End Line Evaluation Consultancy: HIAS Aruba At HIAS

POSITION SUMMARY:

HIAS Aruba is seeking an experienced evaluation consultant (hereafter ‘evaluator’) to undertake an end line evaluation of the Increasing Protection for Vulnerable Venezuelans in Aruba project funded by the US State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migrants. The project has been implemented by HIAS Aruba between 2019-2021.

HIAS is a global Jewish NGO that stands for a world in which displaced persons attain full potential and contribute to society through sustained legal, social, and systematic change, attaining legal status, exercising social and economic rights and rebuilding their lives. HIAS has been working in Aruba since 2019, focusing on programs dealing with gender-based violence (GBV), mental health & psychosocial support (MHPSS) and economic inclusion (EI).

HIAS Aruba will use the evaluation findings to circulate lessons learned and inform decision-making for future program planning. The evaluation is scheduled to take place during September 2021.

CONTEXT AND PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The Increasing Protection for Vulnerable Venezuelans in Aruba project in Aruba works to increase protection and resilience of Venezuelan refugees and migrants and host communities in Aruba.

HIAS’s program targets the most vulnerable Venezuelan refugees and migrants and focuses on HIAS’s three signature approaches: GBV, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support and Economic Inclusion. with the specific objectives of reducing women and girls’ risk of exposure to GBV, provide access to quality GBV response, improve mental health and wellbeing and support economic integration and durable solutions.

Activities to meet these objectives include cash assistance, mental health counselling and GBV case management services. These activities are delivered by HIAS from the office in Oranjestad.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF EVALUATION:

The end line evaluation will seek to understand how and to what extent project activities achieved the stated outcomes above, including project contributions to overall protection outcomes for the target population.

The evaluation will involve qualitative and quantitative analysis of data collected during the two years of the program implementation. This will include impact and satisfaction surveys and additional MHPSS and self-reliance measurements collected as baseline surveys and progress monitoring.

The scope of the evaluation would focus on program outreach, service delivery modalities, quality of service and impact of interventions. Furthermore, HIAS would like to focus on how to increase its holistic community-based programming in the three thematic areas mentioned above. The results of the evaluation will be used to inform and improve HIAS’ program quality, population targeting, and service modalities. Report write-up will be conducted by the consultant and shared with HIAS. HIAS will disseminate evaluation results to PRM and to the broader evaluation community as appropriate.

The detailed purposes of the evaluation are as detailed below:

1. Assess the outcomes of the project activities underneath each project objective, including both intended and unintended outcomes, both positive and negative
2. Assess and identify critical internal and external factors (including but not limited to the current COVID-19 context) that have contributed to, affected, or impeded project achievements, including how HIAS has managed these factors
3. Identify and articulate lessons learned, good practices, and concrete recommendations to inform future program design for similar projects in this context
4. Assess the sustainability of the program impact on POC in the three signature approaches

The key evaluation questions to be addressed include:

1. How can HIAS Aruba better integrate GBV, MHPSS and EI services to provide a more holistic and sustainable impact in an environment where access to legal status, employment and basic services is limited?
2. How can HIAS Aruba advocate for increased leadership by Aruban authorities and institutions to improvement GBV prevention and response
3. Is HIAS Aruba’s current EI programming relevant to the situation of Venezuelans in Aruba? Specifically, are services such as vocational training appropriate in a context where Venezuelans do not have the right to work?
4. How can HIAS Aruba improve outreach and accountability to population of concern, especially to men?
5. How can community-based programming be improved in an environment where community links are limited and where many live in relative isolation due to the lack of a legal status and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic?
6. How can HIAS facilitate the development of community structures to support GBV survivors, people in need of MHPSS and support community livelihood initiatives
7. How to strengthen links between Persons of Concern community and local community members regarding integration into the local economy considering the legal limitations in Aruba

As a cross-cutting lens, the evaluation will consider how the project outcomes took into account the needs of people of all genders, including men, women, boys, girls, and non-binary individuals.

The evaluation will be conducted in Aruba and focus on the Vulnerable Venezuelan refugees and migrants.

