TERMS OF REFERENCE

Lead Trainer on Life Skills, Psychosocial Support, Disability and Inclusion Mainstreaming

1. About the Organisation

Call Africa Kenya is an Italian organisation registered in Kenya in 2005. It was established as the Kenyan counterpart of the Italian NGO L’Africa Chiama.

Call Africa Kenya is based in Soweto Slum, Kahawa West, Nairobi County, where the majority of its project participants are located.

The organisation currently implements and supports several long-term programmes in Kenya, including:

• Karibuni Watoto Kindergarten;
• Special Children;
• Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT);
• Food Security;
• Disability Inclusion; and
• Blessing Girl.

Call Africa Kenya is also implementing the Inn2Win Project, an AICS-funded initiative focused on strengthening the alignment between skills offered by public vocational training institutions and labour-market needs in Kenya.

2. About the Project

The Educational and Work Inclusion for Young Students with Disabilities Project (AID 012908/01/1), also referred to as Edu-WISE, is a 36-month initiative funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).

The project is implemented by CEFA as the lead applicant, in partnership with:

• Call Africa Kenya;
• Deaf Empowerment Kenya;
• Federation of Kenyan Employers (FKE);
• Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA); and
• National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD).

Edu-WISE is implemented in Nairobi, Murang’a and Makueni Counties and aims to strengthen inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems by improving access to quality training and supporting the transition of young persons with disabilities into decent and inclusive employment.

The project adopts a systemic approach, working at both institutional and community levels to address barriers that limit the participation of persons with disabilities in TVET.

Key areas of intervention include:

• Strengthening the capacities of Vocational Training Centres (VTCs);
• Promoting inclusive teaching and learning practices;
• Supporting the adaptation of training curricula;
• Improving physical accessibility through the removal of architectural barriers; and
• Strengthening linkages between VTCs and the private sector to improve employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Through these interventions, Edu-WISE seeks to contribute to a more inclusive society in which all young people, regardless of their abilities, can acquire relevant skills, access the labour market, and participate meaningfully in social and economic life.

3. Background and Rationale

Despite ongoing efforts to strengthen inclusive TVET systems in Kenya, significant capacity gaps remain among managers, officials and teaching staff in creating and sustaining truly inclusive learning environments.

Within the framework of the Edu-WISE project, recent assessments have identified a critical lack of operational support structures for students with disabilities within Vocational Training Centres.

Although Disability Mainstreaming Committees are legally mandated, they are currently active in only one of the nine target VTCs.

Furthermore, VTC managers and teaching staff frequently lack specialised training in:

• Psychosocial support;
• Individual and group counselling;
• Life skills programming;
• Inclusive teaching methodologies;
• Personalised learning approaches; and
• Disability and inclusion mainstreaming.

Tutors require targeted competencies to support students with disabilities in developing socio-emotional skills, including:

• Communication;
• Emotional regulation;
• Conflict resolution;
• Self-awareness;
• Interpersonal relationships; and
• Self-confidence.

They also require practical skills to help students improve:

• Time management;
• Organisation;
• Goal setting;
• Decision-making; and
• Career readiness.

Strengthening these competencies is essential to reducing isolation, improving student well-being and self-confidence, and supporting academic, social and career success.

To address these gaps, Edu-WISE will implement a two-step capacity-building strategy:

1. A high-level residential training in Nairobi targeting institutional decision-makers and key stakeholders; and
2. Localised and continuous training cycles for teaching and school staff at county level in Nairobi, Murang’a and Makueni.

4. Purpose of the Assignment

Call Africa Kenya seeks to engage a Lead Trainer/Consultant to design, facilitate and evaluate a comprehensive capacity-building programme on:

• Life Skills;
• Psychosocial Support;
• Counselling;
• Disability Inclusion; and
• Disability Mainstreaming.

The assignment will strengthen the technical capacities and institutional commitment of VTC managers, county TVET officials, TVETA representatives and VTC teaching/support staff across the three target counties.

5. Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the assignment are to:

5.1 Empower Institutional Stakeholders

Train and sensitise VTC managers, county TVET officials and TVETA representatives on the importance of:

• Life skills programmes;
• Counselling and psychosocial support;
• Career guidance; and
• Disability inclusion and mainstreaming for students with disabilities.

5.2 Operationalise Disability Mainstreaming Committees

Facilitate the development of a practical institutional Action Plan during the residential training to activate and formalise Disability Mainstreaming Committees in target VTCs where these structures are currently inactive.

5.3 Build Local Pedagogical Capacities

Equip VTC tutors and staff with practical skills in:

• Inclusive teaching methodologies;
• Life skills development;
• Personalised learning approaches;
• Basic individual and group counselling techniques;
• Psychosocial support; and
• Disability-responsive student support.

5.4 Promote Digital Inclusion

Introduce participants to accessible digital tools and technologies that can support personalised and inclusive learning for students with disabilities.

5.5 Establish a Sustainability Network

Support each VTC to identify two dedicated focal points who will:

• Drive the work of the Disability Mainstreaming Committee;
• Support implementation of the institutional Action Plan;
• Coordinate counselling and student-support initiatives; and
• Participate in a cross-county monitoring and learning network.

6. Scope of Work

The Consultant will be responsible for the end-to-end design, delivery and evaluation of two complementary training streams.

The assignment shall use a highly participatory, practical and interactive methodology aligned with adult learning principles and the Kenyan TVET context.

The consultancy will be implemented through the following four phases.

Phase 1: Inception, Needs Alignment and Training Toolkit Development

The Consultant will establish the pedagogical approach and develop all training content and materials.

The Consultant will:

1. Review relevant project documentation, including:
   • Edu-WISE project documentation;
   • VTC needs assessments;
   • TVETA regulations and guidelines;
   • Relevant Kenyan legal and policy frameworks on disability inclusion and mainstreaming; and
   • Other relevant project and institutional documents.
2. Develop a comprehensive training curriculum, manuals and practical toolkits covering:
   • Disability mainstreaming frameworks;
   • The legal and institutional mandate of Disability Mainstreaming Committees;
   • Socio-emotional life skills;
   • Practical student life skills;
   • Individual and group counselling techniques;
   • Psychosocial support;
   • Personalised learning approaches;
   • Inclusive teaching methodologies; and
   • Accessible digital tools and technologies.
3. Design pre- and post-training assessment tools to measure:
   • Participants' baseline knowledge;
   • Knowledge and skills gained; and
   • Changes in capacity following the training.
4. Prepare a detailed work plan and training schedule covering both:
   • The Nairobi residential training; and
   • County-level training cycles.

Output

Comprehensive training curriculum, participant manuals, training materials, assessment tools and practical toolkits.

7. Phase 2: Residential Training – Nairobi

The Consultant will facilitate a 2-day residential training in Nairobi for approximately 25 key stakeholders, including:

• VTC managers;
• County TVET officials;
• TVETA representatives; and
• Project partner representatives.

The training will focus on:

• Institutional sensitisation on Life Skills, Counselling, Psychosocial Support, Disability and Inclusion Mainstreaming;
• The role of institutional stakeholders in supporting students with disabilities;
• Strengthening institutional mechanisms for student support;
• Guided workshop sessions to co-create a standardised institutional Action Plan;
• Adaptation of VTC training and student-support plans; and
• Development of institutional guidelines for activating and strengthening Disability Mainstreaming Committees.

Output

Delivery of the 2-day Nairobi residential training and co-development/finalisation of an Institutional Action Plan for activation of Disability Mainstreaming Committees.

8. Phase 3: County-Level Training Cycles

The Consultant will deliver localised and specialised 4-day training courses in each of the three target counties:

• Nairobi;
• Murang’a; and
• Makueni.

The training will be conducted over three rounds during the project cycle, resulting in nine county-level training courses in total.

During the first project year, additional follow-up/operational training days will also be provided.

