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 (NCET), 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, and Component 2: Non-formal education/youth engagement.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 an international consultant to develop a methodology and instrument for monitoring youth engagement in decision making 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

Development of a methodology and instrument to monitor youth engagement in decision making (see Annex 1 for the overview of the assignment)

• Review the relevant best practices globally to define what meaningful youth engagement entails, building on a review of leading literature and PYD framework, and including effective engagement indicators across the developmental stages of youth;
• Identify best practices, experiences and lessons learned on monitoring youth engagement at local, regional and national level;
• Consult with the key stakeholders in the government and civil society on localizing the list of identified indicators;
• Identify the preliminary list of the key indicators of youth engagement in decision making to be included in the monitoring instrument; 
• Validate the preliminary list of indicators with the key stakeholders, specifically the MoESCS and NCET;
• Develop the youth engagement monitoring methodology; 
• Review the first draft of the monitoring instrument based on the findings of the pilot and finalize it;
• Provide guidance to the Youth Engagement Monitoring Coordinator on institutionalizing the monitoring instrument.

 

Institutional arrangements and reporting:

The international consultant will work under the supervision of the Project Manager, in close collaboration with the Youth Engagement Monitoring Coordinator and local expert, and will report to the Project Director.

 

Required qualifications:

Education

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

Experience

• At least seven years of relevant work experience in designing and implementing MEL systems, deliverables, and measures. Experience with USAID-funded programs will be considered as an asset;
• Proven experience of having developed monitoring indicators for youth engagement;
• Experience in youth policy development and/or programming will be considered as an asset;
• Experience in applying digital monitoring tools will be considered an asset.

Language Skills:

• Fluency in English is required (written and oral). Knowledge of Armenian will be a plus.Competencies
• Knowledge of indicator development, data collection and analysis, data quality assessments, and/or performance monitoring and reporting;
• Expert knowledge and understanding of youth participation and civic engagement and its relevance for stakeholders and young people;
• Good knowledge of concepts and framework for monitoring youth engagement. Familiarity with the PYD framework will be considered an asset;
• Ability to apply rights-based and gender-sensitive approach to development of monitoring methodologies; 
• Ability to work under pressure and within strict time frames, and to adapt to competing demands and last-minute requests;
• Excellent analytical and interpersonal skills, including oral and written communication;
• Effective team player;
• Positive and 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 "International Consultant". Please include links to any published reports or presentations with your application. Applications must be received by August 31, 2022 to be considered.  Only shortlisted applicants will be notified for interview. The short-listed applicants will be interviewed via Zoom.