Terms of Reference for
Trainer for Ambiguous Loss Training Curriculum Development
BACKGROUND
The project “Empowering Survivors and Victims’ Families in Syria to Pursue Justice” is funded by the European Union and implemented by SCM, Massar, and Taafi. This initiative aims to enhance the capacity of Victim Groups (VGs) in Syria. The trainer(s) will conduct a ToT adapting psychological concepts from the books “The Myth of Closure” and “Loss, Trauma, and Resilience: Therapeutic Work with Ambiguous Loss” to the Syrian context.
TEAM STRUCTURE EXPECTATION
For this assignment, it is preferred that applicants propose a team of three experts:
- Two team members will be responsible for conducting the core training sessions. It is preferred that one of them is a psychologist and the other a counselor, to ensure a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to the psychological content.
- A third team member will focus on delivering the Training of Trainers (ToT) module, equipping selected participants with the necessary skills and methodologies to conduct the same training independently. This approach ensures sustainability by enabling trained individuals to roll out the curriculum further.
ELIGIBILITY
Both individual consultants and consulting groups are encouraged to apply to conduct the training preparation, delivery, and follow-up sessions.
PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The purpose of this assignment is for the Trainer(s) to collaboratively conduct a comprehensive training program in Arabic based on complex psychological theories, adapted for practical application by families of victims and professionals supporting survivors.
- The Lead Trainer(s) will deliver training that bridges theoretical knowledge with practical skills to help participants promote resilience and emotional adaptation in dealing with ambiguous loss.
- The ToT Specialist will equip a select group of 8-10 master trainers with advanced facilitation skills and training methodologies, enabling them to train others independently and expand the program’s reach within their communities.
SCOPE OF WORK
- Lead Trainer(s):
- Design and conduct interactive training session for 8-10 master trainees –who then shall roll out the training to other 60 participants– utilising participatory methods such as brainstorming, group exercises, simulations, and case analyses.
- Facilitate blended learning through presentations, hands-on exercises, and real-life case studies to ensure participants understand and can apply the concepts effectively.
- ToT Specialist (Trainer of Trainers):
- Design and conduct Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions specifically for 8-10 master trainers, equipping them with the skills and strategies needed to effectively train others.
- Provide focused training on training methodologies, facilitation techniques, and participant engagement strategies to enable these master trainers to independently conduct sessions for future participants.
Together, the Trainer(s) will ensure that all participants gain a strong foundation in the material, with the master trainers equipped to replicate the training for 60 other participants.
KEY DELIVERABLES
- Develop Training Material and Content based on research findings and book references, adapted for the Syrian context in Arabic.
- Conduct Pre-Training and Post-Training Assessments to evaluate participants’ knowledge and skills gained.
- Facilitate Training Sessions in Berlin for master trainers and follow up on 4-5 subsequent training sessions for 60 VGs trainees.
- Comprehensive Training Report documenting the outcomes, feedback, and recommendations from the training sessions.
METHODOLOGY
- Employ interactive and participatory approaches to engage participants in understanding ambiguous loss.
- Use individual and group exercises to reinforce learning and practical application of concepts.
- Facilitate follow-up and feedback mechanisms to ensure that training objectives are achieved.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Collaborate with partners (SCM, Massar Families, Taafi) to confirm training needs, objectives, and curriculum structure.
- Develop Training Curriculum based on pre-existing scientific material provided by the project team and submit it for internal review and approval prior to delivery.
- Create Pre and Post-Workshop Questionnaires for measuring effectiveness and ensuring practical understanding.
- Facilitate Training Delivery and Active Participation during sessions, ensuring comprehension and engagement.
- Follow up on 4-5 subsequent training sessions for 60 VGs trainees.
- Produce a Detailed Training Report with insights, challenges, and feedback.
SKILLS/COMPETENCIES
- Advanced degree in psychology, education, or a related field.
- Experience in training delivery within conflict or post-conflict settings, with a solid understanding of ambiguous loss and psychological resilience.
- Strong facilitation skills with a proven ability to design engaging training sessions for diverse audiences, including master trainers and frontline workers.
- Proficiency in Arabic and English, with experience in adapting psychological theories to practical training contexts.
