Consultancy for Baseline Evaluation

1. Background

Africa is facing both new prospects, as well as challenges resulting from emerging economic, political, social, technological and environmental developments. The continent is endowed with immense opportunities which include, among others, the world’s youngest population, an ever-growing entrepreneurial spirit, and a wealth of natural resources.

Africa had been recording steady economic growth. This was, nonetheless, affected by the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis exacerbated a number of recurrent challenges, including political instability, inequality, conflicts and security issues, protracted food crises, climate change and biodiversity loss. To date, close to 400 million people still live below the poverty line and lack access to basic services. Inequality and governance challenges have not allowed for inclusive growth. Rapid population growth puts additional pressure on natural resources, the labor market and service delivery.

Amidst this context, daunting challenges continue to affect the younger generations in Africa. These include, among others, food insecurity, lack of infrastructure, conflict, climate change, poor healthcare access, insufficient access to financing opportunities for education and business, inequality, political instability, and unemployment. These difficulties become more striking yet through numbers: data indicates that more than 72 million youth in Africa are categorized as not in employment, education or training (NEET) (ILO, 2023).

In a bid to attain the global aspirations of sustainable development, equality, and peace, Youth Voices Lab-Power of the Collective seeks to increase the voice and leadership of young Africans, particularly young women and girls, youth activists, youth-led organizations etc… Its action envisions a society in which policies, partnership/cooperation plans, and decision-making processes are the result of enhanced youth engagement, empowerment, and connection. It also seeks to see improved intergenerational partnerships and actions at local, national, continental, and cross-continental levels. Young people representing over 60% of the African population are at the heart of this initiative and are recognized as equal partners in shaping actions to achieve the regional vision of an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens, representing a dynamic force in the international arena (Agenda 2063).

2. Information about the Project

The AU-EU Youth Voices Lab-Power of the Collective (the Youth Voices Lab-PoC from herein) is a four-year project with a six-month inception period. Through its actions**, it seeks to create a more youth responsive and inclusive society.** The project is driven by five partners (Oxfam, Restless Development (RD), SEARCH for Common Ground (SEARCH), Youth makers Hub (YMH), and Make sense Africa, that will combine their expertise on youth-led and youth-informed work, and their track record on tackling key issues of the Agenda 2063, the SDGs, and the AU-EU partnerships from a youth perspective to ensure that they meet the requirements and deliver. Youth Voices Lab-PoC’s actions follow a continental approach, by involving youth and enablers/decision-makers (AU and EU, governments, CSOs, Corporates, other) from 14 intervention countries (Cameroon, Burundi, Soth Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso) and one additional country in Europe (Belgium).

Impact Level

Youth Responsive Society (aspirations of the SDGs, Agenda 2063, AU-EU Joint Vision, other key frameworks)

Outcome Level

• Improved youth responsive policy frameworks (policies, agreements, cooperation plans/ partnerships etc.)
• Enhanced implementation of policy frameworks (youth-led, intergenerationally led, adult-led but informed and influenced by youth)
• Increased budget allocations
• Stronger movements and multisectoral partnerships

The project tracks two interlinked journeys of transformative action: The Youth journey, and the Enablers/institutional journey. It has the following expected specific objectives:

The youth journey (SO1): Young people and youth-led groups and networks effectively

advocate for their concerns and priorities at various levels- local, national, continental and

cross-continental, and around the AU-EU partnership in Africa.

The enablers/institutional journey (SO2): Institutions, governments, partners, and corporations are more youth-centred and meaningfully collaborate with youth in the development and implementation of their policies/decision-making moments and spaces.

3. Goal and Objectives of the assignment

a) Purpose of the study

The purpose of the baseline is to generate understanding of the current status of society responsiveness to young people’s needs and its inclusiveness prior to development interventions. It will also explore the current level of youth engagement, connection, and empowerment as well as the current status of intergenerational partnerships and actions at local, national, continental, and cross-continental levels in the society. The assessment will also gather relevant baseline data for key project outcome and output indicators to depict the actual situation in the project areas to create a benchmark for monitoring and evaluating the project and measuring results through and at the end of the project period. The baseline study is intended to provide project staff with detailed baseline data on key existing project indicators to be refined to ensure that they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound (SMART).

The specific baseline values must be provided for all indicators in the logical framework. Baseline data is intended to inform the establishment of realistic and achievable targets, provide a point of reference against which progress on or towards the achievement of outcomes can be monitored and evaluated, and provide suggestions for the review of indicators if and where necessary.

b) Objectives of the study

a) Assess the level of involvement for young people and youth-led groups and networks in advocating for their concerns and priorities at various levels (local, national, continental and cross-continental, and around the AU-EU partnership in Africa).

b) Examine the extent to which Institutions, governments, partners, and corporations are more youth-centred and meaningfully collaborate with youth in the development and implementation of their policies/decision-making moments and spaces.

c) Determine barriers, priorities, risks, and needs at local level that must be addressed to ensure youth can meaningfully engage in advocating for their concerns and priorities at various levels.

d) Analyse the status of intergenerational processes (partnerships and action) that foster movement building and more inclusive, interactive, and multifunctional AU-EU collaborations at local, national, continental, and cross-continental levels.

e) Analyse the status of the youth’s engagement, connection, and empowerment at the individual and institutional levels.

f) Identify institutionalized mechanisms for greater engagement of youth by political and civic actors.

