Applying design thinking to develop new service models for inclusion of adult persons with disabilities in community and labour market in Kyrgyzstan

Title:  Applying design thinking to develop new service models for inclusion of adult persons with disabilities in community and labour market in Kyrgyzstan. Contract type:  ILO Service contract Duration of contract:   28 days in the period from 15 July – 10 September 2022.

Date:  20 June 2022.    Organization unit:  DWT/CO - MOSCOW  Duty Station:  Home -based with travel to Kyrgyzstan.

Applicants should submit technical and financial proposals to moscow@ilo.org with the subject “Applying design thinking to develop new service models for inclusion of adult persons with disabilities in community and labour market in Kyrgyzstan” by 10:00 AM Moscow Time on 11 July, 2022.

TERMS OF REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION

Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the ILO is implementing  a new project “Enhancing disability – inclusiveness of social protection system in Kyrgyzstan”, funded by the European Union  within a framework of ILO/EU Global Programme “Improving Synergies between Social Protection and Public Finance Management” .

The project aims to support the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to design, cost, implement and monitor effective disability-inclusive social protection schemes and services, thus improving the overall system and enabling full participation of people with disabilities (PwDs) in the community and enabling their access to employment opportunities and labour market. Project’s key interventions include:

• Improvement of public finance management of social protection schemes for PwDs and enhancement of the capacity of the staff of the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration to develop evidence-based proposals and investment case for budget revision to the Ministry of Finance;
• Assessment of types of services required by PwDs for labour market inclusion;
• Design and costing key services that integrate social protection and employment schemes and measures for PwDs;
• Building the capacity of social protection departments and public employment centers to deliver new service models;
• Building the capacity of organisations of PwDs and social partners to monitor the implementation of disability-inclusive social protection and labour market service model.

It is against this background that the DWT-CO for Eastern Europe and Central Asia is seeking services of a think tank or a group of consultants to facilitate design thinking process and costing of two to three priority social support services enabling participation of persons with disabilities in the community and access to employment programmes and jobs.

BACKGROUND

Social protection in Kyrgyzstan covers a broad range of risks and receives government funding, effective coverage remains low, leaving many without access to social protection. The overall public social protection spending at 10.3% of GDP (excluding health) – the highest among the countries in Central Asia - is not meeting the requirements of effective coverage and adequacy, particularly for certain groups of the population, such as unemployed, children and mothers of new-borns and persons with disabilities (PwDs).

Specifically, adult PwDs have the right to: I) Cash benefits, II) Habilitation and rehabilitation services; III) Residential care; IV) Community based and self -care services at home; V) Professional rehabilitation and support to access jobs (including quota system). Since for the purpose of this task the service provider will be tasked to examine I) Cash benefits; II) Social support services ensuring independent living and participation in the labour market, a brief overview of these benefits and services is presented here.

Disability Cash benefits

Qualifying conditions for contributory disability benefits refer to the age of the insured person and the number of years of insurance contributions at the time of disability.

Non- contributory disability benefit is assigned to disabled persons who do not qualify for social insurance-based benefits and without regard to income, for children under 18 years of age, persons with disabilities from childhood in groups I, II and III, and persons with disabilities in groups I, II and III. It is estimated that 1.8% of the population in the Kyrgyz Republic is receiving disability benefits. Disability benefits at 41 USD per month are far below monthly Minimum Subsistence Level (MLS) set at 62 USD.

 

Social services

The system is skewed towards large residential care homes. In recent years attempts have been made to towards prevention of institutionalisation and de-institutionalisation. The former primarily through introduction of home care services and day care centers and the latter by planning gradual reduction of admissions in the residential care focusing on children. A status of parent-career of persons with higher degree of disability has recently been introduced. It is expected that this paid service will contribute to income security of families caring for a person with disability and to prevention of institutionalisation.

Other services that support independent living and participation in community and economic life of adults with disabilities are almost non-existent.

Quota system for the employment of persons with disabilities regulates that each enterprise with more than 20 employed has to employ one person with disability. There is no mechanism in place to support employers to meet this quota nor are penalties collected in case employers do not comply with quota obligation. 

Importantly, social services and labour market policies for vulnerable groups, including for PwDs, comprise a small share of social expenditures resulting in limited service offer. As per different estimates, 80-85% of people with disabilities of working age do not have a job and are excluded from the labour market as infrastructure and existing conditions are not adjusted to their needs.

In 2019 the Kyrgyz Republic ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), which place disability inclusion high on the Government’s agenda. Disability inclusion is prioritised in the National Development Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic until 2040 and the National Development Programme until 2026. The Government is working on the development of the National Programme “Inclusive Country” for 2021-2024 to enhance disability inclusiveness of the environment, institutions and services.

The Government is also considering interventions with an aim to strengthen the overall social protection system, to make social protection schemes comprehensive and efficient, boost their adequacy and sustainability, and explore ways for progressive extension and improved financing.  The task to do that is entrusted to the The Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic and its local territorial bodies as executive authorities responsible for the development and implementation of state policy in the field of: labor, including labor protection and promotion of employment; social protection, including support for vulnerable groups of citizens, children in difficult situations, persons with disabilities and elderly citizens; social security and gender equality; protection and protection from family violence and other specific tasks. Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration is currently designing national social protection strategy and Employment Programme.

Thus, the task to design and cost services with and for adult persons with disabilities using design -thinking method that would enable their participation in social life and access to employment services and jobs comes at the critical time to inform design of two policies.

 

OBJECTIVES 

The objectives of the requested services are:

1. Facilitate design of two to three social support services which will enable adult persons with disabilities independent participation in community life, access to employment programmes and jobs, by using design-thinking method;
2. Сost selected services based on agreed assumptions and prepare costing scenarios prepare report presenting new services models and costing scenarios, process and methodology used and policy and legal entry points for their inclusion into national social protection and financing system.

 

 

TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

1. Inception phase: Desk review of existing reports; Consultative online meetings with ILO teams, Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration, Ministry of Finance and selected representatives of persons with disabilities to establish status quo with regards to services enabling participation in community and access to employment programmes and jobs and the roadmap for implementation of design thinking workshop.

Deliverable 1: Status quo assessment (up to 5 pages, for internal use) and the Roadmap for implementation of activities with the Agenda for Design Thinking Workshop.

Estimated number of days:  4 days.

2. Design Thinking Workshop: (3 days in Bishkek) based on 4 out of 5 steps.

Day 1: Session 1: Empathize: Understanding the problem from the perspective of persons with disabilities

Suggested approach:

1. Focus group discussion with persons with different types of disabilities and experiential learning in real life environment – accompanying PwDs who are trying to access social protection offices, employment services or approach employers (half a day);
2. Focus group discussion with technical staff in the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration, local social protection departments employment services and selected groups of employers.

Interim deliverable: Graphic presentation of barriers as perceived by different groups of participants.

Day 2: Session 2: Define Needs and Problems with Users (2, 5 hours session).

Analysis of participants inputs and observations from Day 1 with a group of representatives of persons with different types of disabilities. Definition of problem statements.

Session 3: Ideate (4 hours).

Facilitate ideation process with persons with disabilities to identify services that meet their right to participate fully in the community, to access to jobs and to perform to the best of their ability at the job. This should be done by challenging the pervasive assumptions, prejudice and usual argumentation why something is not possible. Ideas for new service models should offer innovative solutions to problem statements from the morning session.

Interim deliverable: Problem statements.

Day 3: Session 4: Prototype- create solutions (4-5 hours).

Facilitate identification of the best possible solution for each problem found, develop prototype of service models and test them in the workshop environment (to an extent possible).  Prioritise two to three service models that best respond to identified problems, and have a potential to be implemented and funded.

Interim deliverable: Graphic presentation of two to three service models.

Estimated number of days: 7 days.

3. Report presenting:

• Status quo report;
• Methodology and process of design thinking and service model (based on workshop experience);
• Presentation of interim deliverables: identified barriers and problem statements;
• New services models and their impact on inclusion for persons with disabilities in community, labour market and access to jobs; Impact on other stakeholders should also be analysed;
• Options for inclusion of new service models into policy and legal frameworks.

Deliverable 2: report, between 12-15 pages

Estimated number of days: 10 days.

4.   Costing of selected designed service models:

Each newly designed service model will be costed using assumptions agreed with ILO and national teams of participants. Different scenarios for different models may be developed and presented.

Deliverable 3: Costing (with presentation of methodology, assumptions and scenarios – up to 7 pages). Costing will be included in the final report.

      Estimated number of days: 7 days.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The services will be executed in 28 days in the period from 15 July – 10 September 2022. The payment will be made in two instalments:

• 20% after submission of Deliverable 1 and its approval by the ILO;
• 80% after implementation of workshop and submission of deliverables 2 and 3, final report in line with the criteria of current TOR and and approval of all deliverables by the ILO. 

It is expected that the expert undertakes 1 mission to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to facilitate 3-days workshop under this TORs, should global public health circumstances allow for travel. The ILO will purchase round trip flight tickets and pay DSA based on the ILO travel policy under separate arrangement. 

 

COMPETENCY AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Eligible service providers should have the following qualifications and experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience implementing design thinking processes for social services design. Experience with design thinking service development with persons with disabilities -evidenced by at least four implemented projects will be considered an advantage;
• Team consisting of a) disability rights specialist (team leader) with at least 5 years of experience analyzing cross-section between social protection and labour market programmes; b) facilitator specializing in design thinking with at least 5 years of proven experience conducting at least ten design thinking workshops. Experience of working with persons disabilities and economist specializing in costing social services will be considered as an advantage;
• Good knowledge of UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and good knowledge of ILO social security standards and other relevant Conventions;
• Some familiarity with the context Kyrgyzstan and across several сross- cutting issues;
• Proven record providing similar services to international organizations, UN bodies or donor agencies;
• Knowledge of ILO’s roles and mandate and its tripartite structure is desirable;
• Fluency in English language, knowledge of Russian language will be an asset.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The evaluation criteria will be carried out based on the following. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 50 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the financial evaluation (30%).

Key areas of Evaluation /Assessment	Weighted Award
Technical proposal: Presentation of the problem, methodology and process to deliver all tasks within timeframe specified in the Terms of reference (20 points); Demonstrated at least 5 years of experience of analyzing position of persons with disabilities with regards to access to social protection and labour market prоgrammes (10 points); Demonstrated experience of conducting at least 10 design thinking workshops (5 points); If at least four design thinking workshops were with persons with disabilities additional (5 points); Composition of the team meets all the criteria (15 points); Demonstrated rights-based approach to situation analysis and consultative process (15 points).	70%
Financial proposal: A clear financial proposal linked to the proposed activities in the technical proposal, with breakdown highlighting key costs and any reimbursable expenses (if any) excluding VAT (30 points).	30%

 SUBMISSION

Applicants should submit technical and financial proposals to moscow@ilo.org with the subject “Applying design thinking to develop new service models for inclusion of adult persons with disabilities in community and labour market in Kyrgyzstan” by 10:00 AM Moscow Time on 11 July, 2022.