Call for Proposals Partnership for Technical Skills Development of Youth in Tunisia-GAME in Tunisia عودة إلى الفرص

Call for Proposals 

Partnership for Technical Skills Development
of Youth in Tunisia
Partnership with GAME under the Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Programme 2024-2027

Website: www.game.ngo

1. The Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Programme 

The Danish-Arab Partnership Programme (DAPP) has been an important instrument
in Denmark’s foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) since its establishment in 2003. The current phase of DAPP builds on the positive experiences
of the past and focuses on employment and human rights, supporting Danish policy priorities lives in the MENA region, and as such youth are the main target group.
The DAPP vision is to contribute to building a better life for young people in the MENA region, including a particular focus on youth in Tunisia. Every young person is entitled to a decent and meaningful job and the chance to participate as an active member
in society. The aim of DAPP is to build on the stepping-stones towards achieving these conditions. Within DAPP, the Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship (YEE) Programme aims to increase the number of young people with jobs in Tunisia through entrepreneurship and enterprise development, supporting pathways
for transformational change based on a solid understand of job creation for youth. 

Tunisia’s youth unemployment rate is ranked as one of the MENA region’s highest rates, representing 38.5% in the first quarter of 2022.  The unemployment rate among youth with a university degree is 30%.  A high rate which is partly due to the gap between labour supply and demand, the mismatch between skills and labour market needs, lack of career orientation, a rigid labour market, and cultural assumptions about self-employment and entrepreneurship. Despite the high level of youth graduating, Tunisian companies cannot find qualified job candidates due to the skills mismatch. Youth lack market-relevant technical and digital skills and general access to market-relevant TVET. 

GAME, one of four consortium partners within the YEE programme, is seeking a new partner to support the implementation of its activities in Tunisia, and in particular through technical skills development for capacity building and increased employability. The partnership is expected to span from Q4 2024 until June 2027. 

This Programme is funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

2. Project Objective and Target Group

With reference to the YEE Programme Tunisia Results Framework, GAME aims
to enhance the number of young people benefitting from market responsive, technical skills development, including on-the-job training. Over the coming project period 2024-2027, GAME’s partner will be responsible for supporting 840 youth with technical skills development, matching market relevant needs and demands. 

Falling under Output 2 of the overall Programme Results Framework,  the expected deliverables should address issues such as the lack of market-relevant technical and digital skills, a lack of access to technical and vocationally oriented training and the lack of soft skills and knowledge of labour market opportunities. It will involve the following activities: 

1. Market responsive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
   for prioritised sectors, delivered through TVET providers and free online digital training tools, etc. Priority will be given to growth sectors (e.g., tourism/leisure, ICT and creative sector) with a focus on green transition mainstreamed though all skills activities. 
2. Linking youth to the job-market: Mediation and contact with companies (incentivised where appropriate) in targeted sectors to identify job openings, apprenticeships/internships, job-matching, job fairs and networking opportunities, especially for women. 
3. Employability skills development: Digital literacy, job searching, personal marketing, etc. 
4. Career guidance: Career plan development, general guidance, peer-to-peer support. 

The above activities will directly contribute to the following output indicators: 

A fundamental aspect of GAME’s approach is our commitment to youth centred programming, meaning that we work both FOR and WITH youth. We firmly believe
in the power and agency of young people, that they can take leadership, articulate their needs and push for transformational changes. A youth-centred approach releasing the potential of young people is essential to achieve the project’s objectives. 

Target Group 

The target group for the YEE projects is youth aged 15 – 35, from 24 Governorates in Tunisia, reaching 840 youth over the project period (2024-2027). This includes targeting both disengaged youth and employment seekers. 

Disengaged youth are those in need of motivational support, life skills, networks, guidance and information to set them on a realistic path towards employment/self-employment. Employment seekers are those young people in search of employment opportunities with limited exposure to the labour market and may lack the necessary skills that match employer’s needs. This group needs support and guidance
to transition to employment and for market-relevant skills.

3. Key Partnership Criteria

GAME has already engaged two local partners under the YEE Programme and is seeking a third partner. Partners need to meet the following key partnership criteria: 

1. Share the common goal of advancing young people’s rights and opportunities and be devoted to creating systemic change, challenging gender inequality and enabling youth empowerment
2. Have proven expertise and experience in relation to a specific part of the project (output)
3. Be able to work cost-effectively and to capture data and document results. 

