BACKGROUND

There is no health without mental health. WHO advocates for a systems approach anchored on a shared vision for the future of mental health in the Region. Mental health promotion involves actions to strengthen the policy environment and the use of strategic communication for network building, stakeholder engagement, enhanced mental health literacy, and behaviour change. Global advocacy days are high-profile opportunities to mobilize partners and resources whilst raising awareness among decision makers and the general public.

Co-creating the vision for the future of mental health calls for strategic engagement with stakeholders through a process that is inclusive, dynamic, and multi-sectoral. This shared vision will be the core of a new Regional framework for the future of mental health that will be proposed to Member States during the 73rd RCM in 2022. In order to sustain high-level advocacy, a side event featuring a panel discussion among decision makers, policy makers, service providers and people with lived experience is being organized for the 72nd RCM in October 2021. Target participants for the side event are official delegates of the RCM, representatives of mental health networks and organizations from the host country Japan, and mental health resource persons and other observers.

The objectives of the side event are:

• • To co-create the vision for the future of mental health in the Western Pacific; and,
• • To engage decision makers and experts around the vision and invite discussion taking the experience with COVID-19 into account.

To complement the panel discussion, and celebrate World Mental Health Day, the side event will also feature a virtual exhibit charting the future of mental health through the stories of various stakeholders. It will feature archival photographs, audio and video testimonials, and data visualizations.

The virtual exhibit will be open to the public and housed on the WPRO MHS webpage. It will be officially launched during the side event with social media posts highlighting its contents and inviting the public to visit and share the exhibit online.

PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

The Mental Health and Substance Use (MHS) unit of the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WHO WPRO) seeks to contract a company or individual to provide technical and project management support for the development strategic communication materials for the upcoming 72nd Regional Committee Meeting side event on the future of mental health in the Western Pacific and global advocacy days on mental health, namely: World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September), World Alzheimer’s Day (21 September), World Mental Health Day (10 October).

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

The company/individual will be expected to:

• • Develop and implement a communication plan for the RCM side event and global advocacy days;
• • Produce a virtual exhibit housed on the WHO website and accessible on different devices (e.g. mobile, tablet, laptop, desktop);
• • Produce creative content for global advocacy days:

• Social media cards on suicide prevention, dementia, and mental health;
• Social media written content (e.g. posts, tweets, hashtags); and, 

• • Identify and coordinate with any third-party suppliers (e.g. illustrators, graphic designers, video producers) under the supervision of the technical unit.

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY AND LIST OF OUTPUTS

Output 1: Development of a communication plan for the 72nd RCM side event and global advocacy days.

Deliverable 1.1: 72nd RCM side event and global advocacy days communication plan (15 July)

Output 2: Development of a virtual exhibit for the 72nd RCM side event.

Deliverable 2.1: Creative brief and production work plan (15 July)

Deliverable 2.2: Final live version of virtual exhibit (15 September)

Deliverable 2.3: Post-event report (31 December)

Output 3: Development of creative content for global advocacy days

Deliverable 3.1: Social media brief for World Suicide Prevention Day, World Alzheimer's Day, World Mental Health Day and 72nd RCM Side Event (15 August)

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

• • Essential: Bachelor’s degree in public health, communication or social sciences, preferably with prior experience in health promotion and risk communication.
• • Desirable: Postgraduate degree or units in public health, communication, creative writing or film.

SKILLS/TECHNICAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Project management, creative writing, research and creative content production.

EXPERIENCE

• • Experience working with governments and intergovernmental organizations, including the World Health Organization, will be considered.
• • Essential: At least five years of work experience in health promotion, risk communication or strategic communication.
• • Desirable: Experience with the UN system or international organizations, particularly in mental health.

LANGUAGES

Written and spoken fluency in English (Read – Write – Speak / "Advanced" level) is essential. Working knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.

COMPETENCIES

• • Teamwork
• • Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• • Communication
• • Producing results
• • Moving forward in a changing environment

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Duration of Contract: 

6 months (remotely)

Place of assignment:

The contractual partner will not be required to be based at WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (Manila, Philippines) to perform the tasks related to this activity but will require regular interaction with the technical unit (Mental Health and Substance use) on the development of the aforementioned deliverables. 

Medical clearance:

The selected consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV {for individual contractors} or Company Profile {for institutional applications} and Expression of Interest {cover letter} to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < [email protected] > by 1 July 2021 (GMT+8 17:00)

The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include their proposed monthly consultancy fee (in USD) and availability.

Please use Tender Notice No. 132171 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.