Request for Proposals: Wellbeing, Self and Collective Care Consultancy to support the SVRI Forum 2024

21 – 25 October 2024, Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa

Applications are now closed. Please note that only shortlisted applications will be contacted.

Background

The Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) is the world’s largest network on research on violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC), providing a space where global role players in the field connect with one another, share and promote their research, work to influence policies and practice and improve the lives of those who have experienced violence driven by gender inequality. We do this through building evidence, strengthening research capacity, promoting partnerships and influencing change. The SVRI became an independent organisation in 2019. It is incorporated as a non-profit organisation under South African law (SVRI NPC 2019/197466/08).

The SVRI Forum is the world’s key research conference on violence against women and other forms of violence driven by gender inequality in low and middle-income countries. The SVRI Forum provides a global space where delegates build knowledge, expand their network, create collaborations, and share knowledge with key decision-makers in the field of violence against women. See more about the Forum here.

Purpose of the consultancy

To develop and implement a Wellbeing, Self and Collective Care Strategy to ensure the SVRI Forum 2024 in South Africa is trauma informed. Preference will be given to a team living and working in Cape Town, South Africa but global applications will be considered. The team must be fluent in English. Knowledge of issues related to weaving care, kindness and well-being into an international conference is desirable.

Our understanding of being trauma-informed

The SVRI Forum is an event where research, practice and lived experiences of violence are shared. Forum delegates, staff, translators, hotel staff, presenters and others in attendance may become distressed by the material presented and discussed. The content may affect their emotional and physiological state. When organising the Forum, the SVRI carefully considers the physical and social environment to support everyone engaged in the Forum to feel safe and supported. Trauma Informed Strategies we have employed in the past include:

• Reminding people about the core value of care and kindness during the opening of the Forum as well as in Forum programme book.
• Designing the event space to accommodate attendees’ physical and emotional needs e.g., creating a ‘brave room’ for people to take breaks, mind-body activities inter-woven throughout the event when possible, briefing hotel staff, interpreters, other staff on the topic of vicarious trauma and ensuring they have access to support, providing pronoun stickers in conference bags etc.
• Considering event time, flow, and other logistical concerns that best meet attendees’ needs, e.g., making sure breaks are long enough to allow for networking, informal discussion and participant driven activities to take place.
• Ensuring tools and materials are available to presenters, panellists, and facilitators are respectful of language, diversity, and other culturally relevant matters.
• Support language justice e.g., translation and interpretation services available.
• Provide for well-being and mental health care and support e.g., counselling services, referral services.
• Where funding allowed, we have integrated art, storytelling, cultural activities into the SVRI Forum programme e.g., a kindness wall where people can draw/share what care and kindness means to them, art exhibitions, drumming circles etc. See the SVRI Forum 2022 wellbeing web page for activities that were available to delegates.

Expected activities and outputs

• In consultation with the SVRI, develop and implement a Wellbeing, Self and Collective Care Strategy for the SVRI Forum 2024. The strategy should include, among others:
  • Identification of attendees’ physical and emotional needs with regards Wellbeing, Self and Collective Care.
  • Identification of local partners who can provide counselling support during the event.
  • Adapt and build on existing tools and materials from past Forums for inclusion in the Forum 2024 bags on care, kindness, and wellbeing, language, diversity, equity, and inclusion and what the SVRI is doing to address these issues.
• Ensure that materials that SVRI and SVRI consultants share with SVRI Forum delegates, e.g., communications materials, including press kits, videos, fact sheets, brochures and graphic work are trauma informed, respectful and consider diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Prepare monthly progress reports and share with the SVRI on the Forum 2024’s Wellbeing, Self and Collective Care Strategy.
• Develop a Wellbeing, Self and Collective Care communications campaign in collaboration with SVRI Forum communications team.
• Conduct any other assignments related to the Wellbeing, Self and Collective Care Strategy at the SVRI Forum 2024, as may be required by the SVRI and agreed upon in advance of the Forum.
• Develop evaluation questions to include on the effectiveness of SVRI Forum 2024’s Wellbeing, Self and Collective Care activities/strategy in the final Forum evaluation survey.

Experience and skills requirements

• Proven track record of experience of development and delivery of effective trauma informed events within the NGO sector, expertise in South Africa / Africa region will be beneficial.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high quality communications materials.
• Ability to turn complex language into appropriate messaging for different audiences.
• Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Experience of working across multiple cultures and constituencies.
• Experience of working in the field of violence against women, gender equality, violence against children and / or related fields
• Diverse team/board.

Key deliverables

• SVRI Forum 2024 Wellbeing, Self and Collective Care strategy and implementation plan, including: Background, objectives, approach, principles, overarching goals, key activities, outputs, outcomes, and timelines.
• A comprehensive budget for the consultancy, including consultants’ attendance at the Forum to manage the implementation of the strategy. In the budget consider including a section on essential and non-essential activities (‘nice to have’).
• A detailed communications plan developed in collaboration with the SVRI communications team.
• Development of evaluation questions on Forum 2024 Wellbeing, Self and Collective Care for inclusion in the final Forum evaluation form.
• Associated products, images, briefs to support the implementation of the strategy.
• Short key highlights report on how Wellbeing, Self and Collective Care was integral to SVRI Forum.

Budget

Up to USD 45 000.

Please note that the budget needs to include flights, accommodation and per diems of the Wellbeing team to the Forum.

Timeline

This assignment is expected to start March and end in October 2024.

How to apply

Applications are now closed. Applicants will be shortlisted based upon their proposal, budget, and CV. All proposal documents should be submitted in English. Only short-listed applicants/consultancy firms will be contacted. SVRI reserves the right to not accept any or all proposals and is not bound to any legal claim in this regard.