TOR - EVALUATING LEARNING AND COLLABORATION MODELS

Jobs 14 September 2023

Terms of Reference
The Global Resource Hub Project is searching for a consultant(s) to conduct an evaluation the existing learning models for global collaborations or hubs. The Terms of Reference that follows contains all the necessary information for those interested in applying for this opportunity, including application proposal requirements.

Introduction to CIVICUS
CIVICUS exists to defend people power. As a growing global alliance of over 14,000 members in 175 countries, we work together to monitor violations of basic civic freedoms, call out the perpetrators of violations and strengthen the power of people to organise by supporting a more accountable, effective and innovative civil society. We strive to promote excluded voices, especially from the Global South. We were established in 1993 and since 2002 have been proudly headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with staff distributed around the world and hubs connecting with key United Nations bodies in New York and Geneva.

About the FoPA Global Resource Hub
The Freedom of Peaceful Assembly (FoPA) Global Resource Hub Project is a collaborative initiative that seeks to promote and protect the right to protest. It is a space for co-creation, testing of collective assumptions on progressing the right to protest, learning and scaling up progressive solutions by six regional partners. One of the objectives of the Global Resource Hub is to capture existing knowledge, approaches, models, and tools, and the production of new resources and innovative practices on the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly. Integral to this work is the creation of a learning platform for regional partners to share feedback on their context based experiences for global learning.

The project is responsive to the wide spread volation of the right of peaceful assembly by state governments through excessive use of force against protesters, disproportionate application of criminal charges, limitation, disruption, and prevention of protests, detention, internet blackouts, and deployment of new technologies for surveillance among others.

Scope and Objectives
The FoPA Global Resource Hub pilot is currently seeking a consultant to assess and appraise models about cross-regional collaborative efforts centered around safeguarding and advancing the fundamental right to engage in peaceful protests. The primary objective of this undertaking is to discern the strengths and weaknesses inherent in existing models and to provide actionable suggestions for the development of a resilient and enduring collaboration model tailored to the Global Resource Hub Project.

This consultancy has the following specific goals:

1. Evaluate the extant learning models pertaining to global collaborative initiatives undertaken by regional partners with a particular focus on human rights, including organizations such as I4C, CHARM, and Vuka.
2. Analyze the underlying principles that either bolster or hinder the achievement of fruitful and sustainable collaborations.
3. Formulate recommendations regarding the formulation of a sustainable learning model that aligns with the overarching objectives of the Global Resource Hub.

Roles and Responsibilities

CIVICUS	Overall coordination of the consultancy
FoPA Global Resource Hub Partners	Share with the consultant their experience, challenges, and learnings in engaging under the Global Resource Hub.
Consultant	Conduct research and comprehensively assess the existing learning models both within and beyond the CIVICUS network based on the collaboration principles. Thoroughly evaluate the strengths and weaknesses inherent in the current learning models. Synthesize and integrate input from the FoPA Global Resource Hub partners. Develop a comprehensive report that includes an in-depth analysis of the existing learning models and proposes a collaboration model specifically designed to sustain the connection among the Global Resource Hub partners. Facilitate a sensemaking workshop involving participants from the FoPA Global Resource Hub, CIVICUS, and other relevant organizations. Finalize the report, incorporating feedback and insights gathered during the sensemaking workshop, and exercise ultimate editorial oversight over the written outputs, ensuring their quality and coherence. The final recommendation should be developed in a scenario style that factor pros, cons and assumption of the model of collaboration. Draft a presentation or visual representation of the recommendations in the final report.

Expected Outputs/Deliverables

I. Consultant

a) Full evaluation report.
b) A learning model for the FoPA Global Resource Hub Project.

II. FoPA Global Resource Hub partners

a) Documentation of their experience challenges in collaborative learning.

III. CIVICUS

a) Support the consultant to access the existing models (documents) for collaborative action, such as I4C, CHARM and Vuka!
b) Support the consultant in contacting the Global Resource Hub Partners.

Key requirements

• Degree in social science; research experience desirable,
• Experience working with or on collaborative action networks or hubs,
• Knowledge of international and regional HR mechanisms,
• Experience working on programs or initiatives related to the freedom of peaceful assembly,
• Strong spoken and written communication skills, with a proven ability to present complex issues in clear terms.

How to apply
Interested consultant(s) should submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) to the following email address: with the subject line: Expression of Interest to Evaluate Learning and Collaboration Models. The expression of interest should be received by 30 September 2023. Your application should comprise:

• A full CV.
• A two-page (max.) cover letter introducing him/herself/team, describing his/her/their relevant skills and experience, and describing his/her/their approach to this assignment with a proposal stating how it will be accomplished.
• Proposed budget
• Sample reports