Apply: World Bank Civil Society Fund (CSF)

The World Bank Country Office in Nigeria invites youth-oriented Civil Society Organizations (CSO), preferably youth-led, throughout Nigeria to submit innovative proposals for participation in its Civil Society Fund (CSF) small grants programme. This year the programme is devoted to fostering the engagement of youth in social and economic development. The deadline for submission is May 16, 2011.

Who can apply?

Youth-oriented civil society organizations that are

• Based in Nigeria, with clear legal standing as a CSO (please attached legal registration).
• Working on issues of youth participation and engagement in social and economic  development and/or  active in the areas of civic engagement in good governance, including voice and representation of marginalized and vulnerable youth in the planning, implementation and monitoring of projects, oversight in the execution of public resources and implementation of, of fiduciary processes;
• In good standing and have a record of achievement in the community. Organisations must have been in operation for more than 3 years and have a record of financial probity (please attach evidence);
• Priority will be given to organizations not supported by the Program in the last three years. Organizations are not eligible for more than 3grants from the Civil Society Fund within a 5 year period.

The Civil Society Fund is able to fund only a very small percentage of the requests it receives as demand far exceeds the funds available.

What sorts of activities are supported?

The CSF will support activities related to civic engagements such as strengthening the capacity of youth-oriented and/or led CSOs to voice their needs and advocate for specific reforms or development projects; fostering exchange and debates among youth on development challenges in Nigeria, in particular youth employment, conflict and policy responses; monitoring of public services; and the engagement of youth in development policy. These activities will create opportunities for youth involvement in development projects that specifically target them, at the project planning, monitoring and implementation stages. All activities to be supported should be linked with one specific challenge, indentify entry points for the engagement of youth and outline specific ways in which the engagement of youth is going to translate into improving their representation in the policy making process.

The activities proposed must be achievable within a year of the date the grant is awarded and be completed by June 2012. As part of the deliverable requirements, successful organizations will be responsible for attending a one day stakeholders meeting in July 2011 at the World Bank Country Office, Abuja, to share knowledge and discuss best practices from previous CSF small grants calls for proposals. This meeting will be before the implementation of proposed activity.

Proposals will be evaluated on the bases of (a) relevance of proposed activity to the grant objectives; (b) feasibility and sustainability of proposed activity and (c) clarity of the proposal.  

Which activities are not supported?

CSF will not fund research programs; formal academic training programs; scholarships; fellowships; study programs; applications from individuals; infrastructure projects; direct service delivery; medical equipment; computer equipment and installation; overhead costs; workshops unless there is a primary civic engagement objective; meeting basic needs; full-time salaries; political or security activities.

What size of grants will be awarded this year?

Grants awarded will range from N450, 000 - N1, 050,000[*], with 80% disbursed at the beginning and 20% towards the end of the project. It is recommended that grantees contribute an amount equal to 50 % of the award towards the project, including cash and in-kind contributions such as staff time and office space.

Application Package

The following should be included in the application

•  Organization’s name and mission statement, year of registration and name of the director of the organization, the contact person and title as well as the contact details and website (if available)
• Purpose of the funding request and how the activity relates to civic engagement
• The target population and the expected output indicators and outcomes of the activity.
• Amount of CSF request, the budget  and the period this funding request will cover, as well as the funding counterpart’s budget
•  Records of engagement activities that promote youth engagement in social and economic development  and  the achievements, as well as records of financial probity
•  If your organization has received previous support from the World Bank, please list the year, amount, and describe for what purpose

How to apply

Interested organizations who meet the eligibility criteria may submit a proposal by hand delivery or courier to: Small Grants Program Coordinator, (Attention: Human Resource Officer) Plot 433, Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Opp. ECOWAS Secretariat, Asokoro District, Abuja.

The Civil Society Fund gives full consideration to all proposals. Given the very large number of requests, personal phone calls and visits to the World Bank Office by grantees are discouraged.

The deadline for recipient of applications is May 16, 2011. Applications received after the deadline will not be acknowledged or processed. Only shortlisted organizations will be contacted.

