Consultancy to develop toolkit on participatory research with children on the move and affected by crisis

November 2024 – early January 2025 (approximately 15 days)

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

ECPAT International is a global network of organisations working together for the elimination of the sexual exploitation of children in all its manifestations i.e., exploitation of children in prostitution, online child sexual exploitation, sale and trafficking of children for sexual purposes, sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism and some forms of child, early and forced marriage. The ECPAT Network currently consists of 129 members working at national and local levels in 108 countries.

The ECPAT International Secretariat coordinates the global work of the organisation and is based in Bangkok, Thailand. The Secretariat designs and implements global and regional level programmes, and undertakes programming, advocacy and research and facilitates a range of network initiatives.

THE PROJECT

ECPAT International, in collaboration with ECPAT’s member organisation, ARSIS in Greece, is leading a research project on the digital safety of children on the move and affected by crises transiting through Greece. This project, funded by Safe Online, employs an innovative, child-participatory approach, empowering children to share their experiences and perceptions. It aims to understand how intersectional factors like gender, age or backgrounds influence the use of technology as well as perceptions of risks related to technology-facilitated sexual exploitation faced by these children. The study explicitly considers the often-overlooked gender component, particularly concerning boys on the move, and is informed by the lived experiences of the children, who will provide recommendations for improving online safety. The project uses a methodological mix of participatory research with affected children, in-depth interviews with frontline professionals, and policy dialogues with key stakeholders in the tech, policy, and humanitarian sectors.

The expected outcomes include an enhanced, evidence-based understanding of the risks involved and increased engagement among tech and humanitarian actors to develop safer, child-informed policies. The research findings will be disseminated strategically through a communications and advocacy strategy, featuring targeted outputs such as policy briefs and technical guidance.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY

The objective of this consultancy is to adapt existing tools and resources developed by ECPAT International to create a toolkit that provides practical guidance for conducting qualitative participatory action research with children on the move and affected by crisis. The toolkit will be used by ARSIS facilitators to conduct up to six sessions with groups of 3 to 5 children aged 15-18. Facilitators are expected to support the children in developing creative materials, including stories of fictional characters who are on the move and affected by crisis, to support the action research. The children will build narratives around these characters and formulate recommendations on how their characters could be safer, particularly online. The toolkit should include guidelines for applying different creative tools, such as digital storytelling, to collect data, support participatory analysis of the situation and support children in developing their advocacy messages and actions in a digital world. This should be complemented by guidance and instructions for training adults to use these methods effectively.

To develop the toolkit, the consultant will review and adapt existing resources, including ECPAT International resources such as the Participatory Action Research with Children Manual, Approaches for Youth Engagement in Advocacy on Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (unpublished), and the Toolkit for Engaging with Children to Strengthen Sustainable Tourism Strategies that Prevent Child Sexual Exploitation. The consultant will be responsible for ensuring that the adapted tools are appropriate for children on the move or in harder-to-reach areas. This includes a flexible methodology for children who may have limited time to engage, while incorporating child-centred, trauma-informed principles and gender-sensitive approach throughout.

KEY TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

• Develop a comprehensive toolkit with guidelines, activity sessions and templates for conducting qualitative participatory action research sessions with children on the move, incorporating creative and digital approaches.
• Provide specific methodological and technical guidance for the development of creative and potentially digitally supported advocacy actions by children
• Provide guidance and instructions to train adults to use the methodology toolkit effectively. The development process of both the toolkit and the training guide will include two rounds of feedback from ECPAT International’s team.
• Review and adapt as needed the existing methodology and tools to incorporate feedback – if any – after the first participatory sessions/pilot sessions with children have taken place, based on learning.
• Attend regular calls with the ECPAT International team and the ARSIS team working on the project to first gather information for the development of the methodology and then clarify feedback received.

CONSULTANT PROFILE

The consultant or (groups of consultants) need to have:

• Proven experience in qualitative participatory research with children, particularly in the field of children’s rights and child protection. Research experience on the sexual exploitation of children is desirable.
• Research or work experience in migration contexts is desirable.
• Expertise in trauma-informed and/or gender-sensitive approaches.
• Experience in developing practical guides or toolkits.
• Experience in digital activism, social media campaign, journalism, etc

TIMEFREAM AND WORKING DAYS

• It is expected that this short-term consultancy will require a maximum of 15 working days to take place in the period November 2024-early January 2025.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This is a home-based position using their own equipment. The consultant(s) should be available for online calls including with different time zones in particular with Thailand where ECPAT International Secretariat is based.
• The Consultant is expected to act at all times in a manner consistent with the values of ECPAT International and in compliance with the organisation’s policies and procedures including Safeguarding Policies and the Code of Conduct.
• Applications from an agency or group of consultants can be accepted.

OUR COMMITMENTS

As ECPAT’s International Secretariat we recognise that our strength lies in the diversity of the people who make up our global network, staff, volunteers and consultants. We are committed to being an inclusive workplace where people of all backgrounds and cultures can strive and be themselves. This means we will challenge ourselves to do better and to continue learning, to create and maintain a working environment steeped in respect, tolerance, safety, and where all parties are valued equally.

As a child-focused organisation, ECPAT has a strong commitment to child safeguarding and rigorous procedures, and the successful candidate will be required to sign our 2 codes of conduct.