Consultant on Mental Health Integration in Love Alliance Programming

Terms of Reference (TOR) for Hiring a Consultant on Mental Health Integration in Love Alliance Programming

Aidsfonds – Soa Aids Nederland works towards a world where no one dies of aids anymore and where people are sexually healthy, so that everyone can love freely and without fear. We do this together with the people who are hit hardest by STIs and HIV because of discrimination and exclusion. We strengthen their voices and support them with information, knowledge and funding. For the love of all loves. We are working on this in the Netherlands in two focus regions and in 10 countries worldwide. In order to make our dream a reality, we make sure that the international department briefly defines the role/task of the department in the organisation as a whole.

For the Love Alliance we are looking for a Consultant on Mental Health Integration.

1. Background

Following the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the Love Alliance programme, a key recommendation emerged to explore ways to incorporate a mental health component into existing advocacy programmes, particularly for advocates from key population groups. This recommendation is viewed as a significant initiative for a potential Love Alliance 2. However, immediate action is needed to ensure that mental health is effectively integrated into the current Love Alliance programming. A task team is being established to guide this integration, and the Love Alliance seeks to hire a consultant to provide expert support in achieving the task team’s objectives.

1. Objectives of the Consultancy

The consultant will work closely with the task team to:

1. Assess Current Commitment: Evaluate how the Love Alliance currently addresses the mental health and wellbeing of activists and staff and identify opportunities for strengthening this commitment.
2. Develop Integration Strategies: Create actionable recommendations for integrating mental health and wellbeing into current and future Love Alliance programming, with a focus on the potential Love Alliance 2.
3. Facilitate Learning and Awareness: Support the task team in increasing awareness of mental health issues among activists and in integrating mental health considerations into advocacy messages.

1. Scope of Work

The consultant will undertake the following activities:

1. Review and Analysis: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing Love Alliance programmes to assess how mental health is currently addressed, including the challenges and gaps.
2. Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with alliance partners, coordinators, thematic leads, and thought leaders to gather insights and perspectives on mental health needs within the Love Alliance.
3. Session Facilitation: Assist in organizing and facilitating up to four task team sessions with representatives from alliance partners. These sessions will explore opportunities for integrating mental health into programming and provide a platform for collaborative discussion. The outcomes of the sessions will inform the recommendations.
4. Recommendations Development: Based on the findings from the review and sessions, develop a set of recommendations for integrating mental health into the current Love Alliance programme (until 2025) and into a potential Love Alliance 2.
5. Documentation and Reporting: Document the process, findings, and recommendations in a comprehensive report to be shared with the task team and the Love Alliance Steering Committee.

1. Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver the following:

1. Evaluation Report: A detailed report assessing the current support provided by the Love Alliance for mental health and identifying areas for improvement.
2. Session Facilitation: Facilitate four task team sessions, ensuring active engagement and contribution from all participants.
3. Recommendations Document: A set of documented recommendations for the current programme (until 2025) and for the potential Love Alliance 2, focusing on integrating mental health into advocacy and programming.
4. Final Report: A comprehensive final report summarizing the entire process, findings, and actionable recommendations for the Love Alliance.

1. Timeline and budget

The consultancy is expected to be completed within 2 months.

Key milestones include:

• Week 1-2: Inception meeting and initial review of existing programmes.
• Week 3-4: Stakeholder engagement and data collection.
• Week 5-8: Facilitation of task team sessions and development of recommendations.
• Week 9-10: Finalization and submission of deliverables.

The total budget for this opportunity is €6.000 excluding VAT.

1. Required Qualifications

The consultant should possess the following qualifications:

• Extensive experience in mental health integration, particularly within advocacy or human rights programmes.
• Strong knowledge of issues related to mental health and wellbeing for key population groups.
• Proven experience in facilitating workshops or task teams and engaging diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and report-writing skills.
• Familiarity with the Love Alliance or similar advocacy programmes is an asset.

1. Application Process

Interested consultants should submit the following:

• A detailed proposal outlining their approach to the consultancy, including a work plan and timeline.
• A financial proposal with a breakdown of costs.
• A CV highlighting relevant experience and qualifications.
• Samples of previous work related to mental health integration or similar projects.

1. Submission Deadline

Proposals should be submitted by 27th of September 2024 to tstewart@aidsfonds.com.