ThaiNGO

                     USAID Civil Society Partnerships project of Center for Civil Society and Non-Profit Management (CSNM) is seeking to advance professionalism and leadership of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Thailand as well as the Lower Mekong Sub-region countries namely Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam to solve increasing challenges faced by CSO and to ensure maximum impact and contribute to sustainable development.

      Nowadays, civil society sector is regarded as both a mechanism and social space that plays a

role in driving social development movement coexisting with the mainstream development that focuses on balanced and sustainable development through research process, actions and recommendations for society on concept and policy formation process. As a result, public policies are developed, which impact on improvement and change at policy level that benefit to society widely. This is the CSO’s positive image acknowledged by public. However, since the CSOs’ practices are diversified and varied, this results in public’s recognition on CSO’s work is still limited. In other words, CSO’s work and images are recognized by public in different aspects based on their limited understanding and perceptions. This limitation can cause misinformation for people in society, which impacts negatively on sustainability of the CSOs.

                   CSNM concerns about the mentioned limitation and its sequential problems, so CSNM will provide the CSOs knowledge support via a research entitled “Image and communication strategy for collaboration among civil society organizations” to help developing knowledge on learning process building and working approaches to support the CSO’s work to be more effective. The research consultant will gather organizations’ or individuals’ opinions on their perceptions on CSO’s work and images, also to explore and analyze acknowledged strategies and guideline for developing cooperation between CSOs. Moreover, CSNM encourages working cooperation between the experts on developing of image communication strategy and cooperation and the target groups, the CSO’s service receivers at all levels. Findings will be used to develop strategies to increase CSO’s communication capability, and to build CSO’s capacity of working cooperation, as well as to help them mobilize any supports from other sectors. The study results will help developing participatory proposal on CSO’s desirable image building, and a proposal on developing of working cooperation strategies between CSOs both direct and indirect parties involved in the country and the Greater Mekong Sub region.

              This research is to study a group of CSOs and the experts on communication strategy in Thailand for cooperation with another sectors.  Employment period is approximately 20 days in total. This research aims to

1. Study society’s understanding,  attitudes and perceptions on CSO’s image regarding their work
2. Explore strategy of increasing effective CSO’s image communication that can reflect  actual CSO’s working contexts to society
3. Develop guideline and recommendations for CSOs on enhancing effective working cooperation between CSOs, government, private, and local sectors towards balanced and sustainable cooperation.

            The consultant is requested to work closely with CSPP in all processes in order to achieve research’s objectives in the limited time. Steps of research process, include preparation, developing conceptual framework and research tools, conducting research, and report writing. Qualitative research is the method mainly applied to this study. Research tools will be designed by CSPP and the consultant, for example, Focus Group Interview (FGD) and In-depth Interview (IDI). Other research tools might be also used for comprehensive and reliable data. Different tools might be used for each target group as appropriateness. CSPP together with the consultant will work on project management and coordinate with target organizations.

Preparation stage:

1. Meeting with CSPP’s staff to develop a proposal, design tools, and form a research plan
2. Forming a supporting team who are qualified for any assigned responsibilities.
3. Preparing session design, tools and relevant equipment
4. Coordinating with CSPP’s staff on preparation before conducting any activities.

During Operation:

1. Conducting focus group discussion or in-depth interviews with target groups as designed in the research.
2. Organizing a workshop on expert brainstorming and/or conducting in-depth interviews in developing communication strategy for building cooperation to support CSO’s work
3. Producing an inception report.
4. Presenting the result of focus group discussion and in-depth interviews at the expert brainstorming workshop.
5. Taking meeting’ minutes and arranging voice recording and transcription of all activities.
6. Working with CSPP’s staff on the After Action Review (if applicable).

After operation:

1. Presenting study results to CSPP and CSPP’s CSO core partners in a meeting and an international seminar of the regional networking organizations of CSPP.
2. Expressing his opinions on the study results to involved organizations, and further developing more researches on other issues regarding working context of the CSOs in the future.
3. Producing a final report in both Thai and English.

   The Consultant will provide:

• 3 reports, including (1) an inception report must be completed and submitted to CSPP after starting his work about 2 months, or after conducting focus group discussion with some target groups are done. This report is for reviewing work plan, tools used, and procedures in order to adjust them to be more appropriate; (2) a draft final report should be finished and submitted to CSPP within 15 days after all of his work of all activities are done; and (3) a final report should be finished and submitted to CSPP within 15 days after receiving comments from CSPP.
• Any documents/information as products of this research such as summary of activities, transcription in both hard copy and soft copy.

           This research is expected to proceed from March to July 2017. Employment period of the consultant is about 22 days (Schedule will be planned later on by the consultant and CSPP team.)

·         An experience of at least 10 years in conducting research related to CSO’s work, or organizational communication.

• Possessing academic outputs related to image and organizational communication strategies is advantage.

·         Strong skills in playing role of facilitator or conducting a creative brainstorming among variety of target groups. 

·         Strong skills of social situation systematic analysis and communication for building cooperation between organizations.

• Having enough qualified team members to be accountable for any assignments.

·         Good in spoken and written English.

         CSNM is looking for a consultant who will be able to deliver the information as identified in Section 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

         Proposal has to reach CSNM no later than 2 March 2017 by sending to the contact person                Ms. Supailin Suppoonpol  with this email; supailin.csnm@gmail.com