Advanced Self-Care Training Consultant
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Advanced Self-Care Training for the Frontline Responders in Gaza
Implementad by: Alianza por la Solidaridad-ActionAid Spain (Alianza-AA Spain).
Introduction
Alianza por la Solidaridad-ActionAid Spain (Alianza-AA SP) is a feminist, non-governmental, non-denominational and independent organization founded in Spain in 1986, and which has been present in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT) since 1993.
Since 2018, the organization has been a member of ActionAid (AA) International, a global federation working with more than 41 million people in over 70 countries towards a just, fair, and sustainable world in which everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from poverty and oppression. AA works to achieve social justice and gender equality, and to eradicate poverty.
Hand in hand with its Palestinian civil society partners, and in line with its 2020-2026 Strategic Plan, the promotion and defense of women’s rights and gender equality lie at the heart of Alianza-AA SP’s work in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Concretely, its development cooperation and humanitarian programs seek to prevent, respond to and mitigate Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and to ensure women’s civil, political, social and economic rights.
Since October 2023, together with its sister organization, ActionAid Palestine and the AA’s International Humanitarian Action and Resilience Team (IHART), Alianza-AA SP has launched a response to the humanitarian emergency in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, centered on supporting partner organizations to sustain and expand critical basic needs, protection, health and livelihoods services and assistance, with a cross-cutting focus on supporting the participation and leadership of women and young people in the response.
Background
The conflict in Gaza and its broader regional implications have severely affected vulnerable populations, especially women and girls, including GBV survivors and those at risk. In response, Alianza-AA SP, as part of a consortium of international and Palestinian organizations, is implementing
- An ECHO-funded project entitled “Provision of Integrated Life-saving Protection Support for Vulnerable Children and Adults in Gaza and the West Bank” (July 2024 – September 2025).
- A GVA-funded project entitled “Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Women and Girls Affected by the Emergency in Gaza” (April 2025 – March 2026).
These projects are being implemented with long-term partners in Gaza—Al Awda Health and Community Association (AWDA) and the Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA)—who deliver health, protection, and psychosocial support services.
Objective
The objective of this advanced training is to enhance the mental well-being and resilience of frontline staff from AWDA and CFTA. It aims to:
- Equip participants with advanced self-care strategies, stress management techniques, and psychosocial skills.
- Prevent burnout and secondary trauma.
- Foster a supportive and empathetic work environment.
Improve service quality and the capacity to respond to the needs of affected communities.
Scope of Work
The selected consultant will work closely with project staff and implementing partners in Gaza operating in an extreme and high-stress environment, making self-care essential for sustainable service provision. This training is part of Alianza-AA SP’s broader efforts to support frontline workers, ensuring they receive adequate self-care and stress management tools to reduce burnout and secondary trauma.
The training will be based on the "Self-Care Guidelines" developed by Alianza-AA SP and will target AWDA and CFTA frontline staff who have previously received basic self-care training. The focus will be on equipping them with advanced skills in self-awareness and empathy, assertive communication and interpersonal relations, decision-making, problem-solving, and conflict resolution, critical and creative thinking, stress and tension management, and emotional regulation.
All participants will receive a Self-Care Toolkit containing guidelines and materials to support personal and professional well-being. The Advanced Self-Care Training will provide AWDA and CFTA frontline service providers in Gaza with specialized skills to enhance their mental and emotional resilience, enabling them to cope with work-related stress while improving their ability to support beneficiaries. The training will be delivered face-to-face, subject to security conditions.
The consultant will:
- Develop and implement an Advanced Self-Care Training Program for AWDA and CFTA frontline staff, ensuring alignment with ECHO and GVA guidelines and humanitarian best practices.
- Build on previous basic self-care training provided to the same target groups.
- Utilize Alianza-AA SP’s “Self-Care Guidelines” as the foundation for the curriculum.
- Conduct capacity-building workshops focused on stress management, emotional regulation, and burnout prevention.
- Facilitate interactive and participatory learning sessions tailored to the specific needs of AWDA and CFTA service providers.
- Provide post-training individual support and supervision to reinforce skills and encourage long-term application.
- Ensure the training is culturally and contextually relevant, considering the unique challenges faced by service providers in Gaza.
