a consultant, to support global use of Adolescent Kit for Expression and Innovation to reach and support the skill-based learning and meaningful social and civic engagement of adolescents through the PROSPECTS Partnership and in emerging humanitarian contexts, and to enhance and expand the Kit itself.

The consultant will support the ADAP HQ team in the following:

1. Building UNICEF’s and partners’ capacity to use the Adolescent Kit as a resource to advance young people’s learning and engagement in PROSPECTS Partnership education and empowerment programmes by:

• Planning and facilitating global and regional trainings and learning exchanges on use of the Adolescent Kit as a programme resource for youth skill-building and empowerment, including focused trainings on existing and new resources and emerging best practices; and
• Responding to direct requests for training and technical support in utilizing the Adolescent Kit from UNICEF Regional and Country-level staff within the PROSPECTS Partnership by facilitating planning workshops, supporting the adaptation of existing Adolescent Kit materials for specific contexts and programmes, and developing or co-developing new materials such as curriculum modules, training plans, workplans and Terms of Reference.

2. Upgrading and expanding Adolescent Kit materials as effective resources for PROSPECTS and other programmes to promote skill-oriented education, MPHSS, transition-to-work and social/civic engagement programmes for adolescents and youth by:

• Revising and updating the existing Adolescent Kit programme guidance, tools, activity guides, training videos, website and supplies, and creating new materials, including written materials, videos, and interactive digital materials, in keeping with the evolving demands and needs of UNICEF country teams; and,
• Updating and enhancing the Adolescent Kit website as a global resource for sharing and disseminating education programme tools, programme examples and effective programming strategies for skill-building empowerment for adolescents and youth.

3. Supporting ADAP’s resource mobilization and advocacy efforts to continue to enhance the Adolescent Kit as a global good, and to integrate and utilize it within UNICEF’s wider initiatives and emerging priorities by:

• Developing concept notes, proposals and advocacy documents for new partnerships, funding opportunities and other global initiatives using the Adolescent Kit; and,
• Supporting the ADAP team to review, contribute to and consolidate data and reports gathered from global use of the Adolescent Kit within program documents and reports for PROSPECTS and other partnerships and funds.

4. Contributing to ADAP’s broader initiatives to support UNICEF country offices responding to in L2 and L3 emergencies with relevant, effective, programmes that enact the IASC Youth Guidelines by:

• Facilitating planning, adapting Adolescent Kit materials and facilitating trainings for UNICEF staff, government and NGO partners utilizing the Adolescent Kit to catalyze or strengthen humanitarian programmes; and,
• Providing direct support to documentation and assessments of programmes using the Adolescent Kit, including by developing and adapting monitoring and assessment tools, training UNICEF and partners in utilizing M&E tools, analyzing data gathered and writing reports.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Build UNICEF’s and partners’ capacity to use the Adolescent Kit as a resource to advance young people’s learning and engagement in PROSPECTS Partnership education and empowerment programmes:

• Organize and facilitate 8 learning exchange meetings, for UNICEF country offices interested in and/or using the Adolescent Kit curate and disseminate videos and materials from those meetings: 8 learning exchange meetings organized and facilitated; 9 video recordings produced and edited (31 July 2026)
• Organize and conduct 8 training and planning sessions for global and/or regional UNICEF audiences on new Adolescent Kit resources and/or emerging best practices: 8 training sessions facilitated and documented; 8 video recordings produced (31 July 2026)
• Conduct 20 planning and training sessions directly with PROSPECT Partnership country offices preparing to use the Adolescent Kit in new initiatives or ongoing initiatives. Produce adapted Adolescent Kit materials and/or planning documents according to workshop discussions and outcomes: 20 planning and training sessions conducted directly with Country Offices, 20 planning documents and/or adapted Adolescent Kit materials produced for use at country level (31 July 2026)

Upgrading and expanding Adolescent Kit materials as effective resources for PROSPECTS Partnership and other programmes to promote skill-oriented education, MPHSS, transition-to-work and social/civic engagement programmes for adolescents and youth.

