1. Background
Youth Alive Foundation (YAF) is an independent youth focused Non-Governmental Organization which seeks to redefine the role and contribution of the Nigerian youth in the governance and development processes in the country. YAF is a Niger Delta implementing partner of the USAID civil society project, Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) and Partnership for Development in the Niger Delta (PIND) implemented by Chemonics International. The project strengthens capacity of civil society (communities inclusive) to engage government.
In 2015, Youth Alive Foundation commissioned a baseline survey and research on Youth Unemployment in Akwa Ibom state focusing on the nature, challenges, consequences and solutions to Youth Unemployment in Akwa Ibom state. The findings of the research showed that youths constituted about 57% of the total population of Akwa Ibom State. In addition, the research revealed that although the youths constitute more than 80% of the working age population in Akwa Ibom State and are highly educated, they make up the largest age cohorts of the unemployed at 49.8% of the sampled audience.
An advocacy campaign to increase government investment in youths through a strategic approach tagged #10percent4youths is ongoing and the bill for the establishment of an Akwa Ibom Youth Development Fund has passed through first reading in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
To further strengthen these two key initiatives of the Youth Alive Foundation, there is need for a comprehensive understanding of the budgeting and expenditure behavior of government around youth development. The foundation will then be equipped with the relevant information to demand for a curb in this rapid trend of unemployment among youths in the state, and an increase in budgetary allocation to youth development; reinforcing the #10percent4youths campaign.
Youth Alive Foundation is therefore soliciting for applications from qualified researchers/consultants to carry out a research on government budget and expenditure on youth development/empowerment across ministries, departments and agencies in Akwa Ibom State.
2. Research Objectives and Scope of Study
The purpose of the study is to:
- Collect quantitative data on budget appropriation and actual expenditure for Ministry of Youths and Sports over a period of 5 years 2011-2016.
- Collect quantitative data on budget appropriation and actual expenditure in other Ministries, Department and Agencies that target skills training, entrepreneurship promotion, employment services, and subsidized employment for youths over a period of 5 years 2011-2016
- Collect quantitative data on budget appropriation and actual expenditure in constituency projects that target skills training, entrepreneurship promotion, employment services, and subsidized employment for youths over a period of 5 years 2011-2016.
- Analyze actual budget expenditure from Ministry of youths and sports showing the cost variation between youth development/job creation programs and sports related programs over a period of 5 years 2011-2016.
- Analyze monitoring and evaluation tracking system for youth development programs in constituency projects and the Ministry of Youths and Sports over a period of 5 years 2011-2016
3. Timeline
Work will commence immediately an agreement is signed following the research briefing. The researcher should be prepared and available to thereafter incorporate comments and clarifications suggested by YAF and other reviewers, and submit the revised report, by 9th June 2017.
4. Expected Output
The outputs expected from the researcher are: A comprehensive report of not more than 20,000 words visually well represented which must at minimum contain:
- Title page
- Table of content
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- Objectives of the research
- Methodology – process how the research was conducted
- Findings and analysis
- . Lessons learned
- Conclusion and recommendations
- Annexes
5. Application procedure
Interested candidates are requested to submit a Technical and a Financial proposal to [email protected] by close of business 15th May 2017
The Technical Proposal should contain:
(i) CVs of researchers who would conduct the research
(ii) Evidence of previous research
(iii) Proposed research methodology
(iv) Proposed work-plan and timeframe
The Financial proposal should contain:
(i) Proposed budget and timeframe for each part of the study
(ii) Cost exclusive of travel as appropriate
6. Qualifications and Experience Required
Researcher/s should have experience in the following areas:
- Public Policy analysis
- Use of social research tools
- Quantitative and qualitative data analysis
- Working knowledge of Youth Empowerment Issues
- Possession of a postgraduate degree in political science, law, development studies or other relevant social science discipline;
- Previous research experience in similar area (preferably proof of some peer reviewed published work);
- Knowledge of the political system, policy framework and local conditions of Akwa Ibom State
7. Guidelines for Documentation of Research
In order to use the research findings in publications and campaigns, the researcher should provide full information and documentation of the sources used so that these can be substantiated.
The final report(s) must provide endnote references for all specific facts and statistics used. The report(s) must also include a bibliography of the major references used.
Primary sources must be used wherever possible over secondary sources. For example, the researcher should reference a statistic to its original report, not where it is cited second-hand by a newspaper or website.
If people have been interviewed in the course of the research, the interview notes should be submitted, signed and dated.
If quantitative analysis has been done as part of the research, the raw data should be provided, and all steps of calculations shown.
If Internet sources have been used, a printed out page from the website showing the cited facts and the date the page was viewed should be included with the documentation. It is important to have documented proof of the content, since web pages are often updated or removed.