- Deliver comprehensive training toolkits that include exercises, guidelines, and practical self-care techniques and materials.
- Compile and submit a final training report, including feedback, impact assessment, and recommendations for future initiatives.
Each participant will receive a Self-Care Toolkit with relevant resources.
Target Group and Areas
- Participants: 2 groups of 20 staff each (total 40 participants) from CFTA and AWDA
- Locations: Middle and South Gaza (final venues to be confirmed with partners)
Expected Deliverables:
Training Methodology
- Duration: 5 days per location (6 hours per day)*2 locations (total of 10 days/60 hours)
- Format: Group-based, participatory learning
Content:
- Practical exercises from Self-Care Guidelines
- Case studies and real-life scenarios
- Reflective supervision sessions
- Post-training evaluations
Deliverables and Responsibilities
The Consultant Will:
- Design and deliver two 5-day in-person training sessions (one per location)
- Conduct individual post-training supervision (4 sessions per participant over 3 months)
- Distribute Self-Care Toolkits to all participants
- Submit a final training report, including:
- Detailed training agenda
- Attendance records
- Training materials
- Feedback summary and impact analysis
- Recommendations for future programming
Monitoring and Reporting:
- Provide updates to Alianza-AA SP.
- Submit a final narrative and technical report by 15 August 2025.
Implementation Duration
The consultancy will commence on 20 May 2025 and conclude on 19 August 2025. Key milestones include:
1. Consultant recruitment and preparation
May 2025
2. Training delivery
June 2025
3. Supervision sessions
July – August 2025
4. Final report submission including evaluation and recommendations.
15 August 2025
جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.
Requirements of the Consultant
Qualifications and Competencies
The selected consultant must meet the following qualifications and competencies:
- Advanced degree in Psychology, Social Work, Mental Health, or a related field.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in providing training on mental health, psychosocial support (MHPSS), gender-based violence (GBV), and self-care for frontline responders.
- Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing participatory, context-sensitive training programs for humanitarian workers.
- Experience working in conflict and crisis settings, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
- Strong facilitation skills and ability to engage diverse participants in interactive learning approaches.
- Proven ability to conduct post-training supervision and follow-up assessments.
- Excellent organizational, communication, and report-writing skills in English and Arabic.
- Knowledge of ECHO-funded project requirements and humanitarian standards.
5.3 Submission of Proposals
Interested consultants or firms are invited to submit a comprehensive proposal demonstrating their qualifications, approach, and financial offer to fulfil the scope of work outlined in this ToR. Proposals must include the following:
Technical Proposal:
- Approach and Methodology:
- A description of the proposed approach and methodology for achieving the objectives outlined in the ToR.
- A clear work plan, including timelines for completing each activity, deliverable, and milestone.
- Expertise and Experience:
- Evidence of expertise in self-care training, stress management, and psychosocial support (PSS) in humanitarian settings.
- Relevant experience in implementing similar projects and working with frontline responders.
Financial Offer in EURO:
The financial offer must include a detailed budget, structured in the following format:
- Detailed Budget:
- Breakdown of consultancy fees, administrative costs, and any other anticipated expenses required to fulfil the scope of work.
- Daily or hourly rates, along with the estimated time required for each component of the project.
- Total costs should align with industry standards for the region and type of work.
- Payment Schedule:
- Proposed payment milestones based on deliverables and structured around project phases.
- Clear terms outlining when payments will be released upon approval of each milestone or deliverable.
- Tax and Compliance:
- Indication of whether the financial offer includes all applicable taxes.
- Confirmation of compliance with local and international regulations related to consultancy and service contracts.
A detailed budget should be presented in table format, including:
- Consultancy Fees: Daily or hourly rates and the estimated time required for each project component.
- Administrative Costs: Any other costs directly related to project delivery.
- Total Cost: A complete financial summary in EURO, clearly aligned with the requirements specified in Section 1.2.
Submission of offers
Offers should be submitted via email no later than 14 May 2025 to:
Alianza por la Solidaridad office in Jerusalem
Sheikh Jarah, YWCA Building
To: Odate Hanna
Mobile #: 0547500645
Email: [email protected]
Subject: Advanced Self-Care Training Offer
