Disability Inclusion Review Consultancy

As a learning organization, Mary MacKillop Today seeks to critically examine the work we do to better understand the individuals we serve and continually strengthen our engagement approach.  Mary MacKillop Today is committed to continuous improvement of our disability inclusion policy and practices. As part of this, Mary MacKillop Today seeks to conduct periodic meta reviews to assess the effectiveness of current disability inclusion practices, highlight areas of programming that need improvement, and provide recommendations on how we can support our partners and staff to ensure inclusive programming. An external organisational review was conducted in November 2023 as part of ongoing efforts to enhance our practices. The process highlighted both strengths and areas for improvement. This Consultancy will address some of the recommendations made as a result of the organisational review and strengthen Mary MacKillop Today’s work in disability inclusion.

Terms of Reference 

The consultancy work is expected to be carried out remotely. This review should cover the last five years, from 2019 to present. 

The purpose of this Consultancy is to:

1/ Revise Mary MacKillop Today’s Disability Inclusion Policy 

Inclusion is central to Mary MacKillop Today’s mission and our organisation is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive workforce. Revision of the Disability Inclusion Policy is intended to formally articulate Mary MacKillop Today’s vision of equity and inclusion, document commitments and strategies to achieve this and outline how the organisation will be held accountable for the commitments made. The reviewer will ensure the policy actively encourages equity and inclusion.

2/ Conduct an independent assessment of programmatic disability inclusion practices

Mary MacKillop Today is commissioning an independent assessment of our disability inclusion practices in relation to Mary MacKillop Today’s programming, including the degree to which Mary MacKillop Today’s Disability Inclusion Policy is being implemented, the ongoing quality of the policy, the effectiveness of existing practices and the extent to which this is documented in related project materials and tools.

3/ Review of Disability Inclusion Focal Point Terms of Reference

The Disability Inclusion Focal Points (2) are responsible for championing and promoting disability inclusion within Mary MacKillop today to ensure that we continually strive towards best practice in all aspects of our work. The reviewer will meet with the Focal Points and relevant leadership staff to explore, among other relevant priorities:

• Setting realistic and time-bound responsibilities for focal points

• Potential opportunities for focal point engagement with DPOs in Australia
• How to access/ set budget for achieving realistic actions every year
• The role of focal points in greater advocacy external to the organization
• Alignment between focal point and organizational priorities

4/ Gain recommendations to strengthen mainstreaming of disability inclusion and promote the empowerment of people living with disabilities in our work.

The assessment will also make recommendations on how to build technical expertise across Mary MacKillop Today offices and in-country partners and ensure Mary MacKillop Today’s processes, tools and documentation enable and reflect an equitable and inclusive approach to programming.

Deliverables 

• Plan (3 pages) for Review outlining:

• • Overview of methods and tools
  • Timeframe
  • Stakeholder engagement plan
  • Risk assessment
  • Ethics considerations
  • Budget
• Consultation data (brief report including methods and outcomes)
• Presentation of Preliminary Findings & Recommendations to Mary MacKillop Today (Australia & Timor-Leste teams)
• Revised Disability Inclusion Policy
• Report addressing the review purpose
• Dissemination Plan and Key Informant Engagement Strategy for sharing of the review findings and recommendations.
• Training for Mary MacKillop Today staff and partners

Consultancy Timeframe  

It is expected that the Consultancy will be completed by April 2024. The Consultant will determine the time required for each phase with consideration of the required consultancy products, methods and timeframe listed above. The specific deadlines will be negotiated with Mary MacKillop Today based on the proposed timeframe in the Consultancy Proposal. Any extension of the Consultancy must be approved by Mary MacKillop Today and is subject to availability of funds.

Budget 

The budget for this evaluation is AUD 9,500 (inclusive of tax and reimbursable expenses).

The Consultant(s) will be required to submit a detailed budget that includes a fee per day for the consultant services, as well as all expenses that derive from the work of the consultancy. The Consultant(s) must consider:

• The payment for this consultancy includes insurance, tax, and any other costs associated with the service.
• The expenses from transport, food, accommodation, and travel (if required) are assumed by the Consultant.
• If the final products of the consultancy are not adequate or accepted by Mary MacKillop Today, the Consultant will reimburse the total value or partial value of the expenses in proportion to the final products presented.

The Consultant will be responsible for their own insurance arrangements (including workers compensation, superannuation guarantee charge, public liability, professional indemnity and/or personal sickness and accident cover), vaccinations, health and security preparedness.

Selection Criteria  

• Proposed methods
• Previous relevant and quality experience conducting similar assignments (including case studies)
• Availability of personnel
• Written and oral communication skills (English professional proficiency required; conversational Tetun desirable)

• Value for money (cost compared to competitors considering the methods being proposed and outcomes that would be achieved)
• Confirmation that the deliverable timeframes can be met
• Identification of risks related to the implementation of this consultancy and Mary MacKillop Today’s approach to disability inclusion.

The Consultancy is open to Australian and/or International Candidates. 

How to Apply  

For a full Terms of Reference, please visit our website. Expressions of Interest (EOI) are due 25 February 2024 by midnight AEDT. EOIs will be assessed on a rolling basis. Please send all expressions of interest Tessa Henwood-Mitchell, Mary MacKillop Today International Programs & Quality Director ([email protected]) and Charlotte Atherton, Mary MacKillop Today Design, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist ([email protected]). Should you have any questions, please contact via email.

All Expressions of Interest should include:

• Up to date CV with details of two relevant referees, for each consultant involved.
• Proposal addressing the Selection Criteria above (no more than 8 pages).

Mary MacKillop Today is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and strongly encourages people from all backgrounds, abilities and identities to apply for any vacancies.