Consultancy – Communications specialist for the documentation of Tais making process - Timor Aid

 

 Identity, Justice and Prosperity For Timorese

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Terms of Reference

Consultancy – Communications specialist for the documentation of Tais making process

 

Background

Timor Aid has been awarded a highly competitive grant by the Ambassadors Fund for Culture Preservation – under the guidance of the Embassy of the United States of America in Timor-Leste. The grant will support Timor Aid’s work in the Preservation of Intangible Culture Heritage - Tais. Timor Aid is a Member of the Timor-Leste National Committee for Intangible Culture Heritage (ICH); the AFCP grant will help Timor Aid to fulfil our responsibilities as part of the ICH.

Timor Aid will implement following research and documentation activities, as well as training and exchange activities aiming to promote Tais and preserve Tais as a national cultural intangible heritage to expand Timor-Leste's economic prosperity and opportunity, in particular the economic empowerment of the Rural Women, and promoting the cultural tourism.

 

1. Research and document Tais design, pre-weaving and weaving processes. Timor Aid will photo-document various Tais designs to preserve the diversity of Tais designs produced by various districts in Timor-Leste. Tais designs will be collected and systematically documented in a digital database which will also be published online to enable access for weavers, researchers and all other relevant stakeholders. Timor Aid, will collaborate with a video consultant to produce a series of short documentary videos on pre-weaving and weaving processes of Tais production, including the production of yarn, dyes, motifs, design and weaving. These videos will focus on Tais production in two municipalities, Manatuto and Manufahi. These videos will be published on Timor Aid’s website and other online platforms to be accessed by both national and international audience to help raise awareness and knowledge about Tais production processes.
2. Implement local-master-led training programs for apprentice weavers in Oé-cusse and Covalima municipalities. The training of young weavers will take place in Oé-cusse (RAEOA) at venues provided by the local government and the Weavers Network and in Cova Lima at the office of Timor Aid. The master weavers and the target groups will be selected by the local Weavers Network. A total of 20 students will undertake the training per site.
3. Training activities for Timor Aid’s staff in cultural heritage preservation, including but not limited to textile certification processes and protection of Indigenous Intellectual Rights. Timor Aid will engage with both local and international partners to increase its staff capacity in their knowledge and skills in regard to cultural heritage preservation. We plan for two of Timor Aid Staff to visit the US, to learn more about cultural preservation from experts at Fowler Museum at UCLA. Other than that, we hope to engage with US experts virtually in 2021 and host trainers from the US in Dili, to provide in-person training when travels are possible.
4. Socialization activities on Tais as an intangible cultural heritage. Timor Aid will implement a Tais exhibition, school outreaches and thematic discussions involving local governmental and non-governmental organizations on Tais and cultural heritage preservation, to increase public awareness on the significance of Tais and issues surrounding its preservation as an intangible cultural heritage. US experts on cultural heritage preservation will be invited as guest speakers to contribute in the discussions, by virtual means.

 

 

Objective of the Consultancy

 

Expand on the currently available documentation of the tais making process, in particular the establishment of a database to document the plants used for the production of natural dyes and yarns, as well as the different motifs and patterns observed in TL. Furthermore, Timor Aid’s website needs to be updated to reflect the beauty and aesthetic of Timorese culture and to showcase Timor Aid’s work in a more user-friendly way than the current website does. The consultant is expected to train and guide Timor Aid’s cultural staff in documenting Tais in a professional way and enable our staff to maintain/update the website and database.

 

Scope and approach

 

The consultant is expected to:

1. Support Timor Aid with the documentation of Tais production on all levels (yarn, dyes, motifs, design and weaving) this will include

• Formatting research data and establishment of a database
• Photographic documentation of the tais making process
• Production of communication media (digital and print) as needed throughout the project
• Website design

 

2. Train Timor Aid’s cultural staff in:

• Photography
• Website maintenance
• Database maintenance

Timeframe 

 

February 2022 – February 2023

 

Location

 

The consultant will be based in Dili with occasional travels to municipalities. Travel, when necessary, will be arranged by Timor Aid.

 

Qualifications of Consultant

Formal qualifications (required):

• Masters level degree (or undergraduate level coupled with appropriate practical experience) in a relevant field, such as media design, communications, international development and others.
• Facilitation of training in IT and organisational capacity building

Practical skills and experience (Required):

• Demonstrable expertise in community empowerment and capacity building, product development and marketing, supply chain and tourism industry
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Demonstrable experience (3-5 years) in media design, communications and organisational development
• Performance of team leader functions in a similar assignment
• Ability to meet deadlines and respond to requests and feedback appropriately and in timely manner

 

How To Apply

For this local position interested candidates should submit a cover letter describing their suitability based on the above required qualifications and experiences. The candidate should include a recent CV that includes 2 referees and if possible, examples or summaries of similar past work. Applications must be submitted electronically to info@timoraid.org

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Submission deadline is on the 7^th of March 2022

 

Rua Nú Laran no. 16, Bairro dos Grilos

Telephone: + 670 3312260 – www.timoraid.org

P.O. Box 145, Dili,Timor-Leste