Emotional Resilience Consultant 

TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) 

1. Background, Objectives and Justification 

The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) is an independent not-for profit organisation that works with media and civil society to promote positive change in conflict zones, closed societies, and countries in transition around the world. As part of its program activities, IWPR is implementing its initiative Building Resilience in the Eastern Neighbourhood (BREN), which is supported by the UK Government’s Integrated Security Fund (ISF). Additionally, the CDMCD (Countering Disinformation Moldova: Collaboration and Defence) project complements these efforts by strengthening the capacity, collaboration and effectiveness of local Moldovan organisations to counter disinformation and to improve resilience of the Moldovan public to disinformation and interference from hostile actors. BREN and CDMCD projects under the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) are focused on strengthening community resilience and fostering informed civic engagement. Both projects emphasize the critical role of emotional resilience in overcoming challenges, particularly in situations involving conflict and disinformation. 

IWPR’s BREN program and CDMCD seeks to strengthen the resilience of non-state actors, including marginalised communities, and enhance their ability to deliver transformative, inclusive, and sustainable contributions to peace, stability and security in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Moldova. Civil society organisations (CSOs) in these four countries face a range of challenges and threats to their work. Notably, CSOs, particularly those that work with marginalized communities, are experiencing stressful conditions leading to anxiety and deteriorating mental health among the CSO employees.  

IWPR is seeking a local expert consultant in Moldova to provide an individual and organizational emotional resilience workshop for up to 18 individuals representing 18 CSOs. Among these, 8 are BREN partners and 10 are CDMCD partners. The activity’s objective is to strengthen the individual’s own ability and their organization’s ability to manage stress and trauma among its employees working in challenging environments.  

The trainer will deliver an in-person, one-day training and workshop for up to 18 CSO employees that covers the following key areas: provide information, guidance, and coping mechanisms on managing stress, anxiety and trauma for CSO employees working in challenging operating environments and/or with traumatized beneficiaries. The training and workshop should address three key areas of stress experienced by CSO workers and corresponding resilience techniques: 1) personal stress and/or trauma experienced first-hand by the CSO employee; 2) organizational stress; and 3) engaging with victims of trauma and do no harm (for example, those CSOs that work with vulnerable communities). 

All trainers and mentors must speak Romanian.  

2. Scope of Work  

The Consultant will support building the emotional resilience of CSO employees as follows: 

1) Provide one in-person, full-day training and workshop on managing individual and organizational stress, anxiety and trauma. Up to 18 individuals are eligible to participate in the training. The participants should learn individual and organizational stress management skills and coping mechanisms. 

3. Main Deliverables and Timeline  

4. Budget 

Please submit a budget for IWPR’s review.  

• The budget should include all project-specific costs and expenses, including trainer and mentor fees, travel, etc. Consultant fees should be expressed in terms of an hourly or day rate, as applicable. 

• The Consultant does not need to include logistical costs related to providing the in-person training, e.g. venue, catering, teleconferencing set up. IWPR will directly coordinate and fund such logistics. 

5. Payment Schedule 

The consultant will invoice for services rendered based on the Milestones identified in the table above. 

6. Work Relationships 

The Consultant shall report to and work directly with the BREN and CDMCD Capacity Building Manager. The Consultant will also work with IWPR’s respective country coordinators in each country. 

7. Application and Evaluation Process 

The Consultant should submit the following to vonda@iwpr.net and merdijana@iwpr.net by no later than October 23, 2024: 

1. Proposed work plan, including sample training and workshop agenda and topics. 

2. Description of the organization or trainers/mentors and their respective experience and capabilities related to subject matter of this ToR.  

3. CVs of all proposed trainers and/or mentors.  

4. Itemized budget for all costs and fees based on the chart in item 3 above (detailed costs in British Pound Sterling (GBP £), with applicable Tax/Charges clearly identified, and provided against each of the categories of services described in the chart.) 

5. Contact name, email address, and telephone number to facilitate communication between IWPR and the Consultant. 

 Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria: 

Experience – 30 points: Ability to deliver all the requirements required by IWPR  

Price – 30   points: Value for money 

Technical- 40 points: Responsiveness to the ToR specifications and requirements.