Contract Duration: 3.5 Months

Working arrangement: Home-based

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For every child, the right to education

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Purpose of Assignment:

Mental health and well-being are critical components of adolescents’ overall growth and future, yet it is one of the most neglected health issues. Failure to address adolescent mental health concerns contributes to health-related disability in children and youth, and is associated with premature mortality, including by suicide, and long-term negative social and economic consequences for individuals and society. UNICEF is actively engaged in prevention, promotion and response to address poor mental health by evaluating risks and enhancing protective factors, such as promoting well-being, and ensuring quality and accessible care for children and their families.

The estimated prevalence of mental health conditions amongst adolescents in Guyana is 17.5% with boys being more likely to suffer from mental health issues than girls with a prevalence of 19.0% versus 15.9%. According to the Child and Adolescent Causes of Death Estimation, self-harm is the leading cause of death among Guyanese adolescents aged 15–19, for both males and females. Overall, Guyana has the second highest burden of suicide in the Region of the Americas. Additionally, adolescents with disabilities are at heightened risk of mental health challenges due to stigma, social exclusion, and limited access to inclusive education and psychosocial support, including in rural and hinterland communities.

Guyana’s education system is increasingly recognized as a critical entry point for promoting adolescent mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. Schools have the unique opportunity to identify and support children who are experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties however teachers and administrators often lack the capacity and tools to provide conducive environments and identify and respond to mental health concerns. Additionally, stigma and discrimination against individuals with mental health issues continue to pervade all levels of society, deterring young people from seeking help. Improving mental health literacy in schools and social and emotional skills building is critically important to establish the foundations of mental health and to promote well-being and socioemotional development, improve early recognition of mental disorders, and reduce stigma.

These Terms of Reference are for an individual consultant to revise the pre-service teachers’ HFLE curriculum to include mental health and develop an accompanying manual to support pre-service capacity building on mental health. The Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Health (MOH) are partnering with UNICEF for the development of these materials.

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of the UNICEF Health Officer and Education Specialist and Ministry of Education the Consultant is expected to lead the review, assessment and revision of the HFLE pre-service teachers’ curriculum to include mental health and develop an accompany manual to support pre-service capacity building to recognise mental health conditions in children, provide appropriate guidance, and support children with developing social and emotional skills.

Time: The consultancy will be implemented between 21 September 2026 and 31 December 2026.

Thematic scope: Priority areas for inclusion in the curriculum and manual include the importance of mental health and wellbeing in school, understanding child development, main emotional and behavioural disorders and social and emotional skills building.

Methodology

The methodology consists of the following key phases:

Phase 1: Inception report inclusive of desk review and workplan.

Phase 2: Revise curricula and develop training manuals and materials

Phase 3: Presentation of final documents

How can you make a difference?

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the Terms of Reference here: TOR MH Curriculum and Manual TMS.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have:

Minimum requirements:

Education: Masters degree in Education, Social sciences, Public Health, Health Policy, or a related field with specialized training or proven experience in curriculum development.

Work Experience:

A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the field of education, public health or social policy including in the development of curricula and training materials

Language Requirements:

English

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

Knowledge of the HFLE curriculum with specific knowledge of mental health and wellbeing of adolescents
Strong track record of training adult learners
Strong communication and facilitation skills
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Good ability to prepare clear and concise presentations and reports

Desirables:

Previous work experience with the United Nations System.
Experiential knowledge of Guyana’s sub-regional contexts.
A background or experience in mental health is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate Care

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal (Talent Management System):

An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
Cover letter
A separate financial proposal Financial proposal Consultant development mental health manual.xlsx

Remarks:

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Consultancy - Development of pre-service teachers' mental health manual and revision of curriculum, Guyana, 3.5 Months (Remote/Work from home)