Vacancy Announcement: Youth Consultant - Youth LGBTIQ Leadership Training Module

Terms of Reference

Youth Consultant to develop Youth LGBTIQ Leadership Training Module

About Youth LEAD

Youth LEAD is a growing regional network of young key populations in Asia and the Pacific. We empower young key populations through capacity building, leadership strengthening and advocacy, and build partnerships between local, national, and regional YKP organizations. We want to ensure more meaningful participation and involvement of YKP in all levels of decision making and to create a new generation of youth leaders in the HIV response.

Background

In the Asia-Pacific region, young trans people face increased vulnerability to discrimination and abuse affecting their ability to access trans-competent healthcare and basic social services. Despite the existence of trans- and youth-led organizations, restrictive legal and policy frameworks limit their capacity to support young trans people. The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to decreased funding for essential health and social services for trans people, compounding the already limited access to such services for trans youth. 

Based on survey assessments conducted by the Asia Pacific Transgender Network (APTN), there is a lack of capacity building and development for younger trans people to serve as leaders in their respective organizations and communities. The existing barriers to health and social services for young trans people call for the leadership and meaningful engagement of trans youth to develop appropriate interventions. More efforts must be taken to recognise the realities and intersectionalities of young trans people’s lives, and to enable young trans people to take up leadership roles to address their community’s needs.

In partnership with APTN, under the Project “Transcending Borders: Strengthening trans and gender diverse movements towards transformative leadership, legal protection and trans-competent healthcare in Asia-Pacific and Africa” funded by the Robert Carr Fund (RCF), Youth LEAD aims to develop a Youth LGBTIQ Leadership Training Module to equip young LGBTIQ people, especially trans youth, with the skills needed to take up leadership positions and participate in decision-making bodies within the context of HIV response and programming. The Youth LGBTIQ Leadership Training Module will cover the issues and needs of LGBTIQ youth in HIV response, with a specific focus on trans youth in the Asia-Pacific region. It will build on and adapt existing tools on trans and youth leadership and advocacy developed by Youth LEAD and APTN, including Youth LEAD’s New Gen Training Manual.  

Objectives

• To develop a comprehensive, adaptable, and youth-friendly tool for young LGBTIQ persons on leadership, advocacy, and intersectionality in HIV response; 
• To increase the capacity of young LGBTIQ persons in Asia-Pacific through a pilot training using the completed Leadership Training Module.

Outcomes

• A comprehensive, adaptable, and youth-friendly Leadership Training Module has been developed for young LGBTIQ persons;
• A pilot training using the completed Leadership Training Module has been conducted with young LGBTIQ persons in Asia-Pacific.

Scope of Work

Under the overall supervision of the Youth LEAD Secretariat and reporting directly to the Communications and Project Officer, the Youth Consultant, in collaboration with the Lead Consultant, will support the development of a Youth LGBTIQ Leadership Training Module (henceforth, “Training Module”) based on Youth LEAD’s New Gen Training Manual (henceforth, “Manual”). 

The Youth Consultant is an important position which ensures the involvement of young people in the development of the Training Module. The Youth Consultant is responsible for ensuring the Training Module reflects the issues and needs of young LGBTIQ persons in the context of HIV response and programming in the Asia-Pacific region. The Youth Consultant must also ensure that an intersectional approach to discussions, sessions, and activities is used throughout the Training Module. 

Activities

The Youth Consultant, in collaboration with the Lead Consultant, and with support from the Youth LEAD Secretariat, will review Youth LEAD’s New Gen Training Manual and develop a proposed outline of the Training Module. To ensure the issues and needs of LGBTIQ youth are integrated into the Training Module, the proposed outline should include sessions or activities that: 

• highlight common issues hindering young LGBTIQ people, especially young transgender people, from taking up leadership roles and participating in decision-making bodies;
• develop a shared understanding on the role that young LGBTIQ leaders have in HIV response;
• develop young LGBTIQ people’s leadership and advocacy skills, including interpersonal, public speaking, and teamwork skills.

In addition, the outline should include:

• background of the Training Module;
• methodology, necessary materials/presentations, and time requirements per activity session;
• guidelines for facilitators;
• references as necessary.

Based on the agreed outline, both Consultants will jointly develop the first draft of the Training Module and submit it to the Secretariat for review and feedback. Both Consultants will address the Secretariat’s feedback and develop the final draft. Once the Training Module has been finalized and published by Youth LEAD, both Consultants will be expected to facilitate a pilot training with young LGBTIQ participants using the Training Module.

The Training Module should be approximately 20-25 pages.

Workplan

Duration and Working Days

The contract duration is estimated to require 12 working days. The assignment will start on 1 August and end on 15 September 2022, subject to extension as required and approved by Youth LEAD. The consultant will be home-based and work remotely; no international or domestic travel is expected for this consultancy.

Proposed Budget and Payment

The total budget for the consultancy is US$2,000. The finance section will deduct (15%) tax as per the rules and regulations of the Kingdom of Thailand.

Payment will be made as follows: 30% will be paid after signing the contract, while 70% will be paid after submission of the final deliverables to the satisfaction of Youth LEAD.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Development Studies, Human Rights, Communications, or any relevant field;
• At least 1 year of work experience in HIV/AIDS, LGBTIQ rights, youth, health or any relevant field;
• Demonstrated experience working with youth, LGBTIQ people, especially trans people, at the country or regional level;
• Proven experience in developing and implementing training modules, including leadership training, is an asset;
• Knowledge of trans and youth issues in Asia-Pacific, including on HIV response and human rights advocacy
• Excellent writing and communication skills.

Language

Fluency in English; knowledge of another Asian or Pacific language is an asset. 

Young LGBTIQ people, especially young trans people, (below 30 years old) are encouraged to apply

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates are requested to send their updated CVs and a motivation letter to careers@youth-lead.orgwith the subject line "[Name]_YouthConsultant_YouthLGBTIQTraining” on or before 5 August 2022, 11:59 pm Bangkok Time (GMT +7). Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview.