Call for application
To
Design and conduct a training course on Writing Effective Policy Briefs Under the Charles R. Wall Young African Policy Fellows Program
About AWF
Founded in 1961, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is the oldest and largest African-based and African-focused conservation non-governmental organization with a mission to ensure wildlife and wild lands thrive in modern Africa. AWF’s 2020-2030 strategy sets out to forge a uniquely Africa-led conservation agenda and narrative that safeguards biodiversity, secures ecosystem services, and delivers economic and social benefits to communities as well as to local and national economies. Under this vision, AWF recognises the need to build the capacity of Africans, especially young people under the age of thirty-five (35), who make up 70% of the African population, to champion conservation and sustainable development.
Program Overview
Africa hosts about 25% of the world’s biodiversity which is under threat from direct and indirect drivers such as land and sea use change, climate change, invasive alien species and illegal wildlife trade. This biodiversity has local and global significance: from providing food and fresh water for Africa’s growing population, contributing to local and national economies through sectors such as tourism and providing carbon sequestration in the age of climate change. The world and specifically Africa, needs this biodiversity for its existence and needs to forge ways to sustainably use it.
Recognising that biodiversity has global importance and that effects of threats can extend beyond source countries, numerous Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) have been established to promote global cooperation on addressing environmental issues such as biodiversity loss, climate change. These MEAs include the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) with objectives to 1) conservation biodiversity 2) ensure sustainable use of its component and 3) ensure access and benefit sharing on the utilization of genetic resources. The sustainability of such global efforts to is hinged on the ability to continuously build intergenerational conservation leadership in Africa and specifically produce a pool of young professionals that can articulate Africa’s interests.
It is against this backdrop that AWF adopted its 10-year Strategic Plan that sets a bold vision for accelerating African led conservation. This saw the launch of the Charles R. Wall Young African Policy Fellows Program, a pan-African 9-month training program on International Biodiversity Governance, implemented in partnership with the United Nations Environment Program. This program onboards fifteen (15) young professionals annually and attracts candidates who are already championing conservation and are passionate about influencing policies. It focuses on increasing their impact by giving them skills and tools to effectively engage in policy-making processes at different levels including but not limited to how to articulate policy recommendations through speaking and writing.
How the program is delivered: The program delivers its content through the following methodologies:
Workshops- Workshops on
Conservation Fundamentals: Understanding the nexus between biodiversity and sustainable development, the state of biodiversity (in Africa), threats to conservation and diversity of biodiversity approaches in Africa.
Introduction to International Biodiversity Governance: Understanding global and Africa level institutions, MEAs and how Africa engages.
Introduction to Intergovernmental Negotiations: Understanding how to prepare for and engage in negotiations, using the CBD as a model.
Negotiation Simulation: A simulation on how to negotiate using CBD Conference of Parties as a model.
Policy Briefs - Fellows are trained on how to write effective policy briefs and guided to develop a policy brief on an issue they care about, which can be at a local, national, or international level. This includes group coaching and one-on-one coaching.
(We are recruiting a consultant to help deliver this element of the program. Refer to the Learning Calendar for 2024, to understand when this element comes up in the program.)
Policy Conferences -To complement the learning in workshops, fellows are supported to learn by observing policymakers as they negotiate environmental solutions in different platforms. Past fellows have attended meetings of the Africa Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) among others.
Networking - Throughout the program, fellows are given opportunities to network with each other through peer learning activities and with experts and leaders in conservation policy via leadership dialogues with government leaders or leaders of policy-making institutions.
Learning Calendar for 2024
Month | Learning objective |
April | Conservation Fundamentals |
May | Introduction to International Biodiversity Governance |
June | Introduction to Intergovernmental Negotiations |
July | Physical workshop in Nairobi to simulate negotiations and introduce policy briefs |
July to October | Bootcamp on writing effective policy briefs |
October to December | Fellows attend Conferences |
Scope of Work
The African Wildlife Foundation seeks to recruit a consultant to design and deliver training on the Policy Briefs elements of the Charles R. Wall Young African Policy Fellows program.
The selected training consultant will be expected to:
Develop Training Materials:
Work with our Senior Youth Officer to create a curriculum that covers knowledge and skills for developing an effective policy brief.
Design interactive and engaging training materials, presentations, workbooks, and case studies that facilitate learning transfer.
Deliver Training Sessions (from July to October 2024):
Conduct both in-person and virtual training sessions for fellows.
Facilitate discussions, group activities, and exercises to enhance learning.
Guide Policy Brief Development and presentation:
Provide group and one-on-one coaching and guidance to fellows as they select their priority issues and develop their policy briefs.
Provide group and one-on-one support to fellows as they turn their policy briefs into a PowerPoint presentation including building their skills on how to make effective presentations for different audiences using their policy briefs as a case study.
Organise an open day with at least 3 guest judges for fellows to present policy briefs, receive expert feedback, and grade thereafter selecting the top policy brief for an award.
Monitoring and reporting on impact.
Prepare and disseminate training evaluations throughout the training.
Prepare a report on the impact of the training on the fellows.
Qualifications:
The ideal training consultant should have:
Have knowledge and expertise in the conservation and sustainable development sector.
Proven experience in developing and publishing policy briefs.
Proven experience in developing and delivering training on writing policy briefs.
Demonstrated ability to guide individuals in developing effective policy briefs.
Proven experience and expertise in using engaging learning interventions and tools, supporting learning transfer and documenting lessons.
Proven experience in developing and guiding others to develop presentation skills including effective PowerPoint presentations.
Proposal Submission:
Please provide a proposal consisting of but not limited to:
Cover letter detailing understanding of the scope of work.
Proposed curriculum
Methodology
Budget
Evidence of prior work
All proposals must be submitted by 15th April via email to youth@awf.org and procurement@awf.org
Selection Process
19 April 2024, 17:00 EAT- Deadline for receiving proposals.
19 to 30 April 2024- Review of proposals
1 to 10 May 2024- Shortlisted proposals are contacted for further enquiries including interviews where necessary.
15 May 2024- Contacting selected service provider.
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Relevance and Experience: Experience in developing and delivering training on writing, publishing and presenting effective policy briefs.
Methodology: The effectiveness of the proposed curriculum and methodology for guiding policy briefs.
Cost: The reasonableness and transparency of the budget.
Contact Information
For inquiries or additional information, please contact Mbaire Kamau, Senior Youth Officer, AWF Youth Program at youth@awf.org copying procurement@awf.org