World Bank-Annenberg Executive Course in Communication and Governance Reform

Dear Colleague:
The World Bank’s Communication for Governance and Accountability Program
(CommGAP), the World Bank Institute’s Governance Practice, the Annenberg School for
Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Annenberg School for Communication
and Journalism at the University of Southern California are pleased to announce the 2011 pilot of
the Executive Course in Communication and Governance Reform. The course is designed for
senior communication professionals in Africa and the Middle East who want to build critical
competencies in providing implementation support to change agents and reform leaders
throughout government and civil society.
The ten-day course will be held at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., from July 18 to
27, 2011. It will equip participants with knowledge about the most recent advances in
communication and proven techniques in reform implementation. The program’s interdisciplinary
approach and regional focus will serve as the foundation for building expert networks
of in-country communication practitioners and applied scholars.
Participants will develop core competencies essential to bringing about real change,
leading to development results in a wide range of sectors. The course seeks to impart critical
skills in the following key areas: interpreting governance diagnostics and political economy
analyses; crafting multi-stakeholder coalition building strategies and tactics to support reform;
providing implementation support and applying monitoring and evaluation frameworks for
governance reforms.
We would like to extend an invitation to all qualified individuals to apply for the pilot
delivery of the executive course. Participation in the pilot will be fully-funded, including travel,
hotel, and other costs incurred in Washington, D.C. directly related to attending the course.
Please click here for more information, including the participant profile and online application
materials. All applications must be received by April 29, 2011.
Should you consider the Executive Course in Communication and Governance Reform to
coincide with your professional development goals, we look forward to receiving your
application. Please feel free to send an e-mail to commgap@worldbank.org for any questions or
concerns.
Sincerely,
Sina Odugbemi
Program Head
COMMUNICATION FOR GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY PROGRAM
(CommGAP)

Consultancy: Promoting standards for SME competitiveness in Nigeria

Reference: PX/NGA/0453

Location: Nigeria
Duration: 75 person days

Closing Date: 3 May 2011

A. Background

The Commonwealth Secretariat through the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation is providing technical assistance to the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to promote the use of Standards by Nigerian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as a strategic business tool.

B. Programme Objective

For background purposes we advise that the Commonwealth Secretariat Strategic Plan be consulted. The Plan is available online and the SME work is part of the Economic Development Programme (Programme 6). This Programme will assist member states to take advantage of opportunities for economic growth and improve their ability to manage economic development in an equitable and sustainable manner. It specifically aims to strengthen policies and systems that support inclusive and sustainable economic growth in member states. This will allow Member states to attract capital flows and manage increased levels of investment, including for private sector development; and create the environment for Member countries to promote viable competitive enterprises that generate employment, income and reduce poverty.

The Secretariat’s capacity to provide cost-effective technical assistance and its role as a ’trusted partner’ and ‘honest broker’ in delivering policy analysis and advice are highly valued. Indicators particularly relevant to this project include (1) the quality of policy advice and support for creating an enabling environment for growth and stability; (2) higher survival rates of MSMEs and an increase in the contribution of MSME businesses to GDP; and (3) increased numbers of successful women in enterprise and greater and more equitable market access for women producers and entrepreneurs.

C. Project Information

SON is the sole statutory body vested with the responsibility of standardising and regulating the quality of all products in Nigeria. The Act establishing the body was amended in 1976, 1984 and in 1990. SON has an SME Unit through which it aims to influence the adoption and use of appropriate standards by SMEs. It has a working relationship with a range of business support organisations, including formal state agencies, business representative organisations and NGOs. This intervention will allow SON and its partners to construct a strategy to accomplish this; and put in place the first major programmes of a dedicated SME action plan. It is anticipated that these pilot programmes will be sustained by SON and its partners once the project activities are completed.

This project will attempt to deliver a general education component to convey an awareness of the benefits of standards; and an action component to support SMEs to find and obtain appropriate standards and take the first steps to implementing it. SON has indicated that has the ability to assess SMEs and issue certification for ISO management standards.

It is important to understand that the measure of success for this project is not how many SMEs take up standards, but how SON and its partners build the systems and capabilities for sustained support for projects and programmes to help SMEs on the standards and quality journey throughout their existence. Specifically, the outputs for this project are:

• Strategy for SON and partners to enhance SME success through the adoption and use of standards,
• Communications Strategy to raise awareness of the benefits of standards as a strategic business tool, and
• Trained SMEs able to adopt standards through participating in SON accredited 1-day introductory training courses for ISO 9001 and ISO 22000.

Additional Information

Information available to the successful Consultant will include internal project files containing the Project Appraisal, Logical Framework and Budgets. The Consultant will also work closely with the Adviser responsible for the project.

