Call for Consultant: Lead Trainer for ALLY Fellowship Programme

Lead Trainer for ALLY Fellowship Program

Background

The European Union-funded project Amplifying Leadership of Local Youth in Preventing Violent Extremism in South Asia (ALLY) is organising a Fellowship Programme for 60 youth (15 from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan each). These youth will be trained as a multiplier on conflict transformation, advocacy, training facilitation and online constructive campaigning through a phased capacity development programme (planned to include an online workshop, one in-person national workshop and one in-person regional workshop).

Acting upon the positive roles of youth-led civic engagement related to peacebuilding, the fellows are expected to deepen their knowledge, skills and attitudes to contribute to transforming the conflicts and address factors of violence and preventing violent extremism in the four countries and regionally. The programme will develop their capacities to engage diverse stakeholders including other youth, decision-makers, religious actors and the media in positive and nonviolent approaches to promote a culture of peace and constructive narratives on diversity and work with communities in order to prevent violent extremism. The fellowship supports youth action as it does not only provide theoretical tools, resources and guidance but provides accompanying support throughout as youth design and implement action at local, national, and regional levels.

The fellowship programme is a key component of the ALLY project which a youth-sensitive initiative, focused at amplifying the youth voices and actions in addressing diverse factors of violence and Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan. The project aims at increasing knowledge of the push and pull factors, enhancing the multidimensional capacity of youth leaders and their strategies, and strengthening multi-stakeholder partnerships to prevent violent extremism in South Asia. The project primarily targets youth as agency-holders and strategic allies to media and decision-makers, to increase outreach for youth-led initiatives and constructive narratives that value the religious, ethnic and cultural diversity of the region. The project contributes to filling the gap of context-specific resources and collaborative regional actions on PVE in South Asia, strengthening not only regional but also national level networks and youth movements.

The 2,5 year EU-funded ALLY project is implemented by the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers/ Finn Church Aid, UNOY Peacebuilders, Rural Development Society (India), Centre for Communication and Development of Bangladesh (Bangladesh), Youth Development Foundation (Pakistan), and Sri Lanka Unites (Sri Lanka).

Primary objectives

The primary objective for the lead trainer of ALLY Fellowship Programme is to design and facilitate the first ALLY fellows training component (inclusive of online training and national trainings) in collaboration with project staff and wider training team in April-October 2021. The first fellows training component is expected to contribute to the fellows’ knowledge, skills and attitudes with focus on:

• Enhancing analytical skills on factors for violent extremism in the South Asian context;
• Gaining practical knowledge on peacebuilding approaches used in PVE work, including conceptual understanding of youth empowerment, intersection between gender equality and youth empowerment, the basics of advocacy, interfaith, and peace work; and
• Gaining practical tools for designing conflict transformation processes and providing support to the fellows concrete action planning.

The methodological approach for the training programme will be non-formal education, characterized by a needs orientated, learner centred, flexible, adaptable, and inclusive as well as a planned process. The lead trainer ensures that the training component contributes to the overall project goal. The approach will also take strongly into account human-rights based approach, gender mainstreaming and Do No Harm principle.

Principal duties and deliverables

• Develop a detailed training plan and curriculum design for 4 online training sessions and overall approach to national training component, based on the feedback from the needs’ assessment and with the ability to adapt to changing needs during the training.
• Provide a training manual with a list of key suggested readings/additional resources for the first fellows training component.[1]
• Contribute to the development of two ALLY Action Guides that support the ALLY regional fellowship program together with ALLY Lead Researcher and ALLY Regional Fellowship trainers (to be recruited later).
• Facilitate and conduct the 4 online training sessions within the envisaged timeline.
• Co-facilitate the national training session in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh (via remote participation).
• Provide practical support and guidance during the first fellows training component implementation phase (past the trainings).
• Tracking, monitoring and reporting the results of the first training component and conduct needs assessment for the regional training, summarized in a final report.

Scope of work and management

The assignment takes place between April and October 2021 with a delivery of overall 1^st ALLY fellowship training component. During the assignment, the lead trainer will be tracking, monitoring and evaluating the trainings based on relevant indicators such as the improved self-perceived knowledge and capacities of participants.

The lead trainer will be working closely with the overall project staff, in-country trainers and continuing also from the research outputs led by the lead researcher (Action Guides). The candidate will deliver a series of high-quality online training sessions in a limited time period.

How to Apply

Interested parties should email Network Finance and Administrative Officer, Ms Kopila Thapa (Kopila.Thapa@kua.fi) to request the Technical and Financial Proposal form. Application deadline is 18.4.2021. The application package will include the following materials:

• 1-3 page CV
• 1 page cover letter
• 3 professional references or proof of previous digital capacity building trainings for civil society organizations
• Technical and financial proposal (maximum 8 pages)

Late, incomplete or partial bids will be rejected.