Decade of Belonging - Celebrating Diversity

Project financed by the European Union (EU) program IPA Civil Society Facility and Media Programme 2014, Support to Civil Society Organisations under the Civil Society Facility and Media Freedom Action in 2014, Budget line: 22.020401, Reference: EuropeAid / 136-992 / DD / ACT / MK

TERMS OF REFERENCE
for Individual expert residency dedicated to sharing and replication of good practices

Local Community Development and Creative and Active Struga for the needs of the project "Decade of Belonging - Celebrating Diversity" are seeking one (1) Individual expert-in-residence who will share and replicate good practice. We are looking for individuals, artists, academics, cultural workers and creative people living and working in highly multicultural environments. The project has a strong commitment to supporting experienced and emerging talent and would particularly welcome candidates with skills and from young practices. The residencies will provide the possibility for the visitors to reflect upon and research our target municipalities and prepare engaging plans, recommendations or other urban products to share best practices of interethnic living and working from their society.

1. Current state of affairs in the relevant sector
Local communities in the southwest region of Macedonia are divided along ethnic lines and do not have opportunities to develop genuine interaction and regain trust among each other. Even though municipalities are small, social spaces such as café bars, restaurants, cultural and sports events are clearly ethnically divided. Young people study in different shifts so they do not meet, and cannot understand each other as they do not even speak eachothers’ languages. By organizing joint actions and events related to common interest issues, we shall create the much-needed space for interaction and initiate cooperation. The CSO sector in the southwest region of Macedonia is weak and also divided by ethnic lines. In order to become credible actors in participatory democracy, CSO’s need to improve their autonomy, representative legitimacy and accountability. Municipal interethnic councils are not participating effectively in political processes, and they need to improve their work and promote it among local communities. Multi-sectoral local partnerships and coalitions where CSOs can join efforts with public and private sector are rare in the target region.

2. Objective of contracting the experts

Overall Objective:
To organise 1 individual residency with international, regional or national collaborators, universities and professional experts.

Specific Objectives:
The residency will provide the possibility for the visitor to reflect and research our target municipalities and prepare creative/engaging plans, recommendations or other urban products to share best practices of interethnic living and working from their society.

Carry out training workshops for young people aged 14-18 from high schools in the region of Struga, Ohrid, Debar and Kicevo who are creating their own youth magazine, providing a practical hands-on approach to journalism for a printed media product;
Provide mentoring support for the student trainees via regular Skype calls, and email correspondence to respond to questions, give feedback and help shape content, as well as one or two lectures via Skype, if needed, with the students participating on the training workshops;
Prepare a report from a resident’s perspective to guide the project with recommendations, to serve as evaluation of its overall impact and to raise awareness locally and internationally about the project in general.

3. Experts profile
Qualifications and skills
Education at least up to university degree level (awarded on completion of three years study in a university or equivalent institution).

General Professional Experience:

At least 10 years' experience in the field of journalism/writing/editing for printed and/or electronic media;
Specific professional experience and attributes in developing editorial, design, or online content for magazines/newsletters/books;
Practice in training/workshops targeting the youth;
Understanding the urban effects of multicultural environments;
Work experience in multiethnic societies and to have intercultural trust-building skills;
To have a creative, innovative and know-how approach on web editing, social media, print publications, etc.

Working Language
Working language of the contract shall be English.

4. Preparation of tenders
The procurement will be carried out by a supplier with experience in delivering this type of service. Creative and Active Struga in accordance with the provisions of the agreement with the donor implements procedures by gathering at least 3 offers.

The qualitative bid should consist of:

Proposed methodology timetable
Curriculum vitae (CV) of the expert
Reference list of activities of the bidder

Each bidder may participate with only one bid. Validity of offer: at least 30 days of opening. Language of the bid: the bid, as well as all correspondence and documents relating to the bid exchanged by the bidder shall be written in English.

5. Location and duration
Starting period
Start/end date: March 2017-June 2017.

Foreseen finishing period or duration
It is expected that the inputs from the Individual expert residencies will be spread over a period of 15 days.

Location(s) of assignment
The expert-in-residence will carry out their work in the premises of the Social Club Kombinati in Struga, Macedonia.

6. Reporting
A report with the description of the activities carried out by the individual experts shall be submitted to both partners in implementation (C&A and LDA) at the end of the assignment. Organizations will approve the report within 15 working days from its submission. Two copies of the report in hard copy and one electronic copy will have to be submitted in English. The reports shall be drafted following the instructions received from both partner organizations.

7. Administrative information
Tax and VAT arrangements
All EU-funded Projects are VAT-exempt. Under no circumstances can VAT be paid by a Community programme.

Remuneration
The estimated per diem per individual expert is 50 euro (accommodation and meals are included in the per diem).Travel cost are covered up to 300 Euros round trip within Europe. The expert shall work in total 15 days (15 per diems).
Payment will be done - 50% upon signing the contract for delivery of the services and 50% after full completion of the services provided by this call.

8. Applications process
To put themselves forward to join the project team, interested candidates should write to info@creativeactive.org

The closing date for applications is 5pm March 15th 2017.

Evaluation and selection

9.Criteria
The evaluation and selection of applications under the project is the responsibility of the partners in implementation of the action. Applications that are incomplete or fail to meet the eligibility criteria shall be rejected on this sole basis. All actions submitted by applicants will be assessed according to the following steps and criteria.

10. Opening of bids
Bids will be opened in private on day 17/03/2017, at 12 am, at the offices of the project in Social Club KOMBINATI Struga .

11. Notice to Bidders
All bidders who participated in the procedure for awarding a procurement contract with bids will be notified in writing of the outcomethree days of the decision to award the contract to supply. In addition, the contracting authority will submit a copy of the decision to the bidders/applicants.

12. Contracting authority
Creative and Active Struga, address str.Turisticka bb, Struga, www.creativeactive.org.