Call for Research Consultant: Developing Youth Engagement Guidelines for Generation G Project

Project: Generation G is an advocacy program that aims at equipping youth activists to address the root causes of social inequality.

It challenges social norms and harmful perceptions that drive power imbalances and violence perpetrated by the patriarchy, while encouraging sustainable change.

Through its interventions, the partnership is increasing the number of young people promoting social roles justice and preventing sexual and gender-based violence by providing with the necessary technical and soft skills along with essential resources to mobilize.

Additionally, it encourages decision-makers to increasingly adopt and be accountable for youth-inclusive policies and laws.

Generation G helps build a more resilient, effective, gender-just and youth-inclusive civil society through capacity strengthening and coalition building.

Since the program’s operationalization in 2021, the country coalition (comprising Adyan Foundation and ABAAD Resource Center for Gender Equality) has sought to fine-tune their youth engagement strategies. This RFP invites research consultants to develop a set of guiding principles and strategies around effective youth engagement in development programming that tackles culturally sensitive subject matters.

2. Scope of Work/Assignment

The research consultant will work in collaboration with both project managers from Adyan foundation and ABAAD Resource Center for Gender Equality to develop a comprehensive youth engagement guideline highlighting the methodology and the approach of youth for activism and community engagement these guidelines includes measurement and indicators guide.

Comprehensive Youth Engagement Guideline: This refers to a thorough set of instructions or recommendations aimed at involving young people in different aspects of social and community activities. The guidelines are targeting youth leaders, agents of change and social workers working with groups in different settings – universities, schools, municipalities, youth programs etc.

Methodology and Approach of Youth for Activism and Community Engagement: The guideline emphasizes the specific methods and approaches that young people can employ when participating in activism and engaging with their communities. It outlines strategies tailored to the preferences, capabilities, and interests of youth. It should be based on evidence-based experiences, expressed needs and interests taking into consideration contextual and political level.

Measurement and Indicators Guide: This part of the guideline provides a framework for assessing the effectiveness and outcome of youth engagement efforts. It likely includes criteria, metrics, or indicators that can be used to evaluate the success or progress of youth-led initiatives. This component will enhance quality of design, monitoring and reporting of similar youth engagement projects. 

The research consultant will: 

Hold an inception meeting with the country coalition partners: Establishing a shared understanding of the project's goals, objectives, and methodologies among all stakeholders. It allows the consultant to align their approach with the expectations and needs of the coalition partners.

Carry out a literature review mapping out relevant available resources on youth engagement and activism in Lebanon: Understanding the existing knowledge landscape and identifying gaps in research. This task will provide insights into previous studies, best practices, and challenges related to youth engagement and activism in Lebanon.

Developing qualitative data collection tools to be validated by the coalition partners: Creating effective data collection tools is essential for gathering relevant information from stakeholders. Involving coalition partners in validating these tools ensures that they are appropriate and comprehensive for the context.

Carry out data collection process (FDGs, KIIs, questionnaires etc.) with relevant internal and external stakeholders (including youth and practitioners): This involves engaging with various stakeholders through focus group discussions (FDGs), key informant interviews (KIIs), questionnaires, or other methods to gather qualitative and quantitative data. Including youth and practitioners ensures that their perspectives and experiences are represented in the research findings.

Develop the youth engagement guidelines strategy including Engagement, Activism, and Participation: This task involves synthesizing the research findings, defining concepts, and developing actionable guidelines for youth engagement, activism, and participation in Lebanon. These guidelines should be practical, evidence-based, and tailored to the needs of the target audience.

Set the KPIs and indicators for the youth engagement: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and indicators are essential for measuring the effectiveness and impact of youth engagement initiatives. Setting clear KPIs and indicators allows for monitoring and evaluation of progress over time.

Hold a validation session with country coalition partners: Finally, holding a validation session with coalition partners ensures that the developed guidelines, KPIs, and indicators align with their expectations and priorities. It allows for feedback and adjustments to be made before finalizing the research output.

3. Milestones and deliverables:

• Milestone 1: Inception Meeting and Literature Review
  • Deliverable: Inception meeting report summarizing discussions with country coalition partners and initial project plan.
  • Deliverable: Literature review document outlining existing resources on youth engagement and activism in Lebanon.
• Milestone 2: Development of Data Collection Tools
  • Deliverable: Draft qualitative data collection tools (e.g., interview guides, focus group discussion outlines) for review and validation by coalition partners.
  • Deliverable: Finalized qualitative data collection tools incorporating feedback from coalition partners.
• Milestone 3: Data Collection
  • Deliverable: Data collection plan detailing timelines, methods, and target stakeholders for focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and questionnaires.
  • Deliverable: Raw data collected from various stakeholders, including youth and practitioners, organized and prepared for analysis.
• Milestone 4: Analysis and Guideline Development
  • Deliverable: Preliminary analysis report summarizing key findings from qualitative data collection.
  • Deliverable: Draft youth engagement guidelines document outlining strategies and recommendations based on research findings.
  • Deliverable: Initial draft of the measurement and indicators guide for evaluating youth engagement efforts.
• Milestone 5: Validation Session with Coalition Partners
  • Deliverable: Validation session report summarizing feedback and discussions with coalition partners on draft guidelines and measurement framework.
  • Deliverable: Revised youth engagement guidelines document incorporating feedback from validation session.
• Milestone 6: Final Deliverables
  • Deliverable: Final youth engagement guidelines document incorporating all revisions and feedback.
  • Deliverable: Final measurement and indicators guide with clear KPIs and indicators for youth engagement.
  • Deliverable: Project summary report outlining the methodology, key findings, and recommendations for future youth engagement initiatives in Lebanon.

4. Qualifications

Interested candidates should have at least the following qualifications: Education: A master degree in social sciences, international development, youth studies, or a related field.

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in conducting research, particularly in the areas of youth engagement, activism, or community development.
• Experience working with youth-led organizations, NGOs, or similar stakeholders.
• Experience in designing and implementing qualitative research methodologies, including focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and literature reviews.
• Familiarity with the socio-political context of Lebanon or similar settings.

Skills:

• Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret qualitative data effectively.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to facilitate meetings, interviews, and validation sessions with diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency in report writing and documentation, with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear and actionable recommendations.
• Knowledge of participatory approaches and methods for engaging youth in decision-making processes.
• Proficiency in relevant software for data analysis and report writing (e.g., SPSS, NVivo, Microsoft Office Suite).

Personal Attributes:

• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively in cross-cultural settings.
• Flexibility and adaptability to respond to changing project needs and priorities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Commitment to youth empowerment and social justice principles.
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively to meet project deadlines.

4. Duration of Assignment 

The duration of the assignment is expected to be 17 working days over a period of 3 months from contract signature date.

Milestone

Milestone 1: Inception Meeting and Literature Review

Milestone 2: Development of Data Collection Tools

Milestone 3: Data Collection

Milestone 4: Analysis and Guideline Development

Milestone 5: Validation Session with Coalition Partners

Milestone 6: Final Deliverables

5. Application

Interested researchers or companies should submit the following documents:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV) detailing relevant qualifications, experience, and achievements.
• Proposal describing the proposed methodology for the project, including approaches to literature review, data collection, analysis, and guideline development.
• Financial proposal outlining the proposed daily fee and any additional costs associated with the project.

Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance and clarity of the proposed methodology.
• Demonstrated experience and achievements in similar projects.
• Qualifications and expertise of the individual consultant or company team.
• Financial proposal including proposed daily fee and cost-effectiveness.

All CVs and proposals must be submitted no longer than the 11^th of May 2024. Please submit your CV/Proposal electronically to [email protected] with the subject line: "Proposal Research Consultant YEP - [Your Name/Company Name]