D. Consultancy

Technical Assistance is being provided to SON to develop a strategy for a national SME Standards Programme; build their capability to deliver a long term awareness campaign; and implement the first stage of a SME standards programme. Specific issues which need to be factored into the assignment and which are elements of the overall deliverables are noted below.

• An inception mission report should be provided not later than 3 weeks after mobilisation. Issues to be addressed include, (1) timetable for implementation of project activities and the endorsement and validation activities to be undertaken; (2) coherence strategy which will report on steps to ensure that the strategy is coherent and aligned to other related policy and strategy actions, and (3) Draft outline structure for the strategy, highlighting some of the key issues and questions to be addressed.
• In developing the strategy, the consultants need to review the current activities of SON and selected partners, identify success cases for replication, identify major barriers preventing uptake of standards and generate a range of options for consideration. The review is likely to include SON actions in Lagos, Kaduna and Aba.
• Ensure that SON has the required competencies to assess and certify SMEs in ISO management standards.
• Provide support to the ComSec Adviser for hosting the Strategy Workshop with SON and partners; and conduct the SME Awareness Workshops and 1-Day Introductory Courses. The project plan calls for the Consultant to be involve in five 1-day events (strategy workshop, 2 SME awareness workshops and 2 ISO training workshops).
• Consult with SMEs through their relevant business Associations to ensure that their views are accommodated and acted on.
• Consult with Women’s Empowerment Groups and Institutions to ensure that gender issues are adequately dealt with and specific challenges of woman owned enterprises are incorporated in all outputs.

Deliverables

• SMEs and Standards in Nigeria: Strategy and Action Plan for SON and partners
• Guidelines, and where relevant, Training Course Materials for (a) SME Awareness Training Workshops and (b) 1-Day ISO Introductory Courses for ISO 9001 and 22000
• Report on the SME Awareness Workshops and 1-Day ISO Introductory Courses
• Final Project Report

E. Qualifications for Consultancy

The Commonwealth Secretariat is inviting bids from companies, consortia and/or Standards Organisations who are registered in a Commonwealth Member Country. The Statement of Capability should indicate the institutions experience in supporting businesses to adopt and use Standards. This is a non-negotiable condition of this assignment.

The evaluation criteria are based on the following:

• Formal evidence of capability to consult on Standards,
• Evidence of developing strategies for the adoption and use of Standards, preferably, but not essentially, for SMEs,
• Ability to advise businesses on the ISO system, specifically ISO 9001 and 22000, and
• Demonstrated evidence of developing and delivering Standards training courses.

The Company may wish to engage the services of a Local Consultant but would be entirely responsible for the identification, recruitment and remuneration of such Local Consultant(s), although the selection would need to be cleared beforehand by ComSec.

F. Level of Effort, Reporting and Payment Terms

• The Level of Effort (LOE) of this consultancy is estimated at 75 person days (15 weeks), commencing June 2011 to March 2012[1].
• Up to 49 days of this LoE is estimated to be in Nigeria.
• The indicative all inclusive fee for this assignment is £41,000[2], while consultancy related expenditure, such as workshops and training expenses, will be provided by ComSec. 

G. Proposal

The proposal should comprise of the following:

• A Statement of Capability,
• Resumes of the key staff allocated to the project,
• A document detailing the methodology, work programme and milestones (this will be finalised with the Commonwealth Secretariat prior to commencement)
• A financial plan for the execution of the project.

The proposal needs to be received by 3 May 2011 and the Company must be in a position to deploy during June 2011.

H. Contact Information

Closing Date for Submission of Proposals: 3 May 2011

Submission of Proposals

Proposals should be submitted to Mr Arif Baig via email / post / fax at:

Mr Arif Baig HR (CFTC)Commonwealth SecretariatPall MallLondon UKSW1Y 5HXEmail – a.baig@commonwealth.int
Fax: + 44 20 7747 6520

[1] Comsec will not liable for delays occurring due to unforeseen circumstances like natural disasters.[2] Comsec bears no liability to pay any taxes, including VAT, on this contract.

Download Terms of Reference

Consultancy services for e-govenance academy

OSIWA is currently seeking consultants for its e-governance academy

for more information see
http://www.osiwa.org/IMG/pdf/Afega-Consultancy_Advert.pdf

EU, USAID, WB, UN Grants Specialised Workshop On Project Proposal Formulation And Grants Management For Civil Society Organisations In West Africa, 19-21 April, 2011

WACSI established by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and the George Soros Foundation is organising an EU, USAID, WB, UN Grants Specialised Workshop On “Project Proposal Formulation and Grants Management” For Civil Society Organisations In West Africa from the 19-21 April in Accra, Ghana.

For More Information Contact: Charles at cvandyck@wacsi.org for an application form

Job Opportunity at OSIWA

Osiwa seeks a COUNTRY COORDINATOR for its Guinea Office. OSIWA seeks a Country Coordinator for its Guinea office to provide a variety of strategic program implementation services and administrative oversight, supported technically by the OSIWA regional office under the direction of the OSIWA management. Job Advert Osiwa Country Coordinator - OSIWA Guinea
 for myhttp://www.osiwa.org/spip.php?article155

World Bank youth forum

Dear All, As part of efforts to put meat and structure to the World Bank Youth Forum (NIGERIA), it has become necessary for ALL members to register. Please kindly complete the form below.

If you have trouble viewing or submitting this form, you can fill it out online:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dFJvQm5WVUF4UWpsdG16eUNZRmUwNXc6MQ

Nairobi

Today I travel to Nairobi Kenya to attend the Commonwealth Investing in Young People's Conference. Topmost on my mind is how development partners and government agencies can finally start working together to change the lives of young people

More importantly, is my interest in Kenya as the PRIDE OF AFRICA, the nature of its people and way of life in general. What opportunities for investment can young people take advantage of in this country.

As i feast on a corn made meal, and experience the difference in cuisine, i look forward to exploring the opportunities of engaging different structures to work with young people as equal partners in development

Regards

All about Dynamic Views for Readers - Blogger Help

All about Dynamic Views for Readers - Blogger Help

Programme Manager (YWET), Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) Africa Centre

Reference: 110300311
Location: Lusaka, Zambia
Closing Date: 18 Apr 2011

Job summary

The Programme Manager: Youth Development is part of a team of three technical officers who assist the Regional Director in the formulation of the Regional Strategic Plan and the Annual Operational Plan. S/he is responsible for implementation of the said plans, particularly in respect of the programme strategic area assigned to her/him. Towards this, s/he will provide technical leadership in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of capacity building/knowledge management initiatives in the region. These capacity building initiatives are designed to improve knowledge, skills and attitudes in youth development. S/he will organize campaigns, conferences, events and conduct programmes aimed at strengthening the knowledge management in youth development for the region. S/he will prepare related training materials, reports and publications thereon, conduct research where required and work closely with the communication division of the Commonwealth Secretariat; s/he will carry out other tasks as may be assigned by the Regional Director from time to time. The Programme Manager contributes to all aspects of CYP operations, supporting the efforts of governments and youth organizations, and collaborating with international organizations in the promotion of range of youth development activities.

Task description

The primary task of the YWET PM will be to work with programme staff, youth networks, youth workers, Governments, partners and stakeholders to develop coordinated capacity building and skills enhancement initiatives that meets the needs of the Africa region in the field of youth development. The responsibilities under this task will include but not limited to:

• Conducting training needs assessments with the relevant target audiences (where appropriate);
• The design of integrated strategies (based on evidence) to address the priority areas of capacity needs in the region;
• Overseeing the development and production of appropriate training, capacity building and IEC resources using print and electronic media (e.g. tools, learning aids, manuals etc.) for the target audiences;
• Facilitate and ensure the resources are pretested for relevance and are appropriate for the target audience;
• Commission youth development research that strengthens the knowledge building in the field;
• The organization and facilitation of youth development training courses, workshops and conferences that contributes to the addition/sharing of new developments/best practices in the field;
• Establish partnerships that will contribute to the capacity and skill building in the region and capacity development of young people in the area of youth development.

The PM will also advocate for the recognition of youth work professionals (where necessary) in collaboration with governments (e.g. public service commissions) educational institutions, training agencies, youth workers and other stakeholders. The responsibilities will include:

• Designing and implement advocacy and marketing strategies that promote the merits of youth work professionals;
• Supporting the establishment of youth worker networks/associations (where required);
• Facilitate new training opportunities for youth work professionals through universities, training agencies etc. (by e.g. increasing the number of institutions that offer the Commonwealth Youth Development diploma course);
• Advocate for the introduction and promotion of National standards for youth work professionals.

