Consultant to provide technical support for baseline survey on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in Mu Cang Chai and Van Chan district, Yen Bai province

HIRING CONSULTANT TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR BASELINE SURVEY
on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in
Mu Cang Chai and Van Chan district, Yen Bai province
for the DAIICHI project

Save the Children (SC) is the leading global independent organisation for children.Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.

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We are committed to ensuring our resources are used as efficiently as possible, in order to focus them on achieving maximum impact for children.

SC will implement the project “Improving Adolescent Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare in Yen Bai province” in the next three years (January 2023 to March 2025). The project is funded by Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd aiming to bring direct benefits to about 3,000 adolescents, aged between 15 – 19 (both male and female). The indirect beneficiaries including:  3,000 Adolescents’ parents, 46 Health workers and education staff at district and commune levels (including Government Health System and Health Private Healthcare Facilities), 28 Teachers and health staff in high schools, 30 Commune staff including People Committee, Women Union and Youth Union staff; and 180 Village staff including Village Header, Village Health Worker and Women Union staff. 

To identify the current situation of adolescents sexual & reproductive health (ASRH) knowledge, awareness, practices and skills of adolescents and youth, parents/ caregivers, service providers and local people as well as available resources for providing quality ASRH care for ethnic minorities adolescents, aged between 15 – 19 (both male and female), their parents, service providers and local people in the target provinces, a baseline survey needs to be implemented. The baseline survey will be conducted in two project districts which are Mu Cang Chai and Van Chan and in an additional district (Tram Tau) of Yen Bai Province which is expected to serve as a control group in the first quarter of 2023. This baseline survey will deploy quasi-experimental design in order to support better evidence generation. An external individual consultant or a consulting firm with be recruited to conduct this assignment.

Objectives and Scope of Study

The overall goal of the project is that ethnic minority adolescents (aged between 15 – 19) in remote areas in Vietnam have improved sexual & reproductive health rights. In order to contribute to this goal, SC will partner with Yen Bai Department of Health (DOH) and and Yen Bai Paediatrics and Obstetric hospital to deliver three outcomes:

1. Ethnic minority adolescents and their parents, teachers, health workers and surrounding communities in Yen Bai province have improved knowledge, behaviours and good practices on ASRH care;
2. Local healthcare facilities and community healthcare plans in Yen Bai province are improved to better deliver ASRH care services and supports for adolescents;
3. National government, mass organizations (VWU, VYU), authorities in other provinces, and private healthcare service providers are informed and inspired to strengthen ASRH care particularly in poor, remote and ethnic minority areas.

The main purpose of baseline survey is to capture current statuses of indicators which are designed to measure key outcomes of the project, and to answer additional following research questions (RQ) for the three project objectives about the current situation of ASRH knowledge, practices, and skills in the target areas:

• RQ1. What is the current awareness, attitude and practice, as well as intension, subjective norm and perceived control of ethnic minority adolescents and their parents in target district on ASRH, and compare this rate with group of adolescents and parents in other districts of Yen Bai province with similar geographical and socio-economic conditions?
• RQ2. What is the current use practice and demand for ASRH services among ethnic minority adolescents?
• RQ3. What are gender, cultural, socio-economic factors and policy/ socio-economic development plan of local authorities that influence the adoption of healthy SRH practices of ethnic minority adolescents and their parents, teachers, health workers and surrounding communities in target districts?
• RQ4. What is the current status of knowledge and skills in ASRH of health staff, education staff and surrounding communities in target districts?
• RQ5. Which resources do health facilities, high school and community of target districts have available to provide ASRH care for ethnic minority adolescents, following guidelines and standards of the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Education and Training (MOET)?
• RQ6. What is the current status of health facilities, high school and community of target districts on ASRH care for ethnic minority adolescents?

Please find TOR attached in the link below:

Vacancy: Consultant to conduct baseline survey on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health

The consultant will provide:

1. Review all related documents, including ASRH research report conducted by SC in 2022;
2. Consider and review the geographical, economic, social, demographic, medical and other issues related to the adolescent group aged 15-19 of Tram Tau district to see if it is appropriate to be selected as a control group of the study or not, from which to choose the appropriate control district.
3. Revise and finalize research proposal developed by SC and develop data collection tools including the following points;
   
   • Develop data collection tools based on existing behavior change models and selecting appropriate ones to measure adolescents' SRHR-related behaviors.
   • Finalize the protocol and data collection tools through consulting SC staff and considering inputs by Save the Children Japan.
   • Prepare necessary documents and guide processes to obtain an appropriate ethical review.
4. Implement the various data collection activities specified in the research design. This includes the following activities:
   
   • Apply KOBO toolbox application and organize training for data collectors and supervisors to collect quantitative data.
   • Directly collect data and information for qualitative research.
   • Monitor and ensure the quality of quantitative data survey results.
5. Process and analyse data gathered from the various data collection activities. This includes the following:
   
   • Creation of an electronic database for each type of data collected for the research. A copy of each electronic database created must be submitted to SC at the end of the assignment. 
   • Cleaning and validation of the data collected including the application of range and consistency checks.
   • Generation of results like the computation of indicators and the construction of statistical tables and graphs.  
6. The consultant will present the research findings in the launching workshop attended by relevant stakeholders in May, 2023.Write the first draft and the final version of the research report. The final version must include any modifications needed based on the comments given by SC. The final version of the research report must be written both in English and Vietnamese.

Timeline

The tentative duration for the research from 2^nd week of March to 4^th week of May, 2023. The detailed timeline for each activity will be developed between SC and the consultant.

Estimated commencement date: 20 March, 2023

Estimated end date: 31 May, 2023

Experience and skill set required of consultant / team leader: 

• Postgraduate degree in Medicine, Public Health or Social Science.
• Experience in ASRHR and ethnic minority adolescents is preferred;
• At least 05 years of experience in conducting studies in health care sector;
• At least 05 years of experience and use of qualitative and quantitative research methods (collection and analysis);
• High English proficiency;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, quantitative & qualitative data analysis software (One or more of the following software: SPSS, STATA, EPIDATA, NVivo, ATLAS.ti, etc.).

How to apply

The candidate should submit a technical proposal, financial proposal and CVs through email address: [email protected]

The deadline for submission is: 27^th February 2023 (17:00 PM)