4**.Scope of Work**

The baseline study will be conducted in 14 countries in Africa and one country in Europe (Cameroon, Burundi, South Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Belgium). The partners involved in this baseline study will include Action implementing partners and all the key Action stakeholders: Partner’s Coordination Committee (PCC), Project Management Unit (PMU), Project Coordination Units (PCUs), Enablers/decision-makers, European youth, African diaspora in Europe, and Youth-led groups and civil society. Presence in multiple countries where the baseline study will be an added advantage.

5. Study Methodology

The expected methodology for the baseline study should include both Qualitative and Quantitative approaches in generation of primary data that will inform the analysis. The consultant is expected to articulate the research design and provide detail of study approaches that will be applied. The methods should be sensitive to the target population (unit of analysis), and robust enough to provide adequate responses to the stated research questions. Overall, the methodology section should cover details of study design and approaches, sampling, sample size determination, data collection methods/instruments, data analysis techniques, plan for dissemination of study findings and a statement on quality assurance and ethical considerations during the study. The expected approach should be described in enough detail to enable any other researcher interested in the same study to apply the same methodology.

6. Study Outputs/Deliverables

This baseline study will have key deliverables summarized below:

• A study proposal detailing out the technical and financial aspect for the baseline
• An inception report detailing out the understanding of assignment, study, methodology, comprehensive data gathering tools and guidelines as well as a detailed Workplan
• A draft baseline report
• Final Baseline report (both soft and hard copies)
• A clean dataset(s), transcriptions, and other study materials

The report should be well-structured with a standard cover sheet, Table of Contents, Acknowledgements, Acronyms and Abbreviations, Executive summary; Introduction inclusive of study purpose, objectives and scope; study methodology and limitations; study findings, conclusions and recommendations, references and appendices.

Table 1: Preliminary Planning

Nº Deliverables Description of Tasks

1 An inception report Undertake a desk review of project documents, other relevant policies,

strategies, and similar projects/initiatives to inform the baseline study.

Draft the Report showing a clear understanding of the project, its objectives and assignment, informed by the desk review. The inception report should outline the following key elements:

Workplan detailing the methodology, including data collection instruments, sampling strategy and methods of analysis …

Workplan outlining anticipated timelines for baseline study and expected level of effort for each phase of the work

Outline the responsible team members that will be engaged in the study

Outline the measures and mechanisms that will be in place to ensure the quality, reliability, and validity of the data collected.

Data collection tools Develop instruments and protocols for quantitative and qualitative data collection, which should be reviewed and approved before the baseline commences

Quality assurance and ethical considerations Develop a statement /ethical guidelines and procedures that will be followed throughout the study process, ensuring the quality and protection and consent of participants

2. Draft baseline report Fieldwork to collect quantitative and qualitative data

Complete data analysis

Compile a draft report for review; present study with findings to project teams and take note of feedback and revisions needed

3.Final Baseline report Submit the revised final report according to project teams

4.Cleaned quantitative and qualitative data sets Datasets, Transcriptions and other study materials

7. Timeframe

The assignment will be undertaken from September to November, lasting a total of 40.5 working days from the date of signing the contract.

Table 2: Timeframe

Activity Number of days

Consultant to sign contract for the assignment 0.5

Review of documents and development of a draft inception report and study instruments 5

Presentation of a draft Inception report and data collection tools 0.5

Finalize the data Inception Report, based project teams’ input 0.5

Training research assistants and pre-testing 3

Primary data collection (field work) 15

Data analysis and report writing 12

Submission of the draft study report. 0.5

Incorporating comments on draft report 2

Submission of the final baseline report 0.5

Report presentation and validation 1

8.Qualification and experience of the consultant/team

• Advanced degree in a relevant humanitarian field of work related to development studies, Social Science, and human rights, project Management, Monitoring and evaluation.
• Understanding of the assignment and quality of the expression of interest and work plan.
• Demonstrable expertise and knowledge of projects in the field of youth-centred development and relevant experience of working with other entities such as AU and EU, governments and development agencies in particular in relation to similar programmes is an added advantage.
• Track record in developing and conducting various types of research and baseline studies using qualitative and quantitative approaches and (statistical) data analysis.
• Experience in data collection and analysis using participatory methodologies.
• The consultant is expected to demonstrate excellent communication skills (verbal and in writing) in English. A working knowledge of the French language will be an added advantage.
• Applicants will have experience of working with multicultural teams.
• Presence in the target countries is an added advantage.

9. Proposal study Criteria

The technical proposal will be evaluated based on the Quality Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) Criteria:

• The individual general reliability as well as experience and capacity in the carrying out the assignment (30%).
• The approach in responding to the TOR and detailed work Oxfam in Africa (45%).
• The qualifications and competencies of the proposed personnel for the assignment (25%).
• Proposals obtaining more than 70% of the technical points will be considered technically suitable and qualify for financial assessment.

10. Supervision/management of the assignment

The consultant (s) will be supervised by the program MEAL Expert whom they will closely work with to ensure that all processes are adhered to. The Project Management Unit (PMU) will provide additional support in ensuring the study is delivered effectively.

11. Payment

The consultant will be paid 30% upon approval of the inception report and 70% upon submission and approval of final report and any agreed upon products of the study. The technical fees will be subjected to statutory requirements like withholding Tax.