Darien Gap Consultant

Descripción de la Plaza The Darien Gap Consultant will work closely with KIND's International Programs team to support its needs assessment regarding the situation for unaccompanied and separated children traveling through the Darien Gap. The Consultant will identify and contact key actors to gather information on demographics and statistics, trends and patterns, migration routes and other key information affecting children on the move in the area, conduct mapping of service providers for children and families, and provide recommendations to the KIND team regarding needs and gaps, suggested travel itineraries and activities. The Consultant will provide regular briefings to KIND, including a pre-departure briefing.BACKGROUND: ABOUT KINDKids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied refugee and migrant children. Launched in 2008, KIND champions a world in which every child's rights and well
- being are protected throughout their journey to safety.

KIND has provided nearly 18,000 children with high quality representation in their immigration proceedings by training more than 41,000 attorneys and legal staff and cultivating partnerships with over 600 law firms, corporate legal departments, law schools, and bar associations across the country.KIND's social services program ensures that migrant and refugee children - who have often endured trauma - receive counseling, educational support, medical care and other comprehensive services.To address the root causes of child migration from Central America and strengthen protection of unaccompanied children, KIND advocates for policy changes and educates lawmakers, the media, and the broader public on the conditions that drive these children to flee their home countries. KIND supports children returning to their home countries by connecting them to essential support services and sponsors gender-based violence prevention programs in Central America to protect children in countries of origin and transit.KIND is also building upon its expertise in the protection of unaccompanied children to encourage the development of pro bono initiatives across Europe in partnership with European NGOs.MAIN FUNCTION: The Darien Gap Consultant will work closely with and provide support to KIND's International Programs and Policy teams to meet KIND's objectives: to gain a thorough understanding of the contexts, actors, gaps in service provision and needs for unaccompanied and separated children migrating through the region. S/he will identify key contacts and conduct meetings to gather information and support KIND in developing a strategic plan and detailed agenda for a preliminary visit to the Darien Gap and surrounding areas. S/he will work with program staff to analyze information gathered through the consultancy and make recommendations about locations to visit and actors to engage with.

S/he will provide guidance, technical assistance, and strategic oversight to KIND staff for effective implementation of all activities under the consultancy. S/he will provide the KIND team with regular briefings and updates on the context in the area and progress in the consultancy, including a final pre-departure briefing.RESPONSIBILITIES: S/he will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following: -Work with KIND International Programs and Policy teams to develop a strategy and detailed agenda for a needs assessment trip by KIND staff to the Darien Gap. Conduct fact finding on trends, policies, service provision, gaps and other factors affecting unaccompanied and separated children migrating through the region to inform and ensure that this trip is effective and meets KIND's objectives.Develop and implement an information gathering work plan to identify key actors and organizations in the region working in/responsible for/responding to child migration, including government offices and officials, international organizations and CSOs; establish initial contact with these organizations and conduct meetings, in order to gather information and make recommendations to KIND about where and how to pursue further engagement. Develop interview questions for these meetings and share with KIND for input prior to use.

The KIND team should be included in all meeting invitations, and will attend if available, but the consultant should schedule and hold meetings in keeping with the consultancy timeline and deliverables independent of KIND team schedules.Hold regular briefings and other meetings as needed with the KIND team to discuss and analyze information gathered and results and to make decisions about next steps. Make recommendations for travel based on capacity and interest of actors and organizations, their mission alignment with KIND, and local security and logístical considerations, among other relevant factors. Ensure that consultancy outcomes and lessons learned are integrated into the travel recommendations and agenda.Make introductions for KIND to relevant