Consultancy: External Evaluation of HelpAge’s Humanitarian Capacity Strengthening-HCS Programme 115 views

About HelpAge International

HelpAge International is a global non-profit organisation that works to improve the lives of older people around the world. We work through the HelpAge global network, an alliance of organisations committed to the well-being, dignity and voice of older people. HelpAge International, through its global network of around 200 members in 99 countries, is committed to supporting older people to live safe, dignified, and healthy lives. By fostering partnerships and collaborations, HelpAge ensures the inclusion of older people in all aspects of society and strives for a just and equitable world for individuals of all ages.

Project Background

HelpAge International is committed to supporting its network members’ capacities for the better of older people and their communities. Our strategic objective and outcomes for “Inclusive” capacity strengthening are that network members are aware of the needs of vulnerable older persons, recognise them, and fully engage with them in all aspects of the response through:

1. Providing a consistent approach to humanitarian capacity strengthening (HCS) across the HelpAge network. This is done by developing and delivering a capacity-strengthening framework that ensures an inclusive approach to capacity-strengthening activities. and
2. Offering a range of capacity strengthening activities throughout the Humanitarian continuum of preparedness and response to enable the network members to develop and deliver quality & inclusive humanitarian responses.

HelpAge’s humanitarian capacity strengthening (HCS) strategy was developed in 2021 and will expire in early 2026. In line with this strategy, HelpAge designed its humanitarian capacity strengthening HCS programme supporting both the individual and organisational levels:

1. For individuals, HelpAge offered tens of online live sessions, regional in-person workshops and e-courses on the well-known Kaya learning platform on various relevant topics. These sessions were attended by more than one thousand practitioners.

2. HelpAge supported organisations through its Strategic Humanitarian Assessment & Participatory Empowerment, or the SHAPE framework, which is an in-depth multi-year programme of support to local organisations to strengthen their capacity to determine, influence and deliver humanitarian preparedness and response; by engaging in strengthening at both the structural and programmatic levels. It is a process of organisational capacity strengthening using an internal change process facilitated by HelpAge but led by the individual organisation. HelpAge provided financial support, knowledge sharing, and essential resources for around 30 national and local NGOs and CBOs through the SHAPE framework. These organisations are based in disaster-prone contexts such as South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Eastern and Southern Africa, and Latin America.

HCS Programme details

Through the HCS programme, HelpAge offered the following services for the humanitarians working with our network members and the wider humanitarian community:

1. Monthly online live sessions: more than 140 online sessions targeting more than one thousand participants on a variety of topics including: Core Humanitarian Standard, humanitarian inclusion standards, older people’s rights, inclusive climate change adaptation, effective humanitarian responses and anticipatory actions, age-inclusive cash interventions, resource mobilisation, project management, safety security and risk management, and other age inclusion technical topics.
2. Regional in-person workshops: Four workshops that targeted around 100 participants. Three workshops were focused on emergency response and preparedness, targeting Asia, Africa, and the Middle East members. And one of them was on project management for Asia-based NGO members.
3. Kaya e-courses: Designed and published three e-courses on the well-known learning platform Kaya on age-inclusive humanitarian responses. Age and Disability Inclusion in Humanitarian Action (HIS) Course, Age Inclusive Humanitarian Interventions (AIHI), Helping Older People in Emergencies (HOPE). With offering Spanish and Arabic translation for the HIS course.
4. Developing trainers and coaches from our network members through offering ToT and coaching/mentoring online courses for tens of our network members’ staff.
5. Using the SHAPE framework to offer organisational capacity strengthening interventions for around 30 NGOs in Nepal, Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Malawi, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Ukraine, and Moldova.
6. Using a simplified capacity strengthening approach to support 10 CBOs in Ukraine and Syria through our network members.

Objectives of the Evaluation

This evaluation aims to assess the quality, effectiveness, and relevance of the HCS programme that it offered to its members from 2021-2205. Findings from this evaluation will help us to revise the HCS strategy for the next chapter.

The evaluation should assess the HCS performance, results and overall contribution to strengthening the capacity of humanitarian workers and their organisations for better age-inclusive humanitarian responses. Through this evaluation, HelpAge seeks to answer the following key questions:

• To what extent was the programme implementation aligned with the HCS strategy?
• How effectively did the programme align with HelpAge partner-led programming (PLP) strategy and principles?
• How coherent were the programme’s components with each other?
• How effectively did the programme respond to the capacity needs of the network members? And how did participants and partner organisations perceive the relevance, accessibility, and quality of HCS activities?
• Were the training and courses provided effective for the capacity strengthening journeys of the network members?
• To what extent has the programme enhanced the inclusion of older people in our network members’ humanitarian interventions?
• How was the level of support provided to the network members during their capacity strengthening journeys?
• To what extent have the network members integrated the new/modified systems, policies or practices into their regular operations?
• How did the network members’ performance improve in the following areas, and how strongly can these changes be attributed to HCS support:
  • Advocacy on behalf of older people and their communities,
  • Internal governance and leadership,
  • Financial sustainability
  • Service provision (before, during and after humanitarian crises),
  • Networking with other national actors.
• How likely are the capacity gains to be sustained beyond the programme duration?
• What recommendations could be made for the next chapter of the HelpAge capacity strengthening strategy?

Scope of Work

The evaluation will cover HCS programme activities from 2022 to December 2025, with a focus on the following:

• Review of the HCS strategy and its implementation
• Analysis of the HCS programme activities
• Assessment of training reports
• Revision of the SHAPE assessment and completion reports
• Interviews with HelpAge staff and relevant network members’ staff.

The consultant will be required to undertake remote data collection. No physical trip or meetings are required.

Final evaluation questions and detailed methodology will be refined by the selected consultant in collaboration with the programme lead and the MEAL focal point.

Evaluation Criteria

The consultant is expected to use DAC and CHS criteria, including:

• Relevance – Appropriateness to the needs of the network members.
• Effectiveness – Progress toward outcomes and objectives.
• Inclusion – Use of participatory and partner-led programming (PLP) approaches.
• Accountability – Feedback mechanisms, transparency, and CHS compliance.
• Sustainability – the decrease in reliance on HelpAge.

Deliverables

• Inception report and workplan (outlining the understanding of the consultant of the assignment, including detailed methodology and tools) – by 6th February 2026
• Initial findings presentation (summary of key preliminary results shared)- by 20th February 2026
• Draft Evaluation Report (that analyses the data, answers the key questions, captures the lessons and recommendations) – by 25th February 2026.
• Final Evaluation Report (incorporating feedback) and presentation of key findings– by 6th March 2026.

Consultant Profile

The evaluation will be carried out by an independent consultant/firm with the following qualifications:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in humanitarian programme evaluation,
• Proven experience in organisational strengthening and adult learning,
• Proven expertise in CHS, inclusive programming, and evaluation methodologies,
• Familiarity with issues related to ageing and humanitarian inclusion,
• Demonstrated experience in qualitative and participatory evaluation methods,
• Previous working experience in evaluating initiatives focused on organisational strengthening

Bid evaluation criteria

HelpAge will evaluate the bids according to the profile and experience of the consultant(s) (30%), the methodological proposal (40%), and the financial offer (30%).

Budget and Timeline

• The estimated number of days needed for this evaluation is 20-25.
• The submitted financial proposal should be inclusive of consultancy fees, data collection costs, and taxes.
• The recruitment will be finalised by January 2026, and the evaluation will commence at the beginning of February 2026.