Terms of Reference (TOR) for Short Term Consultant – Assam, India
Vacancy Announcement: Short Term Program Consultant – Assam, India
Location: Assam, India
Project Title: Workshop for Worker Collectivization at 3 Tea Estates in Assam India (Under Assam Approach Project) to Participatorily Develop Songs, Slogans and Drawings/Artwork by Tea Estate Workers.
Fairtrade Network of Asia and Pacific Producers: Fairtrade NAPP is a Network of Fairtrade certified Producers in Asia Pacific region registered in Singapore as a nonprofit entity. NAPP is a part of a global organization Fairtrade International, working to secure a better deal for farmers and workers in Asia and Pacific. Currently NAPP has 284 Producer Organizations across 20 countries in Asia and Pacific Region supporting more than 260,000 farmers and workers. NAPP’s mission is to facilitate the incorporation of more producers to be able to join the Fairtrade movement in Asia and the Pacific through an existing wide range of products and services. For more information please visit: http://www.fairtrade.net/napp-en
Fairtrade NAPP is committed to supporting tea estates in fostering an enabling environment where workers are organized, informed, and empowered to actively claim their rights, participate in workplace dialogue and decision-making processes.
This activity forms part of the broader Assam Training Plan aimed at strengthening worker participation, collective engagement, and awareness of rights and responsibilities within Tea Hired Labour Organizations in Assam.
Worker collectivization and visual messaging are key strategies to enhance awareness on worker rights, grievance mechanisms, gender equality, child rights and protection, occupational health and safety, and responsible workplace practices, etc. The activity will be conducted at 3 Tea Estates of MRIL in Assam to strengthen collective worker engagement and promote clear, accessible communication through visual materials.
For better outreach and effective worker participation, the activity focuses on worker collectivization and collaboratively developing advocacy slogans, messages (and artwork) through a participative workshop at three tea estates with their workers.
Objective of the Activity:
The primary objective of this activity is to strengthen worker collectivization through a participatory workshop on slogans, song writing and worker artworks.
The activity aims to:
- Encourage collective dialogue among workers on rights, responsibilities, and workplace systems.
- Strengthen awareness of grievance mechanisms, worker committees, gender equality, and occupational health and safety.
- Build workers’ capacity and participatively develop advocacy slogans, messages, and artwork reflecting key labour and workplace themes.
Scope of Work:
The consultant engaged for this short-term assignment will undertake the following tasks:
Introductory Consultation:
Participate and contribute actively in an opening meeting with estate management and worker representatives to explain the purpose, methodology, and expected outcomes of the activity.
Worker Collectivization and Training Workshop:
Design and facilitate 2-day participatory workshops at 2 tea estate locations with workers (special focus on representation of women workers and youths) to:
- Discuss worker rights, responsibilities, and collective engagement.
- Participatively develop slogans, songs and simple artwork on the key issues relevant to the estates (e.g., grievance redressal, gender equality, OHS, non-discrimination, child rights, education, equality, representation, worker rights, etc.).
- Guide workers in conceptualizing slogans, songs, artworks and visual layouts which can be developed further for wall painting.
Selection of slogans, songs and artwork content for potential use in wall painting:
Finalise:
- Advocacy slogans and songs
- Key awareness messages
- Artwork concepts and their designs
The content should be simple, contextually appropriate, and easily understandable to the broader worker community.
Deliverables for the Activity:
1. Facilitate 2 participatory workshops on worker collectivization and visual messaging.
2. From the workshops, finalize a set of content (combination of short advocacy slogans, songs, key awareness messages and artwork) developed by workers that will be used for wall paintings at Tea Estates. Desired Number of Output is 50-70 in total, with about 20-30% content unique for each workshop and participating tea estate workers.
3. Develop Activity Report summarizing:
- Workshop process and participation
- Key messages and artwork developed
- Observations and recommendations for follow-up
The report should be concise, practical, and clearly written.
Timeline for Workshop: The workshop is envisioned to be held in between March and April 2026.
Reporting: The consultant will be required to report to the Regional General Manager, South Asia, or any person designated by them for this project activity.
Desirable Consultant Profile:
The consultant should possess:
- Experience in worker engagement, community mobilization, or labour rights facilitation
- Understanding of Fairtrade Hired Labour Standards vis-a-vis worker rights is desirable
- Demonstrated experience in participatory training methodologies
- Experience in visual communication, advocacy messaging, or community art initiatives
- Ability to guide artwork conceptualization
- Knowledge of Assamese and Hindi is essential.
- Knowledge of worker rights frameworks in India, particularly in the tea plantation sector will be an advantage
Consultancy Fees: A maximum of 1000 Euros, excluding Boarding and Lodging and Workshop Stationary.
How to Apply: Interested and qualified candidates are invited to submit a comprehensive proposal package via email to gaurav@fairtradenapp.org with cc to sandeepan@fairtradenapp.org with the subject line: "Proposal for Worker Collectivization Workshop – Assam."
This is an urgent requirement. Applications are open till candidate is shortlisted.
The proposal package must include the following components in a single attachment:
1. Cover Letter (maximum 1 page):
a. A brief introduction highlighting your suitability for the consultancy, drawing attention to your relevant experience and qualifications.
b. Your understanding of the TOR and the key challenges/opportunities related to worker rights in Assam's tea sector.
c. Confirmation of your availability and timeframe to commence the assignment with preferred date.
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV):
a. Detailed CV outlining your experience of participatory workshops, particularly for creative content development.
3. Sample of Creative Content Development:
a. It would be preferred to include content developed through facilitation.
4. Technical Proposal/Work Plan (maximum 2 pages):
a. Understanding of the Assignment: Articulate your understanding of the scope of work and the objectives of this consultancy.
b. Proposed Methodology: Describe your detailed approach and methodology for conducting this worker-centric workshop. This should at least include:
i. Methods proposed to be adopted
ii. Vision for identifying key worker priority areas, especially from Fairtrade HLO Standards
c. Proposed Work Plan and Timeline: A clear, detailed work plan with specific milestones and timelines for each phase of the consultancy, aligning with the deliverables outlined in this TOR.
d. Risk Assessment and Mitigation (optional but recommended): Briefly identify potential challenges and how you propose to mitigate them.
5. Financial Proposal:
a. A detailed financial proposal outlining your daily/hourly rate or a lump-sum fee for the entire assignment, inclusive of all taxes.
b. Clearly itemize any other anticipated costs.
6. Professional References: Contact details (name, title, organization, email, phone number) of at least two professional referees who can attest to your experience and capabilities in similar assignments.