• Revise or create at least 25 Adolescent Kit guides, tools and activities (PDFs) and/or videos and related pages of the Adolescent Kit website: 25 Adolescent Kit guides, tools or activity guides or videos revised or created and added to the Adolescent Kit website pages (31 July 2026)
• Develop new M&E tools for inclusion with the Adolescent Kit programme materials, including assessment instruments, guidance for participatory assessment process and guides and tools for analyzing and reporting findings: M&E Toolkit including 4 assessment instruments; 4 guides for facilitation/administration of assessment activities; 1 guide for findings analysis and reporting; 15-20 pages total (40/22000) (31 July 2026)
• Using images and narrative gathered through interviews with UNICEF country office staff using the Adolescent Kit, create five video case studies of innovative and effective uses of the Adolescent Kit for use in training and cross-country learning: Five video case studies of innovative and effective uses of the Adolescent Kit for use in training and cross-country learning created (31 July 2026)
• Revise and update at least 30 pages of the Adolescent Kit website utilizing Drupal platform; new pages will include updated Country Profiles and pages to present new or updated AdolKit guides, tools and activities: 30 Adolescent Kit website pages written/revised (31 July 2026)

Identify and develop relevant planning materials integrate the Adolescent Kit into UNICEF’s wider initiatives and emerging priorities, and mobilize resources to build global capacity and promote implementation of the Adolescent Kit by:

• Attending PROSPECTS Partnership and other programme meetings; reviewing planning documents for UNICEF global and other initiatives to identify opportunities to utilize the Adolescent Kit to address programmatic goals; developing concept notes and/or proposals to integrate the Adolescent Kit: 3 proposals, pitches or brochures written and designed for funds mobilization (30 May 2026)
• Report sections (5 pages each) drafted for donor and partnership reports, incorporating and synthesizing inputs and data on use of and developments in relation to the Adolescent Kit at the country, regional and global levels: 3 reports or report sections drafted (5 pages each) (30 June 2026)

Contributing to MENARO ADAP’s efforts on L2 and L3 emergencies (such as SoP, Lebanon, Sudan etc)

• 1 M&E Framework with a comprehensive package of tools developed with MENARO and Lebanon CO for Ado Kit deployment in emergencies (30 September 2025)
• 2 Dissemination sessions/training workshops (webinars) organized with MENA RO for UNICEF staff, government and NGO partners utilizing the Adolescent Kit (30 September 2025)
• 1 Written Report documenting the Lebanon experience, including presentations and social media comms materials for dissemination (30 September 2025)

Support UNICEF country offices responding to in L2 and L3 emergencies or in protracted situations/vulnerable contexts with relevant, effective, programmes on the Adolescent Kit

• 10 products/learning sessions developed for country offices on the Adolescent Kit (31 July 2026)

Qualifications

Education: 

Advanced university degree (Masters) International relations, Human Rights, Refugee Protection, Child Rights, Community Development, Youth Participation and Engagement or other related degree.

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *: 

• At least 12-15 years of relevant professional work experience in youth education and engagement/participation programs and international humanitarian and development contexts.
• Demonstrated experience designing effective programmatic materials including curricula and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools for use by educators and other practitioners, professionals and volunteers in humanitarian and development contexts;
• Demonstrated experience training and facilitating planning workshops using participatory practices with humanitarian actors from UN agencies, NGOs and youth-led organizations.
• Demonstrated experience designing educational and other programmatic tools in multiple media, including audio, video, web-based and other digital media, and training educators and/or humanitarian programme teams using in-person, hybrid and remote (videoconference) modalities.
• Technical knowledge of and direct experience utilizing global best practices and current and emerging research in the following educational and youth-development fields: skill-based learning; mental health, psychosocial support and socioemotional learning; social and civic engagement, participation and peacebuilding; participatory and active learning methodologies;
• Knowledgeable on UNICEF and other UN agencies foundational humanitarian architecture, standards, frameworks, approaches and toolkits for education in emergencies, adolescent and youth engagement and humanitarian response, including the UNICEF CCCs, and IASC Guidelines on Working with and for Youth, GBV, MHPSS. Knowledge of UNICEF’s other supply kits and toolkits for education in emergencies such as School in a Box, and Recreation Kit, etc. an asset.
• Experience in working with UNICEF at global, regional or country level, an asset.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills; available to work flexible hours with UNICEF teams and partners across global time zones;
• Experience in developing funding proposals, briefs and reports.
• Master’s or other advanced degrees in relevant fields as education, youth development, and/or international humanitarian.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of a second language 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.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements