Report-Writing Consultant – Annual Report of the Internews Humanitarian Media Unit

Report-Writing Consultant – Annual Report of the Internews Humanitarian Media Unit

Duration: 8 days, full-time, over a period of two weeks Application Deadline: November 6, 2011

Background:

Internews® Network is an international media development organization based in Arcata, CA and Washington, D.C. whose mission is to empower people worldwide with the news and information they need, the ability to connect, and the means to make their voices heard.

In humanitarian disasters people affected by the unfolding tragedy need more than physical necessities: They also have an urgent need for information. In the wake of crises and emergencies, from earthquakes to armed conflicts, survival can depend on knowing the answers to questions such as: Is it safe to go back home? How can I get in touch with my family? Where is the nearest health facility? How can I get food and water?

Independent, local media can make humanitarian relief more effective and enable people in the midst of crisis to access the information they need to make informed decisions and take an active role in their own survival and recovery.

Collaboration between relief agencies and local media partners is critical to the success of any humanitarian response. Since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, Internews has been working on humanitarian media programs, responding to humanitarian crises and emergencies by setting up humanitarian communications systems in partnership with local media, humanitarian agencies and local governments that provide life-saving information and establish two-way communications with affected communities.

Over the last 8 years, Internews has been building partnerships and working closely with organizations and government agencies at all stages of emergency response in places like Chad, Gaza, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Libya, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Sudan.

In late 2010, Internews set up a separate full-time Humanitarian Media Unit (HMU) to coordinate this area of work. In 2011, the HMU conducted four assess¬ment missions to understand the humanitarian information needs of affected communities, the local media landscapes and the overall information ecosystems in different emergencies, providing recommen¬dations for action, namely:

• February (Tunisia): Assessment of the information needs of stranded migrants in the Tunisia/Libya border (www.internews.org/prs/2011/20110316_libya.shtm)

• April (Liberia): Assessment of the Information Needs of Ivorian refugees in Liberia (www.internews.org/infosaveslives/liberia.shtm)

• May-June (Libya): Assessment of the local media landscape in Libya (www.internews.org/regions/mena/libya.shtm)

• August (Dadaab, Kenya): Assessment Humanitarian Communications and Information Needs Assessment among refugees in Dadaab, Kenya (http://www.internews.org/prs/2011/20110915_dadaab.shtm)

Internews is also a founding member of the Communicating with Disaster Affected Communities (CDAC) Network and a partner in the DfiD-funded infoasaid project consortium, both of which aim to improve how aid agencies communicate with disaster-affected communities.

To learn more about Internews’ humanitarian media work around the world click here.

General Function and Scope of Work: In order to capture and showcase its recent work, the Internews Humanitarian Media Unit is looking for a consultant to draft an Annual Report of its 2011 activities. The report will detail, in an accessible, brief and compelling manner, the scope and output of the Unit’s 2011 initiatives. The report is intended for a broad audience, including humanitarian agencies, Internews partners, donors and the general public.

Scope of Work:

• Conduct a desk-review of relevant Internews documentation, including published reports, internal activity reports, press articles/mentions, and other material as provided or otherwise identified.

• Plan and conduct interviews with relevant Internews staff and partners for the purposes of furthering research on necessary content and capturing quotes to include in the final document.

• Liaise with relevant Internews staff to determine an initial outline and table of contents, prior to completing the first draft of the report.

• Within the first 6 working days of this contract, prepare a precise and concise complete first draft of the report (maximum 30 pages, excluding any annexes) that comprehensively captures the 2011 activities of the Humanitarian Media Unit.

• Following an internal review, respond to feedback and any requests for revision from Internews staff, as necessary, in the final days of the consultancy.

• Liaise and collaborate with relevant Internews staff throughout the process.

Qualifications

• Proven writing, copy-editing and researching skills.

• Previous experience writing annual reports or other relevant documents for non-profit organizations.

• Sound knowledge of the mandates and modalities of the international humanitarian sector including the UN cluster system.

• Excellent communication skills.

• Familiarity with the mission, core values and objectives of Internews.

• Knowledge and understanding of the area of communications with disaster-affected communities and media development preferred.

• Relevant university degree.

To Apply: Interested candidates meeting the qualifications should forward a cover letter and resume to 876-in (at) internews (dot) org (re-write in standard format), placing “RWC - AR - in” in the subject line. Please include the following with your application:

• CV with names and contacts of three (3) references (CV_name_surname)

• Motivation letter briefly stating your previous related experience (250 words max) (Cover Note_name_surname)

• At least 3 writing sample of previous related work, or links to the product(s), if available (-01_writing_sample_ name_surname; 02_writing_sample_ name_surname; etc.)

• Brief proposal with an estimated work plan, daily rate, and a final estimated total budget (Work_Plan_name_surname)

CLOSING DATE: 6 November 2011

EOE M/F/D/V