METHODOLOGY:

The selected consultant will be expected to spend 7 working days in Aruba during the field work portion of the evaluation. The field work will be coordinated closely with, and facilitated by, the HIAS Aruba team. The consultant will also work closely with the relevant technical team and MEAL points of contact to ensure the assessment yields information and recommendations most useful to HIAS’ continued work in Aruba. All data must be collected in a COVID-19-safe manner as per HIAS’ COVID-19 safety policies and as aligned with all national and local directives and guidelines in Aruba.

The selected consultant is expected to develop the methodology including tools for data collection and analysis framework. The first deliverable will be a 2-3 page document outlining methodology and data collection methods.

The consultant is expected to use a participatory and rights-based approach that takes into account gender, socioeconomic status and contextual factors and that centers the experiences of people in the project’s target population.

A detailed evaluation design will be developed by the evaluator and should make use of a mix of data collection tools: desk review, field visit, interviews (in person and/or over the phone), questionnaires, as well as through reviewing other documentation such as program data and financial information. The desk review will include the following type of documents: case management files, intake reports, project documentation, meeting reports, etc.

HIAS Aruba will provide access to key staff as well as anonymized project data including:

• Monitoring reports
• Activity data (including attendance records, participant identification records, etc.)
• Satisfaction survey data
• Monitoring data (such as mental health scales, wellbeing survey data)
• Other ad hoc project data

DELIVERABLES:

• Document outlining proposed methodology and approach, integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches. (2-3 pages).
• Evaluation toolkit, to include (but not to be limited to) quantitative tools, such as survey tool and protocols, and qualitative tools, such as focus group discussion guides and / or key informant interview guides
• Final report including 1) Executive Summary 2) Key Findings 3) Programmatic Recommendations. The tools, interview lists, and other relevant material should be placed in annex.
• Presentation of findings and recommendations to evaluation stakeholders and a Q&A session for HIAS Aruba and HQ staff as appropriate.

The Consultant will report to Country Director and will receive input from Program Coordinator as well as the HIAS regional MEAL officer for Latin America and the Caribbean.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in social sciences or other relevant disciplines.
• At least 5 years demonstrated experience in designing, implementing, and conducting evaluations of humanitarian and/or emergency programming, preferably working with refugees and/or forcibly displaced populations
• Demonstrated in-depth understanding and practical experience in GBV, MHPSS or Livelihoods.
• Experience in age, gender and diversity mainstreaming and community-based and human rights approaches preferred
• Experience conducting and facilitating interviews and group discussions in cross-cultural contexts
• Experience designing and implementing beneficiary-based survey research
• Excellent research and communication (oral and written) skills
• Oral and written fluency in English and Spanish required. Working knowledge of Dutch would be beneficial.

ABOUT US:

Over one hundred years ago, the Jewish community founded HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in New York City, the immigrant gateway to America. Supporting Jews fleeing persecution and poverty in Eastern Europe, our founders were guided by the traditions, texts, and history of the Jewish people – a history of oppression, displacement, and diaspora. HIAS has since helped generations of Jews facing violence because of who they were, and HIAS remains committed to helping Jewish refugees anywhere in the world. Today, our clients at HIAS come from diverse faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds, as do our staff. We bring our experience, history, and values to our work across five continents, ensuring that refugees today receive the vital services and opportunities they need to thrive.

HIAS is a learning community, committed to diversity and inclusion. We do our work with integrity, accountability, transparency, and a commitment to the highest ethical standards. We seek employees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences to join our teams located in the United States and across the globe. People who identify as BIPOC, people with disabilities, people from the LGBTQ+ community, and people with lived experiences of forced displacement or immigration are all encouraged to apply. We are committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects our vision, mission, and values.

VISION:

HIAS stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety, and opportunity.

MISSION:

Drawing on our Jewish values and history, HIAS provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.

VALUES:

Welcome • Acogimiento • Hospitalité • Hachnasat Orchim

We Welcome the Stranger

Justice • Justicia • Justice • Tzedek

We Pursue Justice

Empathy • Empatía • Empathie • Chesed

We Approach our Clients with Empathy

Partnership • Compañerismo • Coopération • Chevruta

We Believe in Changing the World through Partnership

Courage • Coraje • Courage • Ometz

We Act with Courage to Build a Better World

Resilience • Resiliencia • Résilience • Ruach

We Adapt and Thrive, Continuously Demonstrating our Resilience

DIVERSITY:

HIAS is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background, ancestry, citizenship status, religious creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, military status, protected veteran status, political orientation, or other legally protected status.