- Expertise in Training of Trainers (ToT) methodologies, enabling the effective training of others to ensure knowledge transfer and sustainability of the training impact.
- Demonstrated ability to create participatory training environments that foster active engagement and collaborative learning among participants.
This comprehensive skill set will empower the Trainers to deliver impactful training and effectively develop the capabilities of future trainers in the field.
PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE
- First Instalment (40%): Upon completion of the main training session.
- Second Instalment (30%): After following up on the four-five rollout training sessions conducted for 60 participants.
- Third Instalment (30%): Upon submission and acceptance of the comprehensive training report.
TENDER PROCEDURE:
Required supporting documents:
For interested candidates, please send in the following:
- Updated CVs of the applicants
Applicants should provide clear evidence that showcases how their collective qualifications, experiences, and capabilities are relevant to various aspects of the tender.
- Technical proposal
The technical proposal should include but not limited to the following information:
- A brief outline of recent experience and client references in carrying out assignments of similar nature (Max. 3 pages)
- Detailed description of how the consultant/firm understands and will respond to the ToR including an initial training outline and a time frame.
- Financial proposal
The financial proposal must include a total cost in Euros with a summary of all services provided.
Selection process:
The selection criteria shall adhere to the following guidelines:
- Financial Assessment: 20% of the overall assessment.
- Technical Assessment: 80% of the overall assessment distributed as following:
- Context Knowledge: Familiarity with the region’s specifics and proven experience in capacity building within this context. 20%
- Topic Expertise: Depth of experience and knowledge in the specific training topic. 30%
- Training Experience and Skills: Demonstrated proficiency and effectiveness in training delivery and facilitation. 20%
- Proposal Assessment: How well the proposed outline aligns and responds to the stated objectives. 10%
———————————–
Terms of Reference
For the trainer to develop a training curriculum on mysterious loss
background
The European Union funds the project “Empowering Survivors and Victims’ Families in Syria to Pursue Justice,” implemented by the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), the Masar Families Association, and the Ta’afi Initiative. This project aims to strengthen the capacity of victims’ groups in Syria. Trainers will conduct a Training of Trainers (ToT) to adapt psychological concepts from the books “The Myth of Closure” and “Loss, Trauma, and Resilience: Therapeutic Work with Ambiguous Loss” by Pauline Boss to the Syrian context.
Team Structure Expectations
For this task, applicants are encouraged to propose a team of three experts :
- Two team members will be responsible for implementing the core training sessions. Preferably, one will be a psychologist/psychiatrist and the other a counselor, to ensure comprehensive psychological content and a multidisciplinary approach.
- The third team member will focus on delivering a training of trainers (ToT) module, with the goal of equipping selected participants with the skills and methodologies necessary to implement the same training independently. This approach ensures sustainability by enabling trained individuals to scale up the implementation of the training curriculum.
Eligibility
Both individual consultants and consulting firms are encouraged to apply to implement training preparations, sessions, and follow-ups.
Mission objective
The project aims to enable trainers to implement a comprehensive training program in Arabic based on complex psychological theories adapted for practical application for victims’ families and survivor support professionals.
The lead trainer will deliver training that links theoretical knowledge with practical skills to help participants enhance resilience and emotional coping.
The trainer training specialist will train 8-10 lead trainers in facilitation techniques and advanced training methods, enabling them to train others and expand the program’s reach.
Scope of work
- Head Coach:
- Design and implement interactive training sessions for 8-10 lead trainees, who will in turn train another 60 participants, using interactive methods such as brainstorming, group exercises, simulations, and case analysis.
- Facilitate blended learning through presentations, practical exercises, and real-life case studies to ensure effective understanding and application of concepts.
- Training of Trainers (ToT) Specialist:
- Design and implement Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions for 8-10 master trainers, equipping them with effective skills and strategies to train others.
- Providing specialized training in training methods, facilitation techniques, and strategies for interacting with participants, so that they are able to conduct sessions independently.
The trainers will work together to ensure all participants have a solid foundation in the content, with lead trainers equipped with the skills to replicate the training to another 60 participants.
Main Products
- Develop training materials and content based on research study findings and book references, adapting them to the Syrian context in Arabic.
