LGA Facilitator at Committed To Good (CTG)

Vacancy ID: VAC-8217
Locations: Sokoto, Yobe, Kastina, Kano, Kaduna, Zaria & Taraba
Start date: 01-Oct-2022
Duration: 3 months
Number of vacancies: 10

Overview of Position    

• In 2020, Nigeria was declared WPV free for having gone without any WPV case for over 4 years.
• However, Nigeria is still experiencing outbreaks of cVDPV2 due low routine immunization coverage, which is further complicated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Nigeria had 1,028 cVDPV2 in 2021 of which 420 were AFP cases & 123 in 2022 as of 22 August, of which 33 are AFP cases.
• Risk communication & social mobilization are critical components in the outbreak response, campaigns & routine immunization to curb the hike of cVDPV2.
• It utilises the Volunteer Community Mobiliser (VCM) network of more than 18,500 members deployed in 12 high risk states in the northern part of Nigeria, working closely with stakeholders, caregivers & the community at large to promote vaccination.
• Members of the network conduct active, community based AFP case search & reporting, house to house visits, organise compound meetings & community dialogues, track new born & under 5 children, give 0 dose polio vaccinations, engage members of polio survivors group, track & vaccinate children at internally displaced camps, refer pregnant women to health facilities & under 1 children for routine vaccination & systematically track & vaccinate missed & non compliant children during in between rounds activities in their assigned settlements.
• The network is supervised through a comprehensive network of Facilitators at ward, LGA & state levels.
• The VCM network is a proven catalyst for change & a standard for community engagement at the grassroots level to drive community mobilisation for polio & routine immunization, individual & group health education sessions & promotion of essential family practices. 
• State & LGA facilitators, as supervisors to the VCM network, are key actors who have supervised the VCM network in raising community awareness, tracking the new born & their immunization status, promoting behaviour change & engaging prominent influencers to resolve non compliance & reached out to underserved population since 2012. In the era of post WPV, their intensified communication is expected to contribute immensely to the polio outbreak responses & lingering immunization challenges of Nigeria. 
• Our client has the need to sustain & strengthen its support in intensive community engagement & social mobilization with particular focus on ensuring improved coordination & partnership with key community leaders of underserved populations & in polio high risk states.
• One of the key approaches in community mobilization is the identification, sensitization & engagement of prominent influencers in underserved & mobile communities. Intensified engagement with the religious institutions in Nigeria is critical to addressing key communication challenges that the immunization program is facing.
• There are still lingering challenges with small groups predominantly in northern Nigeria which has resulted in non compliance with a correspondingly high number of children remaining unvaccinated against vaccine preventable diseases both during campaign & routine immunisation. 
• These Facilitators will be located at the state & LGA level with frequent trips to the LGAs & wards.
• Emphasis will be on SBC approaches to ensure successful polio outbreak responses, improve routine immunization & to support emergency non polio SIA, including COVID-19 vaccines.

