Consultant: Tender

LASI

c/o Women's Support Network, 109-113 Royal Avenue, Belfast BT1 1FF

contactLASI@hotmail.com

2004-05-14 00:00:00.0

Lesbian Advocacy Services Initiative (LASI) - Seeks Consultant

Background

In the Spring of 2000 a number of women met informally to explore the possibility of establishing an organisation that might be broadly supportive of the lesbian and bisexual women’s community throughout Northern Ireland. The group, which became known as the Lesbian Advocacy Services Initiative (LASI) received funding from NLCB to undertake a feasibility study focused on the needs of lesbian and bisexual women.

LASI commissioned a report which detailed the experience of lesbian and bisexual women in the North and made recommendations in relation to the type of organisation that might meet their needs.  The report “A Mighty Silence” was published, and launched at Stormont in 2002.

LASI has recently been awarded a grant from the Community Fund to employ a worker for three years.  The outcomes of the grant will be:

• an ncrease in the social inclusion of lesbian and bisexual women in Northern Ireland
• that the views, aspirations perspectives and experiences of lesbian and bisexual women will be communicated to statutory and voluntary bodies, resulting in improved services through more relevant policies, planning, legislation and practice
• that the project will develop the leadership capacity of individual lesbian and bisexual women and facilitate development of community groups for lesbian and bisexual women, to positively impact on service provision.

LASI has been funded to engage an independent consultant to support them in the initial stages of establishing the organisation. This work will be undertaken during June – September 2004

Consultancy Objectives:

• undertake teambuilding with the LASI management committee
• to develop, in consultation with the LASI Management Committee, a three year strategic plan
• support and advise the process of recruitment and selection of a Project Co-ordinator including sitting on the selection panel
• support the appointed project Co-ordinator and the Management Committee to produce a detailed one year operational plan
• support the co-ordinator and committee to develop a range of operational policies including financial procedures.

Consultant Specification

The consultant will be able to demonstrate the following:

• a commitment to, and experience of, anti-discriminatory practice
• an awareness of the issues impacting on lesbian and bi-sexual women
• experience of the development and production of strategic and operational work plans
• an awareness of, and experience of working with, group process and development
• a working knowledge of issues and processes relating to equality of opportunity in recruitment and selection.

Tendering Process

To apply please send the following:

- Contact details
- CV
- A brief outline of how you would undertake the work within the timeframe June-September 2004
- A statement indicating how you meet the consultant specification
- A budget for the work, please note that the total cost of the contract cannot exceed £3000 stg
- The names of two referees for whom you have undertaken work of a similar nature.

Please note that you must be available to work with the committee on one of the following dates:
Saturday 19 June 2004, Saturday 26 June 2004 or Saturday 3 July 2004

Please submit your tender by Friday 14 May 2004 to:
LASI
c/o Women’s Support Network
109-113 Royal Avenue
Belfast BT1 1FF

Or  contactLASI@hotmail.com