Job Description

Deadline for Applications

November 11, 2025

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

H (no hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

CONS Local

Target Start Date

2025-11-17

Terms of Reference

Title: Peer to Peer Education Consultant
Title of project: Development of Peer-to-Peer Advisory Toolkit and Training Modules for Refugee Peer Advisors
Duty station: Home-based
Section/Unit: Sustainable Responses Service, Education
Duration: 6 months (full-time)

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ENGAGED INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT

General Background of Project and Operational Context:

As the global lead on refugee higher education, UNHCR seeks to use all effective, efficient, locally informed means to increase access to higher education for refugees worldwide. At the foundation of this commitment is the UNHCR DAFI (Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative) scholarship programme has supported over 27,300 refugee students in accessing higher education since its launch in 1992, operating in over 55 countries as of 2025. The programme contributes to refugee students’ access to education, employment, and civic engagement.

A recent independent evaluation of the flagship DAFI higher education scholarship programme for refugees recommended that academic and career guidance support should be consistently applied across DAFI programmes to improve preparation for university application and academic success, alignment of choice of study with career interests and prospects, identification of additional training needs, particularly for women and underrepresented groups. However, many refugee students still lack structured guidance on selecting relevant fields of study, understanding vocational pathways, and aligning education with employment outcomes.

In response, UNHCR seeks to consolidate and improve several existing peer guidance resources to produce a comprehensive Peer-to-Peer Solutions Advisor Training and Resource Package to support implementation of a global refugee peer solutions advisor model that maximizes information sharing and access to quality guidance to ensure more refugee youth transition to higher education.

The resource package and accompanying modules will advance the findings of the DAFI Programme Evaluation Report, the 15by30 Roadmap Report goal, and align with the Prospects Partnership theory of change, the Mastercard Foundation partnership and UNHCR’s overall strategic directions.

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations
To view occupational safety and health considerations for specific duty stations, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Specific Occupational Safety and Health Considerations to this assignment (if applicable):

Purpose and Scope of Assignment:
The objective of this consultancy is to develop a field-tested, user-friendly, and modular resource package that strengthens peer-to-peer support for refugee students to understand higher education opportunities and processes, resulting in more refugees accessing higher education.

The Individual Consultant will be responsible for the following:
1. Identify the knowledge and skills required by refugee peer solutions advisors (solutions advisors) - serving as part of a global Peer-to-Peer Solutions Advisor Network (P2SAN) - to be able to successfully disseminate information about higher education and to deliver information and guidance sessions.

2. Based on the above, the Consultant will develop and refine curriculum and training materials that will prepare members of the peer-to-peer solutions advisor network to :
- Conduct information sessions with specific target groups, such as in secondary schools in refugee-hosting areas.
- Deliver small group targeted sessions on specific university-readiness topics such as CV writing, academic fields of study, digital skills, interview skills, etc.
- Provide one-on-one academic counseling sessions to advance individual university or programme applications.
- Conduct outreach to relevant refugee communities, universities, partners and locations to identify refugee youth who can benefit from information provided by the solutions advisors about access to higher education and skills opportunities.
- Provide small group or individual advisory sessions to focus on specific cases and support candidates to better understand, navigate, and access education and skills opportunities.

3. The resource package will:
- Provide clear and practical guidance for refugee students on academic and vocational study options.
- Include structured materials and tools for peer mentors to advise on study planning and career orientation.
- Promote awareness and understanding of short-cycle tertiary programmes and applied fields of study.
- Support decisions aligned with labour market trends and employment prospects.
- Address barriers faced by female students and other underrepresented groups.
- Equip users with training and awareness resources for applying the toolkit in local contexts.

4. The resource package will include:
1. Informational and awareness-raising modules on:
- Conditions for access to higher education in context
- Secondary to tertiary education bridging options
- Language
- Digital skills
- Study skills
- Critical thinking and writing

a. Preparing for the application process
- Making informed decisions about study options
- Interview prep

b. Exploring local study options including:
- Technical and vocational education and training pathways
- Digital or online study options
- Local universities and colleges
- Study abroad

c. Education financing options:
- Loans
- Scholarships
- Other

d. Opportunities to improve career readiness:
- Work based learning
- Internships
- Language training
- Soft skills training
- Entrepreneurship training
- Training for digital or remote work

2. Training modules targeting refugee peer guidance advisors.
a. May include virtual and in-person modules, work based learning and webinars.

3. Training of Trainers modules to support long term sustainability of the Peer to Peer Project as a wholly refugee-led initiative.

Deliverables
o Proposed workplan, including virtual stakeholder consultations with relevant stakeholders in Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt and Lebanon
o Timeline, stakeholder list
o Draft comprehensive toolkit with core sections in editable format
o Training package including training materials and awareness resources tailored for different user groups
o Pilot summary report of testing activities, findings, and toolkit/module revision plan
o Final PDF and editable versions, ready for roll-out

CANDIDATE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, SELECTION CRITERIA

Required qualifications, language(s) and work experience:
Degree: Yes

Field of expertise, competencies:
• At least 6 years of experience in refugee education, youth programming, tertiary education support.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing training content on higher education, guidance, employability and career readiness, peer mentoring approaches.
• Familiarity with digital higher education, vocational/technical education and short-cycle tertiary pathways.
• Strong understanding of higher education admissions processes, access barriers, academic guidance functions, higher education success factors.
• Proven experience working in low- and middle-income country contexts.
• Strong writing and facilitation skills in English; French desirable.

Required Language: English

EVALUATION, MONITORING, SUPERVISION

Monitoring and Progress Controls
To ensure effective progress and management of expectations, the consultant will meet with the project supervisor on a weekly basis throughout the period, to discuss project updates, questions and agreed next steps.

Engagement type: Regular (Working hours applicable, monthly regular payment of fees as per ICSC NET equivalent)
The remuneration level and the applicable entitlements and benefits may differ based on the residence of the most suitable selected candidate.

Annex 1.
Additional details on resource package development
Combine and optimise existing resources, add additional content as needed, to produce a single, comprehensive advisory toolkit that can be adjusted to context, including:
o Peer Mentor Guide: A step-by-step guide for advising on study options, application processes, and common challenges.
o Study Decision-Making Tools: Visual guides, reflection questions, and planning templates for students.
o Vocational and Short-Cycle Pathways Section: Country-relevant information on applied/technical programmes.
o Career Planning and Labour Market Tools: Guidance on internships, job search, and transition to work.
o Gender-Inclusive Guidance: Strategies to support female participation and reduce barriers.
o Parental and Community Engagement Materials: Tools and messages to explain study options and promote support.
o Monitoring and Feedback Tools: Templates to track outcomes and improve the toolkit over time.

Development of training and awareness-raising modules

• Design a basic training module package (slide decks, facilitator notes, session outlines) for:
o Peer mentors (on how to use the toolkit),
o Refugee students (on study and career options),
o Families/communities (on how to support education and employment transitions).

• Consider a hybrid approach, combining traditional peer support with AI/digital career guidance tools, enabling refugee students to better navigate educational pathways and labour market transitions through both human connection and data-driven insights.
o Explore and recommend digital/AI-enabled tools to complement peer mentoring, such as skill-mapping platforms, career roadmaps, and digital credentialing.
o This may include skill recognition tools (e.g. ESCO, O-NET frameworks), digital career path visualisations, or platforms for decentralized validation and credentialing (e.g. Pexelle). These tools aim to assist refugee students and mentors in making informed, skills-aligned education and employment choices.
• Develop awareness-raising materials (e.g. leaflets, posters, or short video scripts) to accompany the toolkit in both print and digital formats.