Project Description/Background:
Save the Children is carrying out a three-country research study to examine the impact and effectiveness of programming to address violence in and around schools in humanitarian contexts. While a growing body of evidence exists on effective programming in high-resource and development settings, there is a considerable gap in rigorous evaluations that seek to examine the impact of interventions to address school-related violence in contexts affected by armed conflict, internal displacement, and other humanitarian events. Without a robust evidence base, there is much to be learned regarding how best to prevent and respond to violence in and around school contexts in crisis-affected settings.
Save the Children has developed the “Safe Schools Common Approach,” as a program model to promote children’s safety, well-being and learning in diverse global contexts. Although a promising model, this program has never been rigorously evaluated in humanitarian settings or to determine the degree to which it is effective regarding violence prevention and response. This multi-country research study will evaluate “Safe Schools” programming in Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Syria to build evidence and inform future program development and adaptation.
In support of this work, Save the Children US is seeking a training consultant to develop materials and deliver a combination of remote and in-person training and technical support to data collection teams in preparation for baseline studies in Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Syria.
Description of Services:
The consultant will be responsible for developing training materials related to quantitative and qualitative research methods, with a specific focus on the tools developed for this research study. The consultant will also develop training materials that cover key ethical issues related to collecting data with children and measuring sensitive issues. Once training materials have been developed, the consultant will deliver a combination of remote and in-person training to Save the Children staff and data collectors in countries where the study is slated to take place.
Workstreams include:
- Development of Training Materials- The consultant will develop training materials covering key issues related to qualitative and quantitative data collection as well as the specific components of tools that have been developed for this research study. The training materials will also focus on ethical issues pertaining to research with children and on sensitive issues. Materials to be developed will include PowerPoint presentations as well as necessary documents/hand-outs. (5 days)
- Remote and In-Person Training- The consultant will deliver remote and in-person training to country teams focused on the data collection tools and ethical protocols in preparation for the baseline study. The number of days and specific plans for the training will be developed in coordination with country teams and the study Principal Investigator (PI) at SCUS. (15 days)
- In-country Research Support- In addition to the formal training, the consultant will provide hand-on support and technical assistance to research teams, including during practice exercises and piloting of tools. The consultant will also be on-site for the start of baseline data collection to address issues that may emerge. The specific details and timeframe for this support will be developed along with country teams and the study PI at SCUS. (15 days)Qualifications:
- Masters Degree in social work, public health, child development, education or related field; PhD preferred
- Strong background in qualitative and quantitative research methods
- Experience conducting research on violence against children and other child protection issues in global contexts
- Solid grounding in ethical issues pertaining to research on violence and other sensitive issues with children
- Experience developing and facilitating training for data collectors through in-person, remote and hybrid approaches
- Skilled in working in a collaborative, multicultural environment involving multiple stakeholders
- Fluency in written and spoken English required
How to apply
Proposals should be submitted no later than September 23rd. Proposals can be submitted via email to Debbie Feehery at dfeehery@savechildren.org.
Proposals must include:
- CV and cover letter
- Detailed work plan for consultancy
- Implementation strategy and approach for the scope of work
- Detailed, costed budget
All qualified persons making a submission will receive consideration for the contract opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.