- Conduct pre- and post-training assessments to measure acquired skills and knowledge.
- Facilitate the training session in Berlin for the master trainers, and follow-up four/five subsequent training sessions for 60 participants from victim groups.
- A comprehensive training report documenting the results, observations, and recommendations from the training sessions.
methodology
- Use interactive methods to engage trainees in understanding ambiguous loss.
- Apply individual and group exercises to reinforce learning and apply concepts in practice.
- Facilitate follow-up and feedback mechanisms to ensure the achievement of training objectives.
Duties and responsibilities
- Collaborate with partners (Syrian Center, Masar Families, Recovery Initiative) to confirm training needs and curriculum objectives.
- Prepare a training curriculum (based on pre-existing scientific materials provided by the project team) and submit it for internal review and approval by the team prior to implementation.
- Create pre- and post-workshop surveys to measure the effectiveness of the training and gain practical understanding.
- Facilitate training and active participation during sessions to ensure content absorption and engagement.
- Follow-up 4 to 5 subsequent training sessions for 60 trainees from victim groups.
- Prepare a detailed training report that includes insights, challenges, and observations.
Skills/Competencies
- Advanced degree in psychology, education, or a related field.
- Experience delivering training in conflict or post-conflict settings, with a deep understanding of the ambiguous topic of loss and psychological resilience.
- Strong facilitation skills and proven ability to design engaging training sessions for diverse groups, including lead trainers and field workers.
- Proficiency in Arabic and English with experience in adapting psychological theories to practical training contexts.
- Experience in Training of Trainers (ToT) methods to ensure knowledge transfer and sustainability of training impact.
- Ability to create collaborative training environments that promote interaction and collaborative learning.
Proposed payment schedule
- First payment (40%) : Upon completion of the main training session.
- Second batch (30%) : After following four or five training sessions for the 60 participants.
- Third payment (30%) : Upon submission and approval of the comprehensive training report.
Tender procedures:
Required documents:
1- Updated CV of applicants. Applicants must provide clear evidence of their relevant qualifications and experience, demonstrating their suitability for the various aspects of the tender.
2- Technical proposal
The technical proposal must contain:
- Brief summary of recent experience and references of clients performing similar tasks (maximum 3 pages).
- A detailed description of how the consultant or firm understands and will respond to the terms of reference, including an initial training plan and timeline .
3- Financial proposal
The financial proposal must include a summary of the total costs of the proposed services in euros.
Selection process
Selection criteria will be based on the following principles:
- Financial evaluation: represents 20% of the total evaluation.
- Technical evaluation: represents 80% of the total evaluation, distributed as follows:
- Contextual Knowledge: In-depth experience and understanding of the specifics of the region and context. (20%)
- Subject Matter Expertise: Depth of experience and knowledge in the specific training topic. (30%)
- Training Experience and Skills: Proven competency in delivering and facilitating training. (20%)
- Proposal evaluation: The extent to which the proposal is appropriate and consistent with the specified objectives. (10%)
How to apply
Tenders shall be submitted by email only (with attachments) to the email address in the table below, with the following reference in the subject: Ambiguous Loss – Trainer
We encourage you to send us your questions for any clarifications before submitting your application.
Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
Deadline for submission of tenders/offers
10 August 2025 at 23:59 (Paris time)
Email for submission of tenders/offers
jobs@scm.ngo
Email for questions
jobs@scm.ngo CCing: ahmad.helmi@taafi-sy.orgkhalil.alhajsaleh@massarfamilies.comsalma.kowatli@scm.ngo
Contract duration
2 Months
Expected starting date of execution
01 September 2025
———————————–
Proposals should be submitted via email only, attaching the required documents and stating “Mysterious Loss Coach” in the subject line. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
We encourage you to submit your inquiries for clarification before submitting your proposal.
Deadline for submission of tenders: 10 August 2025, 23:59 (Paris time)
Email for submission of tenders: jobs@scm.ngo
Email for inquiries: jobs@scm.ngo With a copy to:
- ahmad.helmi@taafi-sy.org
- khalil.alhajsaleh@massarfamilies.com
- salma.kowatli@scm.ngo
Contract duration
2 months
Expected implementation start date
September 1, 2025