OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Field Office

Duty Station: Harare

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 1 to 6 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 30-JUN-2022

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Overview

The UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (ROSA) is seeking for a company to develop a mobile application that aims to empower Zimbabwean and Zambian tertiary students with a tool to access information about sexual and reproductive health, professional counselling, peer counselling services, and a helpline when in emergency situations. The application will be termed Future+ app for the Zimbabwean context and adapted to the Zambian context (content and design specification).

Background

The development work is part of the Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3 PLUS), a project that seeks to ensure that young people in higher and tertiary education institutions in the East and Southern Africa region realize positive health, education, and gender equality outcomes through sustained reductions in new HIV infections, unintended pregnancy, and gender-based violence. The project will thus enable them to reach their full educational potential and contribute more effectively to the development of their countries and region as graduates, professionals, and young leaders. Working closely with relevant regional structures, national ministries, higher and tertiary education institutions (HTEIs), and key partners, UNESCO will support innovation in access to life skills-based sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health services for HTEI students while advocating for policy and practice changes to make campuses safe and inclusive learning environments for students and staff. The project will institutionalize health and well-being programs for students while engaging leadership for long-term commitment and sustainability.

In line with the O3 PLUS results framework, a mobile application will be developed to assist Zambian and Zimbabwean tertiary students with access to sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services. As mobile phones are widely used by students in Zambia and Zimbabwe HTEI campuses, the app can be a solution that offers a friendly and safe environment/space where young people, especially young women, can freely request for SRHR information, and improve their knowledge of sexual and reproductive health issues. They can also get support and services in real-time through services such as counselling chat, SOS messaging and calling in.

Long Description

App Objectives

• Provide students with correct SRHR information so that they can make informed decisions.
• Improve student well-being by providing information and services related to Sexual and reproductive health, dating tips, HIV and AIDS, sexual abuse, Alcohol and Drug abuse, mental health, general health, Safety of campus students, career guidance, etc.
• Provide a safe space for students to network and discuss topical issues
• Provide helpline facility and links for quickly accessing emergency and referral services
• To disseminate information in real-time to students through a popularized media
• To keep track of student needs, questions and pressing issuesGuiding Values
  • Confidentiality and Privacy – a safe and secure space
  • Accessibility - a pleasant user experience for all users, including those with a disability or impairment.
  • Inclusivity – a diverse and tolerant space that promotes respect for all values and ubuntu
  • Empathy – a design that caters for real students’ needs, and an app ‘owned’ by students
  • Innovation – a flexible, responsive, and sustainable app ecosystemTarget Population

    The app will be used by students in 12 HTEIs in Zimbabwe. Similarly, its adaptation to Zambian context will be used by students in 12 HTEIs in Zambia.

    Long Description

    App features and Functions

    UNESCO ROSA requires the successful bidder, the Contractor, to develop the Future+ mobile application as well as its adaptation in Zambia according to provided design specifications. The app should have the following functions and features:

    • SRHR articles - Students will access SRHR articles covering selected topics
    • Live Student Counselling - This is an instant messaging tool for students to connect to readily available well-being counsellors who will provide counselling services. From a listing of counsellors, students can chat through live messaging with a counsellor or leave a message to a preferred counsellor who may be offline at the time.
    • Student Forums - This is a student community where they can get help with SRHR issues, academic issues, advice from peers or just have a good chat about what's on their minds. Students can contribute to the forum through comments, sharing and reactions.
    • Quick Notifications - This feature allows the administration to send news messages/notifications directly to the students. All students will be able to view notifications from their dashboards.
    • Location-Based Help Services – Use the device's geographical location (via maps app) to show students where to get access to help services, e.g. clinic, police station etc. A services directory will also be provided for offline users.
    • Panic Button / Alarm - This button connects the student to the nearest emergency service depending on the situation, e.g. police, ambulance service etc. If on campus, the panic button alerts other close by students and HTEI security .
    • Automated Chatbot - The automated chatbot provides answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
    • Accessibility - The application should be compatible with the accessibility functions of Android and iOS (Screen magnifier, Zoom in, zoom out, audio, screen reader, colour friendliness etc.).
    • Gamification - This feature awards points for participation (leading to membership badges, e.g. silver, bronze, gold, platinum). Students can get more points for being active on the app, e.g. commenting on articles, participating in forums, inviting friends, etc.
    • Search - This will help students to search and filter for relevant information
      

      Long Description

      • App Feedback - This feature allows students to access app support services; they can get help on using the app, report problems with the app and request new features.
      • Sign up and Membership - Students will sign up using their university credentials since some services will be customized for individual colleges. Each signed up student will have a member account and portal where they can edit their personal details, avatar, etc., and invite friends to join the app.
      • Work both online and offline, with a possibility to share the data after going online.
      • Work on iOS and Android
      • Able to upload photos, audios, videos and attachments.
      • Different account features based on administrative roles and responsibilities e.g Admins, counsellors etc.Tasks to be carried out:

        To achieve app successful launch of the Future+ app and its adaptation to Zambian context the contractor will carry out the following tasks:

        • Develop the app (back-end/server technology, API(s) and Front end) based on approved design
        • Write App Technical Documentation
        • Perform app testing (User Experience, Functional, Performance, Security, Device, and Platform testing)
        • Make final iterations correcting any issues identified during testing
        • Support training of personnel
        • Monitoring of the platform for any potential issues on during the launch.
        • Provide post application deployment support for 3 months from the date of sign off.
        • Adapt the app to Zambian context including review of the content and design specificationsDeliverables and timeline:

          The main expected technical deliverables are:

          • Technical architecture and solution design documentation on which development will be based (these should be guided by the provided app concept and provisional designs and mock-ups). *The technical architecture should be written and validated by UNESCO ROSA prior to development.
          • Progress report on app development including test methodology, user test cases and test scripts.
          • Fully developed app in Zambia and Zimbabwe, including documentation and transfer of developed code and app associated user accounts
          • User training and app launch report
          • Adaptation of the mobile app to the Zambian context
          • Post application deployment support report 3 months from the day of sign offIt is estimated that the work shall not exceed 50 working days. The development work shall take place from July to August 2022 and the post application deployment support shall take place from September to November 2022.
            

            COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Accountability (C)Communication (C)Innovation (C)Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)Planning and organizing (C)Results focus (C)Teamwork (C)Professionalism (C)