- National Healing Strategist
- Work with us
- National Healing Journey
Call for Proposals
Sep 11, 2024
National Healing Strategist
Overview of the National Healing Journey
The National Healing Journey (NHJ) is a coalition of individuals, families, and organizations dedicated to ending intergenerational trauma within Afro-descendant communities across Canada. Our mission is to work with Black-led, Black-focused, and Black-serving organizations across the country to co-create a healthy Black ecosystem that supports the health and well-being of Afro-descendant individuals, families, and communities. The NHJ aims to unite the Afro-descendant community in the collective effort to heal the traumatic wounds associated with the enslavement experience in a post-colonial context, fostering a just, equitable, and thriving society.
Overview of the Becoming Project
The Becoming Project is a strategic multi-phase initiative under the NHJ, designed to end intergenerational trauma and promote the health of the Black ecosystem in Canada. Over the course of three years, the project will unfold across four key phases:
- Building the National Round Table: Mobilizing Black-led, Black-focused, Black-serving organizations across Canada to form a strong coalition that uses a coordinated approach to co-create a national strategy for building a healthy Black ecosystem.
- Individual & Communal Healing: Providing unhindered access to individual trauma recovery journeys and organizing an annual Truth and Reconciliation Jubilee that supports communal healing.
- National Social Awareness Campaign: Designing and implementing a national social awareness campaign focused on normalizing trauma recovery at the individual, family, and community levels. Production of the Becoming Show, a docuseries that exposes the Canadian audience to the healing journey of 7 individuals, 7 families, and 1 entire community over a 3-year period.
- Train, Monitor & Evaluate Impact: Train 151 trauma recovery specialists in every province supporting diverse but especially Afro-descendant communities with unhindered access to Afro-centric trauma recovery care. Continuous assessment of impact and refinement of strategies for sustainable change.
Consultant Role: National Healing Strategist (1 – 3 Year Contract)
Position Description
The NHJ is seeking a dynamic and experienced National Healing Strategist for a consulting role lasting 1-3 years. This consultant will play a pivotal role in developing and implementing comprehensive strategies to promote the health and wellbeing of Afro-descendant populations across Canada. The work will center on fostering a culture of unity, connectedness, and belonging while addressing the collective traumatic wounds associated with enslavement and intergenerational trauma in a post-colonial context. The consultant will create sustainable pathways for long-term healing at both individual and community levels, contributing to the overall health of 1.5 million Afro-descendants.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop a Holistic Trauma Recovery Plan: Create a comprehensive strategy that supports both individual and communal trauma recovery journeys, addressing the complex ways in which personal experiences, familial trauma, ancestral memories, and exposure to racism intersect to impact the health and wellbeing of the Afro-descendant population.
- Collaborate with Strategic Specialists: Work closely with the National Change Management & Mobilization Strategist, Healthy Ecosystem Pathway Strategist, Anti-Racism Strategist, Social Awareness Campaign Specialist, Evaluation Specialist, and Anti-Infiltration and Protection Strategist to develop a robust initiative that integrates diverse perspectives and approaches to trauma recovery.
- Policy Advocacy for Trauma Recovery: Advocate for policy changes that reduce barriers to trauma recovery care and promote access to essential resources. Collaborate with policymakers to ensure that the unique trauma recovery needs of the Black population are recognized and prioritized.
- Lead Social Awareness Campaigns: In partnership with the Social Awareness Campaign Specialist, design and implement a multi-level, multi-sectoral plan that normalizes trauma recovery for both the Afro-descendant and broader Canadian populations, fostering a culture of healing and resilience.
- Address Marginalized Population Needs: Work with provincial leads to identify and address the specific programmatic needs of marginalized populations, including individuals with disabilities, newcomers, LGBTQ2+ individuals, those experiencing homelessness, and incarcerated individuals, ensuring that trauma recovery initiatives are inclusive and accessible.
- Community Engagement for Healing: Develop and articulate a plan that engages entire communities in individual healing journeys and communal gatherings, with a focus on Truth, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation. Facilitate dialogues that support communal healing and collective transformation.
- Collaborate Across Phases and Regions: Throughout all project phases, collaborate with national, provincial, and local teams to support policy development and reform, restorative justice initiatives, legal actions, and advocacy efforts that promote long-term healing and justice for Afro-descendant communities.
- Community Education and Advocacy Training: Play a key role in educating the community on effective advocacy strategies, empowering individuals and groups to advocate for the changes needed to support trauma recovery and systemic transformation.
Required Expertise:
- Trauma Recovery and Healing Expertise: Deep knowledge of trauma recovery practices, with an emphasis on Afro-centric approaches that address the historical and intergenerational trauma experienced by Afro-descendant communities.
