Call for Proposals: OER for Peer Support Training & Curricula

Project Timeline: Under review

BCcampus is seeking proposals from peer and peer-employing organizations to create or adapt training resources and curricula to include in the Provincial Peer Training Curriculum resource repository page. Specific peer training resources on specialized areas of focus — including harm reduction/overdose prevention, youth, family, peer facilitation, and others — are being sought out to be made into open educational resources (OER) that best reflect the diversity of roles peers assume across the mental health and substance use (MHSU) spectrum in B.C.

The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions is mandated to lead the transformation of B.C.’s mental health and addictions system by setting the strategic direction for the province through cross-sector planning and driving system-level improvement through research, policy development, and evaluation. To meet this mandate, the Ministry undertakes a whole-government, multi-systems approach in partnership with other ministries, Indigenous Peoples, service delivery partners, researchers, local and federal levels of government, youth, advocates, peers, and people with lived experience.

The value of peer supports in the context of mental health, addictions, and B.C.’s overdose crisis cannot be overstated. Peer support initiatives complement traditional clinical mental health and addictions care and can be effectively implemented in every setting along the continuum of care. People with lived experience have been at the forefront of innovation in the face of this overdose crisis, driving wise practice and affecting policy change at all levels of government. Historically, peers have also been under-resourced and poorly supported at times. The mental health and substance use (MHSU) Provincial Peer Support Worker Training Curriculum (PPSWTC) Project seeks to address these gaps through the provision of a standardized teaching curriculum and educational resources. Training resources produced through this initiative and through the broader PPSWTC project are all optional for individuals and organizations to use.

Project Goals

The creation or adaptation of peer support resources and curricula that:

  • Are openly accessible, adaptable, and free to use.
  • Recognize the valuable contributions that peer support workers make in supporting people in healing, harm reduction, and recovery.
  • Cover diverse and specialized areas peers work in throughout the MHSU spectrum.
  • Adopt Creative Commons (CC) licensing to allow for further adaptation.
  • Are informed by First Nations, Métis, and other Indigenous Peoples.
  • Are culturally sensitive and embrace diverse perspectives on healing and wellness.
  • Reflect the diverse needs of the population through the application of a Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+).

Audience

  • Mental health and addictions agencies and organizations
  • B.C.’s post-secondary institutions
  • Youth aged 12–24

Budget

Proposals will include a detailed budget projection, including all costs associated with the planning, research, writing, editing, and facilitation of the final product. The projected expenses shall not exceed $15,000 per successful candidate. A total of six (6) successful candidates will be accepted for this project.

Payment

The payment schedule is flexible and can be through monthly invoicing to the end of the project (March 31, 2021) or divided into halves and delivered once at the onset of the project and once upon completion.

Project Timeline (under review)

  1. Phase 1 (April 2020 – June 2020): Identify resource or curricula to be created or adapted and develop a plan to do so.
  2. Phase 2 (June 2020 – November 2020): Create or revise peer training resource; create in WordPress as part of the provincial peer training resource repository.

Reporting

The successful candidate will be expected to provide monthly and end-of-project reporting to assure milestones match deadlines and deliverables reflect project goals.

Application

Please submit your application using the following guidelines to cranger@bccampus.ca – Deadline: June 5, 2020

Proposal Guidelines (Appendix A)

In no more than five pages, not including your CV(s), include the following elements.

Background and Context

  • Identify the goals and objectives of the project as per the call for proposal.

Methodology

  • Provide a description of all the steps and methods necessary to complete the project.
  • Provide an explanation of why the proposed methods are appropriate for this specific project and its objectives.
  • State whether you anticipate working with any additional third-party vendors or contractors for the duration of the project.

Adjudication

  • Adjudication will occur through the creation of a one-time repository sub-committee. Members of this committee will be selected following the submission deadline to assure no conflict of interest in the process.

Milestones

  • Identify deliverables and their due dates.
  • Identify the start and end dates for the development contract.

Budget

  • Provide a list of budget components, including fees, travel, expenses, etc.
  • Include hourly rates for each assistant, collaborator, etc.
  • Identify where GST is relevant for budget items (in addition to researcher fees, allowable expenses include any pre-approved travel, approved telecommunications, courier, postage, and other identifiable business communication expenses at cost).
  • Identify any institutional overhead fees (preference will be given to proposals that do not apply such fees).
  • Indicate whether the contract will be with an individual, institution, or agency. For contracts with an institution, indicate the portion, if any, destined for release time.

Evaluation Criteria

The following criteria will guide the evaluation and selection of the successful proposal.

Quality

  • Objectives of the project are clearly stated and understood; use terminology that can be understood by non-experts; and are easily measurable and achievable within the available timeline.
  • Plans for carrying out the work and proposed approaches are clear, relevant, and feasible; proposed methodologies, strategies, and approach clearly support research project objectives; key activities and procedures to complete the research project are clearly articulated and reasonable.
  • Plans for collaboration between individuals and organizations to develop the deliverables are clearly articulated if applicable.
  • Materials meet the overall quality and relevance criteria stated in Appendix A.

Budget

  • The budget is reasonable with regard to the work proposed.
  • The budget is easy to understand and clearly outlines the most significant line items required, along with a reasonable timeline for expenses.
  • The budget clearly shows when the project work and related expenses will occur.