Consultancy - Outcome Harvesting in Health Practice Area for Active Project at Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO)

The assignment seeks to address the following specific objectives:

• To identify and document improved delivery of inclusive SRHR services to the most vulnerable i.e. youths, young mothers and PWDs.
• To document the specific policy changes influenced by ACTIVE advocacy and policy work since the beginning of the implementation and to generate qualitative evidence demonstrating changes in stakeholders’ attitudes and perception regarding access and delivery of SRHR services.
• To document changes in the allocation of resources or funding or any other changes aiming towards addressing SRHR issues by either the county or national government
• To systematically collect and analyse evidence of increased collaboration with youth friendly centres, grassroots networks, such as youth advisory councils, YSDs, collectives and CHPs in SRHR advocacy efforts.
• To document the policy gaps identified and evidence increased governance or regulatory actions for SRHR taken in response to advocacy efforts.
• To systematically collect and analyse the evidence of positive or negative results attained through dialogue forums; interface meetings, community dialogue forums, chiefs barazas, community score cards, community outreaches, in reach and public participations spaces i.e. SGBV and child rights violations emanating from harmful cultural practices.
• To assess and document the extent to which ACTIVE project advocacy initiatives have contributed to social or systematic change on SRHR issues.
• The outcome harvesting will respond to the following overarching questions:
• What has changed: using the before and after intervention approach. This involves looking at the situation on the knowledge based on the individual primary actors and triangulating with other sources of information.
• What caused the change: How the changes have been achieved (for example, what specific interventions taken by ACTIVE project that have contributed to the results? What other factors might have contributed to the mentioned changes?
• How the different group of people have experienced the change with a particular focus on hearing from those who have reported improved SRHR serviced delivery. (Outcomes to be reviewed at four levels i.e. individual, family/community, system and policy)
• Where there any gendered in outcomes observed and how did persons with disability experience outcomes?
• How were youth involved in supporting ACTIVE interventions?
• How did involvement of youth affect family planning service delivery, access and utilisation for adolescents and youth?
• How were the VSO volunteering for development pathways integrated into implementation and how did the VfD approach contribute toe observed outcomes
• The outcome harvesting will focus on ACTIVE interventions from 2022 to date. Findings and recommendations of the outcome harvesting, including lessons learnt will inform the ongoing health programmes in VSO Kenya and global as well as review of approaches used currently and evidencing strategies.

SCOPE OF WORK

• The assignment will follow an outcome harvesting process as listed below:
• Design of the outcome harvesting: The consultant/s will develop the outcome harvesting methodologies and questions to guide the study based on the agreement reached with the VSO ACTIVE team on what information needs to be collected and from whom to answer the questions. The consultant should also suggest the list of respondents
• including the stakeholders at the grassroot and national level to be consulted.
• Consultant to propose appropriate survey (content and approach) that can complement qualitative outcome harvesting methodologies to increase robustness of evaluation
• results.
• Review of the project documents and the expected outcome descriptions: The consultant/s will review the project documents, including reports, data, stakeholders being engaged in the project. These will inform the areas to be investigated further through data collection and methodologies.
• Data collection: The consultant/s will select the outcomes to be verified to increase the accuracy and credibility. The consultant/s will collect additional data in the areas of implementation to verify and substantiate the data by engaging directly with the targeted primary actors for ACTIVE project through scientific and standardized methodologies.
• Reporting: The consultant/s will prepare a report that has analytical depth and well evidenced using data collected/collated. The report will outline results contributed to by ACTIVE project implementation, particularly on SRHR.

The consultant/s should have the following qualification and experience:

• A proven academic and professional record, with extensive knowledge and experience in the field of public health, development studies and relevant social science.
• At least ten years of experience in outcome harvesting and evaluation of development programs with bias to health programmes
• Strong critical analysis and demonstrated excellence in preparing reports in clear and concise manner
• Ability to communicate effectively with and relate to people of different cultures, demonstrating ability to see issues from others’ perspective