Individual Consultant -- Disability Inclusive CSE Module Writer and Trainer

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Bangkok

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Duty Station Time) : 20-MAY-2025

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

1. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok (UNESCO Bangkok), as part of its programme of work on quality, inclusive education has been working towards disability-inclusive comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) by prioritizing teachers’ capacity building and support needs for teaching CSE to learners with disabilities. As follow-up to research recommendations highlighted in its 2022 report, the Assessment of Teacher Needs on Disability-inclusive Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Asia and the Pacific, teachers of learners with disabilities should be provided with training to respond to learners’ CSE needs to ensure that all learners benefit from quality, disability-inclusive CSE teaching and learning that takes place in safe, equitable and enabling learning environments.

In this context, the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok (UNESCO Bangkok), in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Secretariat and its specialised centre, the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Special Educational Needs (SEAMEO SEN), will support the development of a CSE training package for teachers of learners with physical, visual and hearing disabilities in the age range 9 to 12 years old. This includes the drafting, pilot implementation, refinement, and finalization of the training package for its official launch at the end of the project in early 2026. The training package will comprise: a training module, training agenda and training workshop materials (PPTs, handouts etc); and methodology and tools for capturing feedback from the teachers and school heads who have been trained using the training package, and the students they have reached, during pilot testing in two countries.

The specific objectives of the partnership with SEAMEO Secretariat and SEAMEO SEN for enhancing educator capacity for disability-inclusive CSE, are to:

• Develop a specialized Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) module with a focus on enhancing teachers and school administrators' understanding of the rationale, purpose, key concepts, and relevant topic areas of CSE, specifically emphasizing its significance for learners with disabilities;

• Enhance the understanding of school teachers, school administrators and caregivers in adapting CSE for learners with disabilities through an inclusive and supportive environment within and beyond the school settings;

• Harmonize key intervention principles, practices and strategies inputs from relevant stakeholders that can be adapted and applied to various situations, educational settings and diverse range of learners, including those with and without disabilities;

• Assist understanding and encourage support from caregivers through the availability of reference materials.

In-person training workshops using the draft training package will target approximately 30 teachers and school heads of learners with disabilities from each of two pilot implementation countries (the Philippines and Malaysia, TBC). The pilot implementation of the training package will be carried out in these two countries for a minimum duration of three months (provisionally September to November 2025).

To co-create with SEAMEO SEN team for designing this training package on CSE for teachers of learners with disabilities, co-deliver the training workshop and support the pilot test of the training application, UNESCO Bangkok seeks the services of a suitably experienced and qualified individual specialist.

2. PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

To develop a training package on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) for teachers and school heads of learners with physical disabilities in Southeast Asia; deliver the training package among teachers and school heads in two pilot countries; develop a pilot methodology and tools for assessing the effectiveness of the training; and finalize the training package based on the findings of the country pilots. Key technical outputs of the consultancy will include: (1) A training package for in-person delivery, comprising the training module, training agenda, and workshop materials (e.g. PowerPoint presentations, handouts); and (2) a methodology and tools for gathering feedback from teachers and school heads trained through the package during the pilot phase in two countries.

3. WORK ASSIGNMENT

The Individual Specialist shall collaborate with SEAMEO SEN team to: design a training package on CSE for teachers of learners with disabilities; design and then co-deliver with SEAMEO SEN team a training workshop in each of the pilot test countries among a cohort of teachers and school heads; lead the design of, provide inputs to the monitoring of the pilot test; and revise and finalize the training package after the pilot implementation. The Individual Specialist is required to work closely with the SEAMEO SEN throughout the process. The coordinated tasks and deliverables of the Individual Specialist and SEAMEO SEN can be found in Annex 1.