- Collaborative Leadership: Proven experience in working with cross-functional teams to develop integrated strategies that address multiple dimensions of trauma and healing, including social, political, familial, and ancestral factors.
- Policy Advocacy and Systemic Change: Strong background in advocating for policy changes and legal reforms that address systemic barriers to trauma recovery, particularly for marginalized populations within the Black community.
- Experience with Marginalized Populations: Demonstrated understanding of the unique challenges faced by marginalized populations, including those living with disabilities, newcomers, LGBTQ2+ individuals, the homeless, and incarcerated individuals, and the ability to design inclusive, trauma-informed programs that meet their needs.
- Community Engagement and Healing Practices: Expertise in community engagement practices, with a focus on creating safe, supportive spaces for communal healing and reconciliation through Truth, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation gatherings.
- Strategic Communications: Strong communication skills, with experience developing and leading social awareness campaigns that normalize trauma recovery and engage a broad audience across different sectors and levels of society.
- Restorative Justice and Legal Action Experience: Familiarity with restorative justice principles, and the ability to work with legal and policy teams to advocate for justice and healing for Afro-descendant communities.
Submission Guidelines
Interested candidates or consulting firms are invited to submit a detailed proposal by November 11, 2024. Proposals should be sent to becomingproject@nationalhealingjourney.com and must include the following components:
- Overview of the Consulting Company or Person (150 words max): Provide a summary of the company or individual, including relevant experience and expertise.
- Alignment with NHJ’s Mission, Vision, and Objectives (150 words max): Demonstrate how the consultant or consulting firm’s vision and mission align with the NHJ’s goals.
- Understanding of the Becoming Project (150 words max): Provide evidence of understanding the need for the Becoming Project and its impact.
- Capacity for Engagement (250 words max): Outline the capacity to engage the Afro-descendant population at national, provincial, and local levels.
- Understanding of Intersectionality and Partnerships (250 words max): Detail your understanding of intersectionality, intersectoral partnerships, and building healthy ecosystems in a post-enslavement and post-modern colonial society.
- Capacity to Undertake the Project (250 words max):
- Organizational and Financial Capacity: Demonstrate the ability to manage complex, large-scale projects with a particular focus on collaborative settings. Highlight your ability to effectively allocate resources, manage risks, and ensure financial stability.
- Experience with Priority Populations: Highlight experience working with Afro-descendant or similar populations.
- Project Management and Results: Provide examples of successful project management and the achievement of results.
- Innovation and Creativity (300 words max): Describe any innovative approaches or methodologies you plan to implement that will enhance the effectiveness of the project.
- Proposed Timeline and Milestones (150 words max): Provide a timeline with key milestones and reporting intervals to demonstrate how you will manage and track progress.
- References and Case Studies (150 words max): Include references and case studies from similar projects to verify your experience and effectiveness.
- Proposed Budget & Financial Stability Documentation: Submit a detailed budget for your consulting services, including justification for each line item. Explain the financial stability of the company or individual, providing evidence of the ability to manage and sustain projects of this scale.
- Partnerships and Collaboration (150 words max): If applicable, describe any partnerships or collaborations with other organizations that will enhance the proposal’s effectiveness and broaden its impact.
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs: 150 words max): Propose KPIs that will measure the success of your work and align with the project’s goals.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following weighted criteria:
- Relevant Experience and Expertise (30%)
- Alignment with NHJ’s Mission and Vision (15%)
- Capacity for Strategic Campaign Development and Innovation (25%)
- Capacity and Experience with Priority Populations (15%)
- Proposed Timeline and Milestones (10%)
- Proposed Budget & Financial Stability (5%)
- Clarity and Completeness of Proposal (5%)
Eligibility
Only Canadian organizations or individuals with relevant experience in the Canadian context may submit proposals under this solicitation. Individuals must be legally able to work in Canada without restrictions. may submit proposals under this solicitation.
Pre-Submission Information Session
To assist potential applicants, NHJ will host a pre-submission webinar on Wednesday, September 18th, 202 from 12:00 to 1:00 PM EST. This session is designed to clarify expectations, provide an overview of the project, answer questions, and offer guidance to ensure high-quality submissions on the submission process. Attendance is highly recommended.
Submission Deadline
The deadline for submission is November 11, 2024, at 11:59 pm EDT. Applications should be submitted to becomingproject@nationalhealingjourney.com. Late submissions will not be considered. Please allow for enough time to fully complete and submit your proposal. Applications should be submitted to becomingproject@nationalhealingjourney.com.
We look forward to receiving your proposal. Together, we aim to heal historical wounds and create lasting change within Afro-descendant communities.