Call for Proposals: Instructional Design, Provincial Peer Support Worker Training Curriculum

Status: closed

BCcampus is seeking proposals from post-secondary institutions and instructional designers for the comprehensive design, development, and implementation of teaching and learning tools for the Provincial Peer Support Worker Training Curriculum (PPSWTC) Project. The contract will be awarded to the group or individual who is best suited to develop and implement online, blended, and in-person teaching materials coupled with an online resource repository and learning tools for employers of peers. This is a made-in-B.C. project, and as such, only proposals from B.C. will be considered.

In any given 12-month period, about one in five people will experience significant mental health or substance use issues leading to personal suffering and interference in life goals. 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. From a historical context, 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.

Project Goals

The goal of this project is the development of teaching and learning tools 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.
  • Provide multiple streams of delivery to meet the diverse needs of peers across the province.
  • Are informed by First Nations, Métis, and other Indigenous Peoples.
  • Are culturally sensitive and embrace Indigenous 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 ages 12–24

Objectives

In collaboration with the technical advisory committee, subject matter expert working groups, and a curriculum developer, the successful candidate will use data from a recent environmental scan to develop the following:

  • An online resource repository
  • Self-study online learning modules
  • Blended face-to-face and online lesson plans with a facilitation guide
  • Face-to-face lesson plans and facilitation guides
  • Train-the-trainer workshops for participating organizations and agencies
  • A “for employer” resource component embedded in all three delivery streams
  • A contract with a long-term host and LMS/Moodle membership

Collaboration with other contracted services — including curriculum developer, gender diversity consultant, peer-led working groups, and researcher — will be required.

Tasks

  • Identify the roles and responsibilities of the development team.
  • Describe the communication plan and format for collaborating with other organizations and institutions.
  • Attend collaborative meetings with the curriculum development team for a total of two (2) in-person and an unspecified number of additional virtual meetings.
  • Provide a drafted plan and timeline for reaching objectives in a timely manner with an incremental approach.

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 $100,000. Proposals should detail travel, wages, benefits, incentives, meetings, etc.

Payment

The payment schedule is flexible and can be through monthly invoicing to the end of the project or after each deliverable.

Payment will be made to individuals unless efforts on the project are under a post-secondary institution’s contract.

Project Timeline

  1. Phase 1 (April 2019 – June 2020): B.C. Provincial Standards of Practice (SOP) and a curriculum guide.
  2. Phase 2 (March 2020 – November 2020): Tools and resources for peer support worker training (in-person, online, and blended).
  3. Phase 3 (November 2020 – March 2021): Evaluation and revisions to the tools and resources through piloting with participating organizations.

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 by 11pm PST on April 7, 2020.

Proposal Guidelines

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 proposals.

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.

Milestones

  • Identify deliverables and their due dates (e.g., facilitation guides, train-the-trainer workshops).
  • 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.

Experience

  • Summarize relevant experience for each member of the instructional design team.
  • Provide a personal philosophy statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Include CV(s) of the instructional design team as an addendum.

Evaluation Criteria

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

Quality

  • The roles and relevant experience of each member of the development team are clearly outlined.
  • The objectives of the project are clearly stated and understood. The objectives use terminology that can be understood by non-experts. The objectives 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 institutions to develop the deliverables are clearly articulated if applicable.

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.
  • Direct and in-kind (where appropriate) costs are identified in sufficient detail.
  • The budget clearly shows when the project work and related expenses will occur.