Project background:

The need for youth civic engagement is recognized by the Government of Armenia (GOAM) and its funding partners who are investing millions of dollars in comprehensive school reform in Armenia including a robust new civic education program. Armenians have limited public understanding of government functions, citizens' rights, and government responsibility and the formal civics courses currently offered in schools are not conducive to preparing civically conscious and responsible citizens and, because of this, Armenian youth lack the knowledge and skills needed to be active, engaged citizens. The design of the Armenia Civics for Engagement Program (ACE) is built on thorough analyses of extensive information collected on ongoing educational and social reforms as well as major non-governmental organization (NGO) initiatives implemented to promote youth civic education and engagement in Armenia. PH International (Project Harmony, Inc.) has assembled a highly capable consortium of local partners to invest in and build the capacity of Armenia's civic education and youth civic engagement ecosystem through ACE.

Under the experienced leadership of PH International, the ACE program pools the talents of three highly respected Armenian organizations, including the International Center for Human Development (ICHD), the Armenian Center for Democratic Education (Civitas Armenia), and the National Center for Educational Technologies of Armenia (KTAK), the ACE Consortium. Capitalizing upon the local and international networks and capacities of all four organizations, the ACE program will have expansive reach across the Armenian civic engagement ecosystem as well as the nuanced capacity to engage hard-to-reach populations and vulnerable youth.

The purpose of the Armenia Civics for Engagement program is to educate youth on the importance of engaging in civic activities and creating pathways for them to do this. The ACE team will work closely with and support the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (MoESCS) and other stakeholders in contributing to the achievement of USAID Armenia's goals outlined in its 2020-2025 Country Development Cooperation Strategy to advance democratic transition and increase citizen engagement for democratic consolidation by increasing civic and political participation, improving the sustainability of civil society (1.2.2), and amplifying the voice and agency of women, youth, and vulnerable groups (1.2.4). The Program Consortium will accomplish these results by an integrated set of program activities that include: Component 1: Formal education components, and Component 2: Non-formal education/youth engagement components.

A central tenet of ACE is the focus on and integration of the four cross-cutting domains of the Positive Youth Development framework (PYD): asset building, agency, contribution and enabling environment. Through formal civic education reform and non-formal youth engagement, ACE will increase opportunities for youth involvement in decision making and youth leadership to catalyze systemic change that will bolster and sustain greater youth civic participation. Through its innovative model of capacity building, networking, learning, training and investment, the ACE program will ensure a robust, capable, and innovative youth education and youth civic engagement ecosystem in Armenia by 2026.

Purpose and objectives

To ensure effective implementation of a set of program activities under Component 2, for which ICHD is responsible, it will hire Research Team Leader to lead the research team that will carry out the comprehensive assessment of youth engagement in decision making in Armenia (CAYEDMA) under Objective 2: Enabling Environment for Youth Civic Engagement Improved and the relevant expected results (ER): ER 2.1 The capacity and commitment of relevant government institutions to sustainably; engage youth in decision-making processes increased.

Scope of Work

Design and management of the comprehensive assessment of youth engagement in decision making in Armenia:

●        Supervision of the literature and desk reviews to define youth engagement in decision making, identifying the current policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks, supporting youth engagement, challenges and enablers to youth engagement, as part of the enabling environment;

●        Elaboration of the CAYEDMA Study Protocol with detailed implementation plan and methodology, including but not limited to: the rationale of the assessment; goal, objectives and research questions; conceptual framework; methodology, sampling and participant recruitment strategies; primary data collection methods, including risks and mitigation measures; pilot; data management: data protection and quality control; data analysis; reporting and dissemination; ethical considerations in line with local and international best practices and standards; key limitations;

●        Development of the sampling frame and sample size;

●        Development of the desk review report;

●        Management of the recruitment of participants and fieldwork to collect primary data;

●        Documentation of the fieldwork implementation and quality control;

●        Mitigation of the risks during the fieldwork in collaboration with the ICHD project team;

●        Oversight of the data management and analysis processes;

●        Development of the final report with relevant recommendations, incorporating the feedback received from peer reviewers, ICHD and PH international;

●        Close collaboration with the ICHD project team and the CAYEDMA Advisory Board;

●        Participation in the final event to present the CAYEDMA findings and recommendations, as well as other ACE activities as requested by ICHD.

Institutional arrangements and reporting:

The Research Team Leader will work under the supervision of Youth Public Policy and Strategic Communication Coordinator; guidance of the Project Manager; and will report to the Project Director.

 

Required Qualifications:

Education

●        Advanced university degree in political or social sciences, or related fields. A relevant university degree in combination with qualifying experience in the area may be accepted.

Experience

●        At least five years of progressively responsible experience in carrying out public policy research;

●        At least five years of experience of developing and supporting research initiatives in a policy context, to inform and support policy discussions, including delivering reports and publications;

●        Experienced in the application of both qualitative and quantitative research methods;

●        Experience in working with key decision makers at the national, rational and local levels.

Language Skills:

●        Fluency in Armenian and English is required (written and oral).

Competencies

●        Ability to develop a study protocol;

●        Ability to carry out qualitative and quantitative research and analysis;

●        Ability to conduct literature review of policy aspects of youth participation;

●        Ability to lead collection, processing, analyzing and visualizing qualitative and quantitative data;

●        Ability to work under pressure and within strict time frames, and to adapt to competing demands and last-minute requests;

●        Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly the ability to communicate complex and detailed information with clarity and simplicity, which engages and inspires non-researchers;

●        Excellent analytical and interpersonal skills including oral and written communication;

●        Act as a team player and facilitate teamwork;

●        Consistently approach work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

How to apply: A letter of intent, Curriculum Vitae with the names and contact information for three referees, and a sample of writing should be sent to [email protected] with the subject heading "Research Team Leader". Please include links to any published reports or presentations with your application. Applications must be received by July 5, 2022 to be considered.  Only shortlisted applicants will be notified for interview.