ToR Wellness Coach and Counsellor Consultancy

TERMS OF REFERENCE WELLNESS COACH AND COUNSELLOR CONSULTANCY

Background

ForumCiv, established in 1995, is Sweden's largest civil society platform with 185 member organizations and offices in Sweden, Colombia, Liberia, Kenya, and Lithuania. Our work centres on enabling people to organize to claim their rights and take control of their lives and promote responsiveness by duty bearers and other decision-makers. Because only then can democracy grow, resources distributed more fairly, and poverty reduced. 
With a vision of A just and sustainable world where all people have the power to effect change and a purpose of empowering people living in marginalization, who organize to claim their rights and advocate for change that contributes to a just and sustainable world, ForumCiv plays the roles of an advocate, a capacity developer, grant administrator, and development actor.

As an advocate, we are a voice for those we work for and with. As a capacity developer, we have a great potential to strengthen the capacity of our members and partners around the world. As a grant administrator, we have developed a robust framework to provide grants to civil society organisations within the frame of principles for aid and development effectiveness. As a development actor, we are innovative in our partnerships, programme development, and communicating our efforts for a more sustainable world. Additionally, ForumCiv applies a rights-based approach and enables active popular participation by supporting civil society actors.

ForumCiv’s office in Kenya, operational since 2008 and registered with the NGO Coordination Board, serves as the regional office for Eastern and Southern Africa (RO ESA). It coordinates regional sub-granting and develops new partnerships, innovative programmes, and local engagement with donors. Most of the region's interventions focus on civil society strengthening and deepening democracy, human rights, and gender equality. The office works with various partners and stakeholders at grassroots, national, regional, and global levels.

Context 

In our efforts to enhance civil society, ForumCiv focuses on building movements, networks and partnerships and capacity development through its programmes including the Wajibu Wetu; Jumuika! Sikika! (WW;JS!) Programme. However, due to the changing landscape for civil society organisations in Kenya today and more specifically for those working in Governance and Human Rights, the CEOs we work with have expressed the need for mental health support. In line with this, the WW;JS! programme plans to organize a two-day wellness retreat for CEOs from partner organizations with the aim of providing a restorative and stress-relieving experience to the participants. As a result, the objectives of the retreat include promoting mental well-being, team bonding, and rejuvenation. Therefore, ForumCiv is seeking to procure the services of a qualified wellness coach and counsellor to jointly bid to provide wellness and counselling services to retreat participants on 29th and 30th October 2025.

Assignment

Purpose: ForumCiv is seeking to procure the services of a qualified and experienced wellness and counselling professional to undertake the CEOs Wellness Retreat on 18th and 19th of November 2025 at a facility in the environs of Nairobi.

Scope: The CEOs Wellness Retreat assignment will involve developing materials and program for the retreat, undertaking the retreat and reporting to ForumCiv. ForumCiv expects an innovative, creative, structured yet flexible program that allows the CEOs to both decompress and rest.

Responsibilities of the Consultant(s).

Working closely with the ForumCiv team, the counsellor is responsible for:

• Conducting initial consultations to understand participants' wellness goals and specific needs, and understanding the goals of the retreat, the profile of the participants and planned activities.
• Designing an innovative, structured and flexible itinerary that balances coaching, bonding activities, counselling sessions, wellness activities, and time for relaxation.
• Drafting a creative and flexible 2-day program that involves developing session modules, aimed at improving mental wellbeing and resilience among the CEOs.
• Designing counselling, mental health, and team building sessions to meet participants needs.
• Arranging necessary resources and materials, including presentations, mindfulness exercises, and wellness tools tailored for organizational leaders.
• Leading counselling, mindfulness, stress management, and emotional resilience sessions.
• Creating an interactive, and participatory environment and providing a safe space for participants to share and reflect.
• Ensuring that the sessions delivery is inclusive, recognizing and respecting the diverse perspectives, experiences, and identities among partners.
• Offering private, small group and/or large group counselling where needed, and addressing personal or professional challenges affecting CEOs' well-being
• Providing partners with post activity resources by the end of the retreat to act as reference points for mental health support.
• Collecting feedback to evaluate the retreat's impact on participants' well-being and identify areas for improvement in future retreats
• Report writing on the retreat sessions, outcomes, and key insights for reporting purposes and organizational learning.

What our participants will be expecting:

• Mindful Relaxation: Unwind with therapeutic treatments, guided sessions, and peaceful meditation to restore balance and promote wellness.
• Team Bonding: Engage with nature and interactive team activities that nurture solidarity in a relaxed, inspiring environment.
• Wellness Insights: Gain practical tools and strategies to support mental and emotional well-being in leadership.
• Unstructured Time: Enjoy personal moments for quiet reflection or casual networking.

Qualifications of the consultant(s).

The assignment is expected to be undertaken by a team of diverse individuals meeting the needs for this retreat. It should consist of at least a counselling psychologist and a wellness coach. 

• Academic background in social work, clinical psychology, counselling, or a related mental health field from an accredited university.
• Must be registered with the Counsellors and Psychologists Board of Kenya, and or ICF Accredited, in health and wellness coaching, such as a Certified Executive Wellness Coach (CEWC), National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), or Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist (CCWS).
• A minimum of 5 years clinical experience in counselling, including crisis intervention, psychoeducation, and mental health support among senior leaders, and 5 years’ experience in working with executives, senior leaders, or professionals in high-stress environments for the wellness coach.
• Familiarity with stress management, resilience-building, and executive mental health challenges is highly valuable.
• Expertise in facilitating group workshops and one on one counselling focused on executive stress, burnout prevention, mindfulness, and emotional resilience tailored for senior leaders.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to integrate mental well-being approaches with team-building activities and leadership development.
• Ability to design and implement wellness programs, workshops, and retreats that foster rejuvenation, improved mental health, and organizational productivity.

Deliverables (Output):

1. Retreat program – that is innovative, creative, structured yet flexible
2. Workshop materials/presentation as per the program
3. Any additional resources and tools used to share with the participants.
4. A post activity report.

Ethical Considerations: 

1. Informed Consent: Ensuring participants understand the purpose and risks of participation in the activities proposed.
2. Data Privacy: Safeguarding sensitive information collected during the retreat and adhering to the guidelines by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in Kenya.
3. Confidentiality: Unless otherwise stated, protecting the identities of individuals and organizations involved in the retreat.
4. Safeguarding; Adhering and compliance with policy on Sexual, Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH).

How to apply

Application documents including a technical and financial proposal should be sent to procurement.kenya@forumciv.org with the subject heading: Short Term consultancy for Wellness Retreat. The deadline for submission is close of business 24th October 2025.

Duration and Location

This is a 2-day activity which will involve a series of consultative meetings with the ForumCiv team prior. The activity will take place in Limuru. More details regarding the activity, costs and logistics will be disclosed with the successful applicant.