The Josephite Refugee Mentor Support Program (JRMSP) operates under the auspices of the Sisters of St Joseph. The purpose of this consultancy is to establish a program design and baseline to assist in enabling the program to continue its legacy under Mary MacKillop Today.

The JRMSP links volunteer mentors with young women and men who are commencing tertiary education at University or TAFE or proceeding to meaningful employment. The program was developed out of the recognition by the Sudanese leaders that their young people were failing to proceed to a meaningful life post school. Also, the young people graduating high school do not have the appropriate guidance to successfully navigate the tertiary education system, including accessing financial assistance services. The aim of the program is to empower these young people and their families to establish, strengthen and expand their educational and employment related networks and opportunities.

Purpose

The purpose of the consultancy:

1. Literature Review: Literature review of best practice refugee mentoring programs in Australia.
2. Design Document: Facilitate a project co-design process with relevant community stakeholders to produce a Project Design Document that will be used to guide project implementation, risk management, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
3. Baseline Report: Collect data for the outcome indicators from the stakeholders aligned to the monitoring and evaluation plan detailed in the Design Document.
4. Volunteer Management: Advise on volunteer management models and compliance requirements.

Scope

The Design & Baseline will be undertaken in the following target communities and locations:

1. South Sudanese community and stakeholders in Blacktown.
2. Sisters of St Joseph, Mary MacKillop Today and current JRMSP Program Coordinator and Mentors based in Northern Sydney.

Mary MacKillop Today are committed to community-led development. Involving the stakeholders in all stages of project design, planning, implementation and review enhances empowerment of those involved and ultimately contributes to the ownership and sustainability of the project. For this reason, all stakeholders need to be involved in the design and baseline survey processes. Approaches to conducting planning and consultation sessions should take into consideration access, communicative, safety and social barriers that may prevent the participation of groups affected by marginalisation such as people with disability, women and girls or others who experience exclusion in target communities.

The Design and Baseline will include the following stakeholders:

• Past and current South Sudanese youth mentees, youth leaders and family members
• Current Mentors
• Selected High Schools in Western Sydney
• South Sudanese Community leaders
• Sister of St Joseph and Mary MacKillop Today

Logistics

This consultancy will be conducted at the Consultant’s discretion with internet and phone access. The Consultant will be responsible for ensuring any additional costs including transportation to consultations in Western Sydney and North Sydney are included in the budget.

Timeframe

The consultant may work a maximum of 25 days during March 2023. Any extension of Consultancy must be approved by Mary MacKillop Today and is subject to availability of funds.
The consultant will determine the timeframe with consideration of the following proposed phases:

• Development of Consultancy Proposal/Design Plan
• Literature Review
• Development or adaptation of data collection tools and approaches
• Data collection and consultation with key stakeholders
• Data collation, documentation and analysis of results/findings
• Baseline report on key outcome indicators
• Volunteer Management Practice Recommendations
• ‘Sense Making’ process where findings are shared with and analysed by stakeholders consulted
• Delivery of Draft Project Design Document
• Feedback from stakeholders
• Feedback from Mary MacKillop Today
• Delivery of Final Project Design Document

There will be at least one week allocated between the Draft and Final Project Design and report for Mary MacKillop Today to send comments to the consultant for Final Project Design and report finalisation.

Expressions of interest

Expressions of interest are due by February 23rd 2023. Please send all expressions of interest to Maria Attard to [email protected].

All expressions of interest should include:

1. Current CV with details of 2 relevant referees
2. 1-page statement of capability addressing the selection criteria.
3. 1 page proposed design plan (including milestones, tools selected for each part of the design process and limitations of consultancy)
4. Quotation including daily rate, and confirmation of availability to complete the consultancy within the specified time frame

Please read the Terms of Reference for a more detailed overview of the position.