Purpose of the consultancy

The Consultant will deliver direct MHPSS and staff-wellbeing services to eligible frontline workers from organisations and medias supported by the project. The primary clients of the service are individual staff members and staff groups, not the partner organisations as institutions.

This is a service-delivery consultancy. It does not include organisational capacity building, technical review of partner programmes, grant oversight or development of partners’ MHPSS interventions. The Consultant may coordinate practical access with designated organisational focal points, but the content of support remains confidential.

Target groups

Frontline programme, outreach, protection, psychosocial, media and community-facing staff exposed to acute or cumulative stress through their work. Staff working in or supporting Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Israel, including personnel operating remotely because of access or security restriction. Managers or team leaders only when they seek support for their own wellbeing or participate in a staff group session; management coaching and organizational development are outside the scope.

 Scope of direct services

 a)Access and initial support planning

Establish safe and accessible pathways through which eligible frontline workers can request support directly or join an agreed group session. Conduct an initial, proportionate assessment of needs, risks, preferred language and appropriate support modality, without creating unnecessary clinical or personal records. Explain confidentiality, its limits, informed consent, data handling, safeguarding and emergency procedures before support begins.

b) Individual support

Provide confidential short-term individual psychosocial support sessions focused on stabilisation, coping, stress management, work-related distress, grief, secondary trauma and burnout prevention. Develop an individual support plan where more than one session is appropriate and review progress jointly with the participant. Identify needs that exceed the scope or competence of the consultancy and facilitate referral to appropriate specialised, clinical, protection or emergency services with the participant’s informed consent.

c) Group support

Facilitate confidential group wellbeing, psychoeducation and peer-support sessions tailored to frontline workers’ realities and languages. Offer practical sessions on stress regulation, coping, secondary trauma, grief, boundaries, sustainable helping practices and recognition of signs requiring further support. Facilitate structured reflection after difficult periods or events when appropriate. The Consultant will avoid compulsory or potentially harmful single-session psychological debriefing. 

d) Crisis response and referral

Maintain current, verified referral contacts for mental-health, medical, protection and emergency services relevant to the operational areas. Apply a clear protocol for imminent risk, safeguarding concerns and urgent clinical needs, consistent with applicable law, professional ethics and Expertise France procedures. Provide supported referral and reasonable follow-up while respecting consent, confidentiality and the boundary between psychosocial support and clinical case management.

e) Service accessibility

Deliver services in person or remotely according to participant preference, safety, access and connectivity, using secure and confidential arrangements. Offer a predictable schedule with reasonable flexibility for frontline workers, including urgent appointments where feasible and within the agreed service model. Adapt approaches to cultural, linguistic, gender, disability and contextual needs across Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.