Serbia: Capacity Building Consultant

Title of consultancy

Capacity building of professionals working with children with disability and their parents in the area of inclusive recreational and sport activities

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

In the past decade, Serbia has intensified its efforts to reform the system of social welfare, including de-institutionalization, development of new services and alternative care in the community, and participation of a variety of actors in service provision. In recent years, significant progress has been achieved in providing access to community-based services for the most vulnerable groups. The latest data collected in 2013 indicated that 65% of municipalities had at least one community based service for CWD. While this is a positive development, it is important to recognize that future efforts should be directed to increase inclusiveness of these services towards settings where children can develop in constant interaction with their peers.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognizes that "children with disabilities have equal access with other children to participation in play, recreation and leisure and sporting activities, including those activities in the school system". Access to sport and recreational facilities is not only of direct benefit to CwD but also helps them to participate in valued activities with other children and thereby enhances their standing in the local community.

Sport and play can play a key role in the lives and communities of children with disabilities, the same as it can for children without a disability. There is a wealth of evidence to support participation in sport and physical activity for people with a disability concerning trends, barriers and benefits of participation. Over the past three decades, numerous studies have revealed that physical activity and sport participation result in improved functional status and quality of life among people with selected disabilities. Scientific research has been conducted across disability groups that reveal participation in sport and physical activity leads to improved levels of physical health and well-being. Additionally, sport and physical activity has been linked to improvements in self-confidence and self-esteem and can contribute to empowerment of CwD. Sport changes community perceptions of children with disabilities by focusing attention on their abilities and moving their disability into the background. Through sport, children, parents and community members without disabilities encounter children with disabilities in a positive context (sometimes for the first time) and see them accomplish things they had previously thought impossible.

Sports, recreation and play have been identified as important strategies to tackle the specific needs of CwD in Serbia. There is a strong culture of sports that exists in Serbia and represents an opportunity for children to develop. Sports, recreation and play have infinite potential as a tool for development and social change and to accelerate equitable progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and to reach the most disadvantaged children.

One of the important steps in that regard is to work on improving the quality of services for CwD so they are stimulative and holistic by ensuring that staff directly working with children have skills and equipment needed for regular high quality indoor and outdoor recreational/sport and education/creative activities.

The purpose of this consultancy is to strengthen capacities of professional staff from day-care centres and residential institutions for children and youth with disability in the area of inclusive recreational and sport activities. More specifically, the focus is on improving the knowledge and capacity of professional staff working in the Belgrade Network of day-care centres for children and youth with disabilities and the Centre for Protection of Infants, Children and Youth ''Zvecanska''.

This initiative is part of UNICEF Project '' IT'S ABOUT ABILITY'' supported by NCR Foundation. It adds to and is closely coordinated with other social inclusion/mobilization activities realized as an integral part of the Project.

The initiative includes the development and delivery of a training program (including teaching/workshop materials) for professionals' teams aimed at upgrading their skills in implementing appropriate recreational and sport activities with CwD, as well as skills needed to further advise parents/guardians on how to support their children's well-being through daily physical activities. Integral part of the initiative is also development of materials/instructions for parents/guardians.

Start Date:

15th May 2017

End Date:

Number of working days/months

30th June 2017

Up to 15 days total

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks:

Development of training program (agenda), training/workshop materials and materials/instruction for parents demands an estimated 10 working days.

Realization of two 2-day trainings for professionals demands an estimated 5 days (total of 4 days for trainings and 1 day for evaluation).

Deliverables:

Timeframe:

From 15th May to 30th June 2017.

Minimum Qualifications required:

PhD Sport and recreation

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

· At least 10 years of work experience of working on sport/recreation activities for persons/children with disabilities

· Proven experience in teaching / designing and delivering trainings in the area of sport/recreation and social inclusion of persons/children with disabilities

· Excellent communication skills and ability to engage into collaborative relationship with multiple actors

· Proficiency in English and Serbian

· Excellent writing skills

The application must include the following:

Important note: Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities to apply.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=504235