Terms of Reference Staff Capacity Building Training on Strengthening Speak-Up Culture in the Workplace

Background SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia is committed to fostering a work environment that promotes transparency, mutual respect, accountability, and open communication. A culture where staff feel safe expressing ideas, concerns, and feedback is essential for building trust, improving decision-making, and supporting continuous organizational learning. To strengthen staff engagement and constructive dialogue, the organization established the Staff Partnership Committee (SPC) as a platform to enhance collaboration between staff and management. The SPC serves as a bridge, ensuring staff voices are heard and concerns are addressed constructively. In line with this mandate, SPC will organize a Staff Capacity Building Training on Strengthening Speak-Up Culture in the Workplace in April 2026. The training aims to enhance staff awareness, confidence, and practical communication skills to promote responsible dialogue, constructive feedback, and safe reporting practices  Purpose of the Training The purpose of this training is to strengthen the speak-up culture within SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia by equipping staff with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to communicate openly and responsibly in the workplace. The training will also contribute to strengthening psychological safety, trust, and collaboration between staff and management, thereby supporting the organization’s values and accountability standards. Objectives General Objective To strengthen a culture of open communication and responsible feedback among staff in SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia specifically in the National Office. Specific Objectives The training aims to: Increase staff awareness of the importance of speak-up culture and psychological safety in the workplace. Strengthen staff understanding of organizational values, communication principles, and reporting mechanisms. Build staff capacity to raise concerns constructively and responsibly. Promote respectful dialogue, active listening, and constructive feedback practices. Encourage a work environment where employees feel safe, empowered, and respected when sharing ideas and concerns. Support the Staff Partnership Committee in its role as a communication bridge between staff and management. Scope of Work The selected trainer/consultant will be responsible for the following tasks: Training Design Develop a comprehensive training module on Speak-Up Culture and Psychological Safety. Align the training with organizational values and staff engagement principles Prepare training materials, including presentations, facilitator guides, and participant handouts. Training Delivery Facilitate interactive training sessions for staff members. Use participatory approaches such as: group discussions case studies role plays scenario-based exercises Reflective Learning Assessment Design and administer pre-training and post-training assessments to measure learning outcomes. Reporting Prepare a comprehensive training report that includes: training summary key observations participant feedback recommendations for strengthening the speaking culture in the organization. Training Methodology The training will apply participatory and experiential learning approaches to ensure maximum engagement and practical learning outcomes. Methods may include: Expert presentations Facilitated group discussions Case study analysis Role-playing exercises Scenario-based problem solving Sharing Reflection and Experience Question and answer sessions The methodology should focus on practical workplace scenarios relevant to the context of SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia. Target Participants The training will be conducted for staff members from the National Office of SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia. Approximately 50 participants are expected to attend, with final participant selection and coordination facilitated by the Staff Partnership Committee (SPC). Expected Outcomes The training is expected to produce the following outcomes: Improved understanding of speak-up culture and psychological safety among staff. Increased staff confidence to raise ideas, feedback, and concerns responsibly. Strengthened communication and feedback culture within the organization. Improved trust and collaboration between staff and management. Practical recommendations to strengthen organizational communication mechanisms. Roles and Responsibilities Trainer / Consultant The trainer will: Design the training program Deliver the training sessions Facilitate interactive discussions Conduct assessments Submit a final training report Duration and Timeline The training is expected to take place in April 2026. Activity Timeline Trainer Selection March 2026 Training Preparation March–April 2026 Training Delivery April 2026 Submission of Training Report Within 7 days after training Deliverables The consultant will provide: Training design and agenda Training materials and presentation slides Pre- and post-training assessment tools Final training report including recommendations