The Individual Specialist, in collaboration with the SEAMEO SEN team, and as coordinated by UNESCO Bangkok in consultation with SEAMEO Secretariat, shall specifically perform the following tasks:

1. Prior to the trainings, pilot testing and associated activities:

i. Review the existing desk review references, draft training module outline and content areas already developed by SEAMEO SEN team, in order to build upon and integrate these, where appropriate, into a revised module outline. Supplement the desk review with additional reference material, as necessary;

ii. Participate in an online introductory call with SEAMEO SEN, SEAMEO Secretariat and UNESCO Bangkok to become oriented to the full scope of the project, and reconfirm its objectives and the coordinated tasks of both the Individual Specialist and SEAMEO SEN;

iii. Review and revise, as appropriate, an approach to the scope of work for the consultancy and its key technical outputs, based on the outcomes of the supplementary desk review and introductory call;

iv. Draft an outline of the training module, highlighting the scope and sequence of its contents, the targeted competencies of the module’s trainees, the learning activities and learning support materials (e.g. videos, reading materials, etc.);

v. Draft the full narrative content of the CSE training manual to equip teachers and school administrators of learners with physical disabilities with the knowledge and resources to deliver sexuality education understanding that is sensitive, inclusive and age-appropriate. The draft training module should propose options for delivering its essential content with training workshop agendas of differing durations. The learning activities of the draft training module should articulate with, and ensure integration of any agreed audio-visual learning support materials being developed by SEAMEO SEN. Make any revisions on the basis of feedback provided on the draft by UNESCO Bangkok, SEAMEO Secretariat and members of an Expert Reference Group that is co-chaired by these two organizations to provide technical inputs to the module-development process;

vi. Draft the pilot testing methodology and feedback/data-collection pre-and post-training tools for testing the efficacy of the training and training materials and capturing feedback from trainees on their post-training experiences of delivering CSE for learners with physical, visual and hearing disabilities. Make any revisions on the basis of feedback provided on the draft by UNESCO Bangkok, SEAMEO Secretariat and the module-development Expert Reference Group;

vii. Design a training agenda (estimated at 5 days) for co-facilitating together with the SEAMEO SEN team, an in-person workshop in each of the two pilot countries for an estimated 30 teachers and school heads/administrators who will participate in the pilot testing. The training workshops will take place in late August 2025 (provisional; TBC) with the objectives of (i) training the pilot implementers with the draft training module (estimated 4 days) and (ii) preparing them to participate in the pilot testing by orienting them to the pilot testing methodology and feedback/data collection tools (estimated 1 day);

viii. Prepare training workshop materials, such as presentations, activity/assignment sheets, and workshop evaluation form, as necessary; indicate to UNESCO Bangkok any digital and non-digital requirements for enabling efficient workshop delivery;

ix. Lead the online and in-person preparatory meetings with the workshops’ facilitation team – including SEAMEO SEN Master Trainers and special education needs focal points in the two pilot countries, to ensure smooth delivery of the training workshops.

2. During the trainings, pilot testing and any associated activities:

i. The training:

o Co-deliver with the SEAMEO SEN team, the agreed training agenda and package —including activities, handouts, and supporting materials—during a four-day in-person training workshop in late August 2025 (tentative). The training will enable implementers to engage directly with the module and practice its application to ensure readiness for classroom use;

o Co-deliver with the SEAMEO SEN team, the agreed one-day pilot orientation session. This orientation aims to provide school leaders and teachers with an understanding of what is expected of them as part of the pilot. This includes familiarizing participants with feedback instruments and schedule, and other relevant processes.

ii. The pilot test:

o During the three-month pilot, liaise with SEAMEO SEN team during their backstopping support to pilot implementers in the two countries to clarify any queries on the implementation of the pilot methodology and feedback/data-collection tools.