Target Participants per County

Each county-level training will target approximately:

• 9 teachers/staff;
• 3 VTC managers;
• 4 county officials; and
• 2 TVETA representatives.

Key Training Areas

The county-level training will provide practical skills in:

• Inclusive teaching and learning practices;
• Disability inclusion and mainstreaming within classrooms and workshops;
• Psychosocial support;
• Individual and group counselling;
• Personalised learning tools;
• Socio-emotional and practical life skills development;
• Accessible digital tools and technologies;
• Student support and referral mechanisms;
• Identification and management of barriers to participation;
• Institutionalisation of Disability Mainstreaming Committees; and
• Monitoring of student-support and inclusion activities.

The Consultant will also facilitate sessions to formally identify two focal points per VTC who will be responsible for supporting:

• The operation of the Disability Mainstreaming Committee;
• Counselling and psychosocial support programmes;
• Implementation of the institutional Action Plan; and
• Ongoing coordination and monitoring.

Output

Delivery of nine county-level training courses (three rounds across three counties) and identification of two focal points per VTC.

9. Phase 4: Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Analysis

Following completion of the training cycles, the Consultant will:

• Analyse pre- and post-training assessment data;
• Assess changes in participant knowledge and competencies;
• Compare training outcomes across the three counties;
• Document key achievements, challenges and lessons learned;
• Identify systemic and institutional barriers;
• Assess progress towards operationalising Disability Mainstreaming Committees; and
• Provide practical recommendations for sustainability and institutionalisation.

The Consultant will prepare a comprehensive final consultancy report consolidating the findings and recommendations for the project consortium.

10. Key Deliverables

All deliverables shall be submitted in English, in editable electronic format, and shall be subject to review and approval by Call Africa Kenya.

11. Duration and Level of Effort

The total level of effort for this assignment is 132 working days, comprising:

• 44 days of field-based/in-person training; and
• 88 days of home-based work, covering preparation, material development, assessment, analysis and reporting.

Breakdown of In-Person Training Days

The detailed implementation schedule will be agreed with Call Africa Kenya and aligned with the Edu-WISE project implementation calendar.

12. Methodology

The consultancy shall adopt an active, experiential, participatory and person-centred learning methodology.

The training approach should be grounded in adult learning principles and should emphasise practical application within the Kenyan TVET environment.

The methodology should combine:

• Interactive presentations and facilitated discussions;
• Case-study analysis;
• Group work and peer learning;
• Practical simulations;
• Counselling role plays;
• Problem-solving exercises;
• Inclusive classroom and workshop scenarios;
• Practical demonstrations of accessible digital tools;
• Reflection and experience-sharing sessions;
• Pre- and post-training assessments; and
• Participatory action-planning workshops.

The Consultant shall ensure that training content is accessible, culturally appropriate and responsive to the realities of students with different disabilities.

The development of institutional Action Plans and other key deliverables should be participatory, ensuring ownership among:

• VTC managers;
• Teachers and support staff;
• TVETA representatives;
• County TVET officials; and
• Other relevant project stakeholders.

13. Payment and Financial Arrangements

13.1 Financial Offer

The budgetary range for this assignment is KES 750,000–800,000 gross, subject to the applicable taxation and procurement requirements.

13.2 Taxation and KRA Compliance

For a VAT-registered company:

• The maximum consultancy amount is KES 800,000.
• VAT at 16% shall apply where legally applicable.
• No withholding tax will be deducted by Call Africa Kenya where the applicable requirements for the company are met.
• The selected company must provide a valid e-TIMS receipt confirming VAT compliance/payment.

For an individual/unregistered consultant:

• Call Africa Kenya will deduct the applicable 5% withholding tax for Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) purposes before releasing the net payment.

13.3 Payment Schedule

Payments will be made in instalments linked to the satisfactory completion and approval of the relevant deliverables.

14. Required Qualifications and Experience

The Consultant or consultancy team should meet the following minimum requirements.

14.1 Education

A university degree in one of the following fields, or a closely related discipline:

• Psychology;
• Counselling;
• Social Work;
• Special Needs Education;
• Inclusive Pedagogy;
• Development Studies; or
• A related field.

14.2 Professional Experience

The Consultant should have:

• At least 2 years of proven experience designing and delivering training programmes focused on disability inclusion, life skills, psychosocial support or institutional mainstreaming;
• Demonstrated experience working within or alongside the Kenyan TVET sector;
• Good understanding of TVETA frameworks, guidelines and county governance structures;
• Proven experience training public officials, school management teams and teaching staff;
• Strong familiarity with human-rights-based approaches to disability;
• Good understanding of the Kenyan legal and policy environment relating to disability inclusion and mainstreaming in public institutions.

14.3 Technical Skills

The Consultant should demonstrate:

• Excellent facilitation and training skills;
• Strong workshop moderation and adult-learning skills;
• Practical knowledge of assistive technologies, accessible software and digital accessibility tools used in education, including screen readers;
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills;
• Ability to develop practical institutional Action Plans; and
• Ability to develop relevant monitoring and evaluation indicators.

14.4 Languages

Fluency in English and Swahili, both written and spoken, is mandatory.

15. Submission Requirements

Interested consultants/consultancy teams are invited to submit the following:

15.1 Technical Proposal

The Technical Proposal should include:

• Understanding and interpretation of the assignment;
• Proposed pedagogical and facilitation methodology;
• Proposed approach to the different training phases;
• Sample training/session outline; and
• Proposed approach to monitoring, evaluation and learning.

15.2 Financial Proposal

The Financial Proposal should indicate the total all-inclusive cost of the consultancy, itemised by:

• Daily professional fees;
• Preparation and home-based work;
• Training delivery;
• Operational costs;
• Travel expenses; and
• Applicable statutory taxes.

In compliance with PRAG guidelines, financial evaluation will be conducted exclusive of VAT.

Bidders must therefore:

• Clearly state their net professional fees separately from applicable taxes; and
• If VAT-registered in Kenya, indicate 16% VAT as a separate and clearly identifiable line item at the bottom of the financial proposal.

15.3 Curriculum Vitae

CV of the lead consultant and, where applicable, other team members, highlighting:

• Relevant academic qualifications;
• Professional experience;
• Training experience;
• Experience in disability inclusion and mainstreaming; and
• Experience in the Kenyan TVET sector.

15.4 Portfolio

Examples of previously developed:

• Training manuals;
• Training toolkits;
• Curricula;
• Life skills materials; or
• Inclusive education/disability inclusion resources.

Trainer on Life Skills

Late submissions may not be considered.

17. Proposal Evaluation and Selection

The selection will follow a standard procurement evaluation process based on a Technical-Financial evaluation ratio of 80% Technical / 20% Financial.

The evaluation and selection process will follow the indicative schedule below:

Call Africa Kenya reserves the right to request clarifications from bidders during the evaluation process and to select the proposal offering the best overall value in accordance with the applicable procurement procedures.

18. Expected Results of the Consultancy

By the end of the assignment, the consultancy is expected to contribute to:

1. Increased knowledge and awareness among VTC managers, TVET officials, TVETA representatives and teaching staff on disability inclusion, life skills and psychosocial support.
2. Improved capacity of VTC staff to provide inclusive, student-centred support.
3. Increased capacity to provide basic counselling and psychosocial support to students with disabilities.
4. Improved integration of life skills and socio-emotional competencies into VTC learning environments.
5. Increased use of accessible digital tools to support personalised learning.
6. Activation and strengthening of Disability Mainstreaming Committees in the target VTCs.
7. Identification and capacity-building of two focal points per VTC.
8. Development and implementation of institutional Action Plans for disability mainstreaming.
9. Establishment of mechanisms for continued peer learning and cross-county coordination.
10. Generation of evidence and recommendations to support the long-term sustainability of inclusive TVET practices under Edu-WISE.