How can you make a difference?
- Under the supervision of the Nutrition Manager, the consultant will facilitate quality improvement initiatives in two districts in the Eastern Cape Province to scale-up interventions aimed at strengthening early identification of undernutrition and screening of children at household level by caregivers, using MUAC screening as an entry point. A package of services will be anchored on the five pillars of the Road to Health Booklet which are nutrition, love, protection, health care and extra care.
Objectives
- Train the trainers on the package of service based on the 5 pillars of the Road to Health Booklet, using nutrition assessment and counselling as an entry point.
- Building capacity of supervisors and mentors to quality improvement approach in supervising and mentoring community health workers (CHWs) and other frontline workers on nutrition assessment and counselling who are providing supportive supervision, mentoring and monitoring roles in their catchment areas.
Proposed approach
- The primary target groups for the quality improvement initiatives are Outreach Team Leaders (OTLs for Ward-based Primary Health Care Outreach Teams), Community development practitioners and Early Childhood Development (ECD) coordinators. It is proposed that a cascade model be adopted for building capacity and creating an enabling environment for Community health workers and other frontline community workers.
- This will include building capacity of train the trainers at the district level on the technical aspects of the programme, as well as on supportive supervision and mentoring on Infant and Young Child Feeding and nutrition assessment. It is expected that supervisors will cascade the training to frontline workers (i.e. community health workers, ECD practitioners and other cadres) within their catchment areas or districts. Community health workers and other frontline workers will then cascade the training to mothers and other caregivers in their catchment areas. It is anticipated the capacity building of supervisors will take place over a period of 1 day.
Supportive supervision and mentoring
- This component should be designed as an orientation training for supervisors and mentors to prepare them to supportively supervise and mentor community health workers (CHWs), ECD Practitioners and other frontline workers who are providing nutrition assessment and IYCF services, including the counselling of mothers and other caregivers.
- This training also aims to build the skills of supervisors and mentors to monitor the quality and coverage of nutrition assessment and IYCF services and to support improvements in the delivery of community-based nutrition screening and assessment and IYCF activities. It is expected that a one-day orientation training in supportive supervision, mentorship and monitoring will be conducted. Evidence clearly indicates that the capacity of CHWs to deliver quality nutrition counselling is improved by introducing or strengthening health care systems that provide them with supportive supervision and mentorship.
- This orientation training distinguishes between traditional supervision and supportive supervision and mentoring, and it encourages the combination of supportive supervision and mentorship roles. It is anticipated that the orientation session for supervisors and mentors will take place over a period of one day.
Capacity building of Community health workers and other frontline workers at community level through applying quality improvement approach
- Supervisors and mentors are sometimes the actual trainers of CHWs and other frontline workers and may or may not be attached to a health facility in the area to which the CHW/frontline worker is assigned. Other individuals who have completed the nutrition assessment and IYCF Counselling Package training and are themselves skilled counsellors may also be trained to provide supportive supervision and mentoring. In either case, a supervisor or mentor is expected to complete the technical training on nutrition screening and assessment and IYCF Counselling Package training.
Outputs
- Adapted Supporting Infant and Young Child Feeding: Orientation for Supervisors and Mentors manual.
- Adapted Family MUAC Training manual for Community Health Workers manual (2021).
- Adapted IYCF Counselling cards Facilitators Guide.
- Adapted recording forms, data collection tools, etc.
- 130 OTLs capacitated in OR Tambo and Nelson Mandela Bay districts.
- 40 Community Development Practitioners capacitated in the Eastern Cape.
- 10 ECD Practitioners capacitated in the Eastern Cape.
Tasks and Deliverables
Adapt the existing orientation manual for supervisors and mentors on IYCF to the South African context (15 days)
- Adapted Supporting Infant and Young Child Feeding: Orientation for Supervisors and Mentors manual.
Ensure that the existing Family MUAC training manual is comprehensive and pitched at the level of the supervisors and mentors (10 days)
- Adapted Family MUAC Training manual for Community Health Workers manual (2021).
Adapt the existing Facilitators Guide on IYCF Counselling Cards to the South African contexts (10 days)
- Adapted IYCF Counselling cards Facilitators Guide.
Adapt the existing tools in line with the data collection systems at facility and community level (2 days)
- Adapted recording forms, data collection tools, etc.
Conduct 2-day technical capacity and mentoring skills sessions for OTLs, community development practitioners and ECD coordinators on Child nutrition, with specific reference on nutrition assessment and IYCF in two districts (15 days)
- 130 OTLs capacitated in OR Tambo and Nelson Mandela Bay districts.
- 40 Community Development Practitioners capacitated in the Eastern Cape.
- 10 ECD Practitioners capacitated in the Eastern Cape.
Print manuals and tools for the participants for capacity building sessions (2 days)
- Printed manuals for participants on developed tools and materials.
Write a close-out report on the project (5 days)
- Close-out report submitted.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- A minimum of first University Degree in Public health, Nutrition, Medicine or other related disciplines
- A minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in health and nutrition
- Proven technical expertise in child nutrition
- Technical skills in quality improvement initiatives on pediatrics and child health/nutrition
- Proven experience in capacity building of the train the trainers
- Proven experience in the development of capacity building materials (i.e. Manuals, job aids, tools, etc.)
- Excellent English writing skills
- Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset
- Knowledge of another local language is an asset
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