Role Objectives

• Supervise team of Volunteer Ward Supervisors (VWS), Polio Survivor Group (PSG) & Volunteer Community Mobilizers (VCM) in his / her area(s) through regular monitoring, capacity building & supportive supervision.
• Work within specified LGA(s), with its ward & settlement teams to ensure deeper ward / settlement analysis, planning & implementation of strategic communications interventions. The specific communication interventions to be implemented in each area will be informed by guidance from national & complemented by local knowledge, social data & unique characteristics of the wards / settlements.
• Consult with our clients SBC & State Facilitator to mobilize & ensure the effective organization & functioning of LGA social mobilization task team.
• Support LGA Health Educator in meetings of the LGA social mobilization team to plan, implement & report on communication interventions in support of the polio & non polio SIA programs & targeting high risk wards within the state as well as implementation of programmatic SBC activities within the LGA.
• Conduct regular community mapping exercises to identify vulnerable groups, hard to reach communities, strategic communication & mobilization delivery points & channels for messaging, advocacy & public education (micro planning).
• Identify training needs / gaps of various groups & seek support from our clients SBC & State Facilitator to implement capacity building activities to fill knowledge gaps & address deficiencies.
• Identify & engage key local level influencers such as district heads, religious leaders, women groups, town announcers, traditional dancers, pharmacists, social & cultural groups & support the planning & implementation of such activities as mop up activities, use of local town announcers & special events, to create high levels of public awareness to resolve non compliance & reduce missed children & raise visibility of SBC & SocMob activities in general as advised.
• Monitor the relevance & use of IEC materials & make specific recommendations to our clients SBC & State Lead on their adaptability to local reality.
• Spend adequate time working with various community groups & monitor all SBC activities so that our clients support to local level interventions & their impact can be documented across all of our clients programs (Health / Polio, WASH, Education, Nutrition, Child Protection).
• Track the delivery & efficient utilization of campaign social mobilization funds at LGA level.
• Report on how funds are spent to support various communication activities & facilitate, in coordination with our clients SBC & State Facilitator, the effective use of SocMob funds (channelled through the govt. departments) at the state, LGA & ward levels for polio & non polio SIAs.
• Monitor & report, on a monthly basis, the factual & complete disbursement of honorariums to Volunteer Community Mobilizers, Polio Survivors Group & Volunteer Ward Supervisors, reporting immediately any misappropriation of funds to our clients Program Manager (Polio) & State Facilitator.
• Actively participate in all state level precampaign trainings as appropriate.
• Support all SBC activities in respective LGA / wards / settlements to promote child survival & protection.
• Support to different sectors to mark & celebrate global & national days e.g. global hand washing day, day of the African child etc.
• Maintain updated list of contact details of all VWS & VCM & ensure accurate information is submitted to our client for disbursement of monthly stipends.
• Respond appropriately to health emergencies & disease outbreaks through the risk communication & community engagement committees at LGA level.
• Other duties as may be assigned.

Expected Output

• A detailed work plan at the beginning of the contract & monthly work plans thereafter.
• Sharing & uploading of data to ODK & other data tool at agreed timelines.
• Monthly report of activities, outcomes, mission reports & support to other reporting as requested.
• One end of contract report including detailed handover notes delivered to SBC & State Facilitator. 

Expected results:

• Nigeria community engagement plan implemented at all levels by all stakeholders.
• Facilitation of implementation of state & LGA social mobilization & High Risk Operational Plans (HROP).
• Volunteer Ward Supervisors, PSGs (where applicable) & Volunteer Community Mobilizers are supervised, mentored & capacity strengthened through solid teamwork & leadership.
• Vaccination barriers identified, analysed & overcome by social mobilization groups & key influencers, number of missed children & non compliances are reduced.
• Actively participate in & contribute to, the development & implementation of LGA communication packages on health, polio, routine immunization, WASH, education & nutrition & child protection.
• Polio & RI & non polio SIAs Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) reports are available at state, field office & Abuja levels.
• Contribution to other reports made & shared as requested.

The Primary Outcomes will be:

• Quality implementation of all polio & non polio IPDs / supplemental immunization activities leading to reduction (to almost 0) in the level of missed children (non compliant & / or absent) & 0 dose children.
• Increased commitment from LGA officials, traditional leaders & religious leaders through frequent LGA Facilitator feedback & engagement on all SBC activities for our clients programs.
• Social mobilization working group & committees at LGAs hold regular meetings & use social mobilization data for planning, monitoring & implementation of SBC interventions in polio, routine immunization, health, nutrition, education, WASH & child protection.
• Improved use of social & Expanded Program on Immunisation (EPI) data in communication strategy development & planning by the LGA team including social mobilization working group members through technical inputs.

Project Reporting:  

• This role reports to the line manager.

Key Competencies    

• University Degree in Social Sciences, Communication, Public Health, Community Nutrition, Community Development or a related technical field.
• Fluency in English & knowledge in a local language is an asset.
• At least 3 years progressively responsible professional work experience with national & international humanitarian organisations in program planning, management, monitoring & evaluation of programs.
• At least 3 years of similar experience in social mobilization, advocacy & communication in health related programs, training / capacity building, team leading & team building.

Team Management:   

• This role has no team management responsibility.