3. After the training workshops and pilot implementation :

i. Liaise with SEAMEO SEN team on their analysis of feedback and other data collected from implementers during the pilot test. Draft written recommendations for the revision and future roll-out of the training package, based on the findings and analysis of the pilot implementation that have been synthesized by SEAMEO SEN. Make any revisions on the basis of feedback provided on the draft by UNESCO Bangkok, SEAMEO Secretariat and the module-development Expert Reference Group;

ii. Draft the agenda for a half-day, hybrid validation meeting in late January 2026 (tentative) and prepare any necessary materials to facilitate the meeting. The validation meeting will involve the project team of UNESCO Bangkok, SEAMEO Secretariat, SEAMEO SEN, implementers in the two pilot countries and members of the Expert Reference Group;

iii. Co-facilitate with the SEAMEO SEN team the hybrid validation meeting, the objectives of which will be to (i) present and discuss key findings of the pilot test; and, (ii) review and react to the draft recommendations for the revision and future roll-out of the training package;

iv. Revise and finalize the revised training package according to the feedback received and recommendations endorsed during the hybrid validation meeting. The final revised version will serve as a resource for educators and caregivers of learners with disabilities in Southeast Asia region.

In line with UNESCO’s overall gender mainstreaming strategy, the Individual Specialist is expected to integrate a gender perspective in all activities and apply gender mainstreaming concepts whenever feasible.

Anticipated number of days level of effort

Tasks and number of anticipated days (83 days in total) Tasks
Anticipated Level of Effort (consultancy days)
Preparatory 1. 38 Implementation 2. 30 Wrap-up and closure 3. 15

Long Description

3. TIMETABLE AND DELIVERABLES

The Individual Specialist will be required to work during the period June 2025 to March 2026 (tentatively). The contract shall be concluded by 31 March 2026 at the latest.
No. Deliverables Submission date 1.

Revised approach to work and first draft outline of the training module

First draft of training package, including full narrative draft of the module, draft agenda for the training
and pilot orientation workshops with a listing of the training workshop materials and other resource inputs,
including outlines of workshop presentations, and draft methodology and feedback tools

All deliverables shall be submitted to UNESCO Bangkok in English. Consolidated feedback from UNESCO Bangkok will be provided to the Individual Specialist within two weeks from the submission date of each deliverable. To the extent possible, the Individual Specialist shall reflect comments and suggested modifications.

Long Description

Location and Travel:

The Individual Specialist will be home based in any location, working remotely. The Specialist will be required to travel on missions directly related to projects and implementation during the assignment. The Specialist should travel economy class and receive DSA at the standard rate (and which should be reduced, as necessary, when the number of days of DSA exceeds the limits stipulated in the table of rates published by ICSC). DSA is only payable to individuals carrying out assignments away from their usual place of residence or work. The Specialist is expected to make her/his own travel arrangements and should be provided with a lump sum to cover travel-related expenses in accordance with UNESCO rules and regulations. Travel-related expenses (e.g. the cost of tickets, terminal fares and DSA) must be fixed and agreed between the parties. The Individual Specialist is responsible for obtaining UNDSS security clearance prior to each approved mission.

5. SUPERVISION AND REPORTING

Under the overall authority of the Director of UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok (UNESCO Bangkok), the overall guidance of the Chief of Education, and the direct supervision of the Regional Advisor on Education for Health and Well-being, the Individual Specialist will be directly report to the Regional Advisor on Education for Health and Well-being, UNESCO Bangkok, in coordination with the Project Coordinator responsible for the SEAMEO Secretariat. In addition to the submission of contract deliverables, the Individual Specialist will routinely engage with the Regional Advisor and members of the Education for Health and Well-being team and the SEAMEO Secretariat team through emails and virtual meetings.

Upon commencing the consultancy, the Individual Specialist will participate in an initial online meeting with UNESCO Bangkok to reconfirm the parameters of the consultancy and to update, as needed, the consultancy approach to work and timeline, to define required sub-tasks and interim outputs to be carried out as Individual Specialist and the supportive inputs required from UNESCO Bangkok and collaborating partners on the respective country-level activities.

UNESCO will provide the Individual Specialist with: