Following the January 12th 2010 earthquake, Haiti has experienced tremendous difficulties in its recovery, especially in urban and densely populated neighborhoods known as slums. In order to allow the affected population to return to safe homes, it is necessary to address their diverse needs more effectively and efficiently, through an integrated approach encompassing shelter, water and sanitation, health, disaster risk reduction and livelihoods issues.
The American Red Cross (ARC) is developing a program that will focus on the reconstruction and upgrading of Baillergeau and Campeche, two neighborhoods of Carrefour Feuilles, a Port-au-Prince district characterized by a high destruction rate, multiple risks due to steep slopes and ravines, limited or non-existent basic urban services and a low-income population.
A first phase of this program (“Phase 1”) has been planned to gather information, build partnerships and mobilize communities, over a period of two months. Working together with the national and local government, international organizations, community organizations and residents is a key to success. Phase 1 will also be the occasion to acquire a deeper knowledge of the physical, environmental, economic, social and legal context in the area thanks to joint assessment work led by ARC program staff and consultants. Results from Phase 1 will be used to inform the development of the ARC’s longer term Integrated Neighborhood Reconstruction and Recovery Program.
During Phase 1, ARC will conduct the following assessments:

1. Integrated Participatory Community Assessment (i.e. this TOR)
2. Enumeration
3. Assessment of Household and Market Economies
4. Environmental Impact Assessment (TBC)
5. Mapping exercise and geospatial analysis
By way of these Terms of Reference, ARC seeks an experienced consultant/firm in order to contextualize, adapt, develop and apply urban participatory community assessment tools and methodologies in order to collect information that will inform an Integrated Neighborhood Approach program. Information Needs and Tools for the Participatory Assessment (Health, DRR, Livelihoods, Shelter, Water & Sanitation, and Social Dynamics) provides an overview of the anticipated needs and tools to conduct this assessment in Port au Prince, Haiti.
ARC will conduct participatory vulnerability and capacity assessments in urban communities, in order to ensure community participation throughout the program cycle. Community-based programs, as well as community-based participatory tools such as Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (VCA), Community Based Health and First Aid (CBHFA), Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST), Participatory Approach To Safe Shelter Awareness (PASSA), are not new to the global Red Cross network; however, they have not been previously applied in an integrated fashion in urban communities in Haiti.
The ARC intends to conduct training for its staff on how to apply finalized assessment tools, and to carry out participatory assessments in targeted urban communities in order to develop an integrated program proposal.

As mentioned above, in addition to the participatory community assessments, ARC will also carry out sector specific technical assessments (technical baseline survey) and enumerations (for the shelter program). ARC will work to ensure there is adequate coherence and coordination between these various assessments.

The main purpose of this consultancy is to contextualize, adapt and/or develop and apply participatory assessment tools and methodologies in communities in two targeted urban neighborhoods in Haiti (Baillergeau and Campeche), in order to inform the development of an Integrated Neighborhood Approach program; this work will ensure community participation, identify community needs and adhere to ARC standards and best practice.

The assessment will require a consultant with strong participatory research skills and extensive experience in qualitative data collection in post-disaster urban development settings.

Qualifications – Required:
- Extensive experience and proven track record in the design and implementation of community-based programming, particularly in an urban and/or post disaster recovery context in developing countries
- Demonstrated expertise in qualitative data collection and analysis
- Demonstrated experience in training for participatory assessments (VCA, CBFHA, PRA)
- Fluency in English and French required

Qualifications – Preferred:
- Professional work experience in Haiti
- Post graduate degree from a recognized institution relating to community development, social research or social sciences
- Red Cross experience

Please note: The participatory assessment process and outcomes are linked with other assessments and the ARC is also seeking consultants or firms to prepare a map and geospatial profile of the targeted area and to establish a plan to reconstruct the neighborhood. The TOR for this consultancy will be posted separately. Consultants and firms who have expertise in both are encouraged to apply for both assignments.

The consultant(s) will be responsible for the following deliverables over an anticipated period of two months. Specific deadlines will be determined through discussion with the consultant:
1. Work plan
2. Finalized participatory urban community assessment tools
3. Training curriculum on for ARC staff on conducting participatory community assessments
4. Draft report with analysis and recommendations (findings will inform community action plans and Integrated Neighborhood Approach program)
5. Community Action Plans (2 neighborhoods, 4-5 urban communities )
6. Final report with analysis and recommendations

Using a participatory process, the consultant(s) will conduct training on implementing participatory assessments in urban communities for 15-20 ARC field staff using learning-by-doing training techniques. Trained field staff will be deployed to the two targeted neighborhoods to carry out participatory community assessments along with community representatives. The consultant(s) will coordinate the assessment process and supervise and support the assessment teams in order to ensure community participation and the quality, consistency and credibility of assessment results

The consultant(s) will be expected to undertake the following activities:

Step 1: Review secondary information (including ACT assessment)
Step 2: Develop, contextualize and/or adapt existing ARC participatory tools and methodologies, based on information needs presented in Annex 1a
Step 3: Develop a contextualized training curriculum
Step 4: Conduct participatory assessment skill development training for 15-20 ARC field staff
Step 5: Create 3-4 teams from trained field staff
Step 6: Supervise each team as they carry out participatory assessments and community action planning (each team to cover 1-2 communities; each community to be assessed over a period of 10 days)
Step 7: Facilitate the development of a community action plan in each of the 4-5 communities within the two targeted neighborhoods (Bailergeau and Campeche),
Step 8: Draft and finalize report with findings of the participatory assessments and with the community action plans
The participatory assessment process and outcomes are to be coordinated with the other assessments listed above. In particular, the consultant(s) will need to closely coordinate and share information with the mapping team and GIS consultant/s as this team will be developing a profile of the targeted neighborhoods.

This advertisement does not include the entire Terms of Reference and supporting documents. Please email the point of contact.