For b) and c) potential capacity-building applies. 

Initial selection of a partner will be followed by due diligence, especially
for engagements with private sector actors, as well as participatory capacity assessments, including power and stakeholder analyses, which will help identify capacity-building needs and inform the development of tailored support for each partner. 

Our partnership approach builds on a key principle of localisation, complementarity
and strategic partner selection, and a strong commitment to capacity-building and mutual learning.

GAME is seeking to engage local partners effectively and meaningfully through
a participatory partnership process that creates strong local ownership. 

4. Grant/funding available 

2024 is considered a trial period. The collaboration for the following years will depend on the results of 2024 and the partner’s capabilities. The expected annual budgets are approximately as mentioned below, but they are subject to an annual budget approval process:

Unspent funds are not able to roll-over from one year to another.  

It is expected that a maximum of 25% is allocated to staff and administrative costs 

5. Applicant eligibility 

The following categories of applicants are eligible to apply under this Call for Proposals: 

• Content of proposal submissions 

The Applicants shall include the following in their proposals: 

• Proposal, which must include all of the elements outlined in section 8. 
• Financial Proposal for 2024 
  • Provide a detailed budget that aligns with the proposed methodology.
    Justify each budget item, demonstrating how it contributes to the successful implementation of the grant. 

All proposals, information, documents and correspondence exchanged between GAME and the applicant shall be in English.  

• Proposal submission timeline

The deadline for the submission of proposals is August 12, 2024. Proposals should be submitted by email to tunisia@game.ngo, with a copy to : ashma@game.ngo

Ideally, the agreement, will start as soon as possible or by October  1, 2024.

8. Requirements 

The Applicant shall formulate a pertinent, and comprehensive methodology that outlines the approach and plan of action that the Applicant will undertake to perform the proposed activities in order to achieve the grant’s objectives and targeted impact. The methodology shall include the below sections: 

1. Introduction and Background 

• Provide a brief overview of the Applicant’s mission, vision,
  and experience relevant to the activities proposed. 
• Clearly demonstrate how the Applicant would deploy qualified staff with pertinent experience in specialized areas and other necessary pertinent resources. 

1. Detailed Activities and Timeline

• Provide a detailed breakdown of the specific activities
  that the Applicant proposes to undertake and clearly articulate how the proposed activities would ensure attaining the specific objectives and outputs of the grant.
• Clearly link the proposed methodology to the targeted impact

1. Target Beneficiary

Provide information and explanations on how the proposed methodology is tailored to meet the needs of the target beneficiary. 

1. Stakeholder’s Analysis, Engagement and Coordination Plan 

• Describe the methods proposed to engage and involve
  the beneficiaries and other pertinent stakeholders in the planning and implementation of the activities. 
• When developing the stakeholder analysis and engagement
  and coordination plans, properly consider gender mainstreaming.

1. Partnerships and Cooperation with Others 

• Describe any partnerships or cooperation with other NGOs/CSOs, etc.., that the Applicant intends to establish to enhance the grant’s effectiveness. 
• Clearly outline the roles and responsibilities of each partner
  in the implementation of the proposed activities
  and methodology.

1. Safeguards and Risk Management

• Identify the safeguarding policies that are adopted by the Applicant to protect the well-being and rights of the stakeholders/beneficiary/ target community.

1. Financial Management

• The Applicant shall demonstrate how it would apply sound financial management practices, including transparent budgeting, accurate accounting, and compliance with financial regulations, regular financial audits to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of funds, with clear reporting mechanisms. 

1. Adaptability and Learning Orientation 

• Demonstrate how the Applicant would apply and make use
  of continuous learning, where lessons learned from previous projects are systematically incorporated in the Applicant’s activities. 

1. Other pertinent aspects that clarify the methodology of the Applicant.

1. Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Requirements 

• The Applicant shall provide documentation with details on how issues of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment are addressed and implemented in the Applicant’s organization, including policies, procedures, and programmes/initiatives. The Minimum action items requirements shall cover, but not limited to, the following: 

• Code of Conduct. 
• Visibility and awareness about Protection from Sexual Exploitation Abuse and Harassment (e.g. through training, etc..). 
• Reporting, investigation and taking corrective measures.