The PM will oversee and coordinate the implementation of the pilot Commonwealth Youth Development Diploma in the region

• Managing and coordinating the Commonwealth Youth Development Diploma programme with the various Partner institution in the region;
• Develop and oversee the implementation of a Marketing strategy for the diploma;
• Develop and oversee a sustainability plan for partner institutions that have completed the pilot phase of the programme.

The PM will participate in setting the overall CYP Strategy and enhancing the programmes that are implemented by:

• Assisting in the development of a regional strategic plan based on the new strategic areas and the mandates of the Commonwealth and the CYP planning and decision-making bodies, and an annual operational plan, its implementation and evaluation;
• Advocating and lobbying multilateral and bilateral development organizations to increase resource allocation for youth mainstreaming and the development of indicators;
• Assisting in the preparation of materials for meetings of CYP regional planning and decision making bodies;

Preparing reports on the CYP Africa Centre’s work;

Any other duties as may be assigned by the Regional Director from time to time.

>> Apply online

Download Application Guidelines and full job description

For more details see

http://www.thecommonwealth.org/job/191203/167709/234770/110300311.htm

Commonwealth Scholarship UK awards

http://www.cscuk.org.uk/docs/Prospectus_Scholarships_2011.pdf

I N T R O D U C T I O N
Since their inception in 1959, some 26,000 individuals have benefited
from the award of Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships to pursue
advanced academic study in other Commonwealth countries. About two
thirds of awards have been tenable in the United Kingdom. The vast
majority of award holders have returned to make a significant
contribution to their home countries, in many cases at the highest level,
making the award scheme one of the largest and most prestigious in the
world.
This prospectus describes the Commonwealth Scholarships offered
by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom
for citizens of other Commonwealth countries in 2011-2012. Separate
programmes and prospectuses exist for the scholarships offered by
distance learning and on a shared funding basis, and for short mid-career
fellowships, both academic and professional, offered by the
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. Please visit the CSC website
at www.cscuk.org.uk for details of these programmes. For information
on Commonwealth Scholarships offered by other Commonwealth
countries, please visit the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship
Plan (CSFP) website at www.csfp-online.org

W H A T   T  Y  P E S   O F   A W A R D
A R E   A V A I L  A B L E   A N D   H O W
C A N   I   A P P L Y ?
The Commission invites the nomination of candidates for Common -
wealth Scholarships from a number of sources. These are described below.
Candidates may choose any of these ‘nominating routes’ for any category
of award, subject to the exceptions noted. Candidates must, however,
apply locally in the first instance.  The Commission does not accept
direct applications.
For the following categories of award…
• 12-36 months’ support towards completion of either a  full-time
taught or a doctoral post graduate qualification at an eligible UK
institution. These awards are open to those candidates nominated
either by the Vice Chancellor/Executive Head of their employing
institution or by the appointed agency in their home country
• 12 months’ non-degree study in the United Kingdom on a Split-Site
basis to aid the completion of a doctoral degree undertaken at a
university in the candidate’s home country
• 6 months’ clinical training in medicine or dentistry (available only
to candidates from developing countries). These awards are open to
candidates nominated by their Vice Chancellor/ Executive Head or
by the appointed agency in the home country

E L I G I B I L I T  Y
To apply for the awards covered in this prospectus, candidates should:
• Be Commonwealth citizens, refugees, or British protected persons
• Be permanently resident in a Commonwealth country other than the
United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
• Be available to commence their academic studies in the United
Kingdom by the start of the UK academic year in September/October
2011
• Hold, by October 2011, a first degree of upper second class
Honours standard (or above); or a second class degree and a relevant
postgraduate qualification, which will normally be a Master’s degree
AND
• In the fields of medicine and dentistry, have qualified as a doctor or
dentist between 1 October 2001 and 30 September 2006


follow the links at www.cscuk.org.uk/apply/postgraduate_study.asp

World Bank Scholarship Program 2011

Are you a national of a World Bank member country? Then you might be eligible for Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program scholarship from World Bank. Apply Today: Application Deadline: March 31, 2011 Applicants are strongly encouraged to use our on-line application. The mission of the World Bank Group is to reduce poverty and improve living [...]

http://www.scholars4dev.com/2735/japan-world-bank-graduate-scholarships-for-development-related-studies/