France Volontaires is looking for a project assessment consultant

Project details

France Volontaires is the French platform for voluntary and solidarity commitments at the international level. It contributes to their promotion and development in France and around the world. 

It carries out a mission of general interest to inform and guide people who want to get involved and participate in the quantitative and qualitative development of voluntary and solidarity commitments at the international level and accompanies the actors of voluntary work in 55 countries.  

The IC4LoP project (International Citizens for Local Perspectives), implemented within the European framework of the Erasmus + programme, brings together 4 partners: 

• France Volontaires 
• Comhlámh
• Zavod Volunteering
• Cesie  

The project is taking place in 4 countries: France, Slovenia, Ireland, Italy. In France the project is implemented in Paris, Lille and Marseille.  

The project will run for 24 months (January 2019 – January 2021).  

The main objective of the project is to make local organisations work together with youth or voluntary organisations to promote civic participation and the fight against social exclusion by linking young newly arrived migrants with young Europeans who have volunteered in developing countries. This project is based on, and illustrates, a bottom-up approach to integration by drawing on the transformative potential of volunteering experiences but also on the migration experiences of young people arriving in Europe.  

IC4LoP aims to create the opportunity to forge positive links between the experiences of young people with different backgrounds living together in Europe today, but also to promote innovative actions and good practices experimented in the implementation of the project.   

Four specific objectives have been defined:  

• To create opportunities for collaboration between actors working in the field of youth and volunteering, volunteering and those working in the field of migration; 
• To improve skills and competences of young migrants and returned international volunteers which will draw on their respective experiences in the global south and strengthen their roles as active global citizens and to foster mutual understanding and respect among people with different ethnic or religious backgrounds, beliefs or convictions, including by addressing stereotypes and promoting intercultural dialogue; 
• To enhance the quality of non-formal learning activities and to upskills organizations implementing them to make them aware of outstanding best practices and improve the capacity of youth work to promote inclusion, fight social exclusion, improve civic participation and promote integration in the local community; 
• To disseminate the value of volunteering’s role in social inclusion at local, national and EU level encouraging synergies between communities and existing networks working with young people from disadvantaged groups. 

Several activities are implemented in this framework:  

• Multi-stakeholder meetings; European training of trainers;  
• National training of trainers in each country where the project is being implemented; 
• Training of individuals  former volunteers, returning from international experience, and young people in exile, so that they can become relays of commitment to other young people wishing to get involved in this field;  
• Support for collective actions which are micro-projects set up and piloted by groups of European young people and young people in exile.   

Several tools are developed in the framework of this project: 

• A training manual on which the various training courses are based; 
• A self-assessment application for all the actors involved in this project; 
• A mobile application for mapping exile support initiatives: “Awakened Citizen”. 

A digital communication (website, facebook group) is implemented within the framework of this project. Dissemination events will be organized in each country.  

The main beneficiaries of the project are young people in migration, young returned volunteers and organizations working with these beneficiaries: organizations specialized in the field of youth and international volunteering and organizations specialized in the field of migrations. 

The budget for the project is EUR 625 010 (80% of which will be contributed by Erasmus +).  

The evaluation

Objectives

Within the framework of the agreement signed with the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, France Volontaires is required to organise an external evaluation of the IC4LoP project.  

The objective of this evaluation are:  

• To analyse the results and impacts of the project as well as the difficulties encountered and the successes; 
• Draw strategic and operational learnings and recommendations for scaling up this approach and implementing a new project as a continuation of IC4LoP; 
• Understand and formalize the learning on the role of youth and in particular on the role of volunteers on the issue of migration; 
• Identify recommendations for the consortium member structures to improve the effectiveness and inclusiveness of their actions in the fields of migration and youth; 

Deliverable

The evaluators will be required to produce a report, a presentation and a list of recommendations.  

Methodological framework

Methodology

Preparation (July – August 2020): scoping meeting between France Volontaires and the evaluators, analysis of project documents.  

Data collection (August-September 2020): an assessment of this type would require field missions in each of the consortium countries. Due to the health crisis related to COVID-19, field missions will be difficult to envisage during the summer, so a methodological approach favouring remote data collection will be favoured.  

The methodology will have to favour a participatory approach as much as possible, in particular by interviewing project beneficiaries. Questions on the inclusiveness of the project should also be included.  

There will be regular exchanges with the project coordinator. 

Report writing (September – October 2020): the report should be ready for the final dissemination event, organized a priori in the first half of November.

Budget

The budget for the evaluation is €10,000 including tax. This budget includes the evaluators’ fees as well as mission expenses (airfare, local travel, accommodation and food). Given the situation related to the health crisis, many trips will not be possible, the proposal may take that in account. 

Provisional calendar 

• 15th June 2020: publication of the Terms of references 
• 3rd July 2020: analysis of the responses and selection of the consultant  
• July – August 2020: scoping of the evaluation and analysis of information resources 
• August – September 2020 :  Skype meetings and field missions in 2 of the 4 countries if possible. 
• September – October 2020: Drafting of the report and a list of recommendations 
• Early November 2020: submission of the report and list of recommendations 
• January 2020: restitution of the report at the dissemination event in Marseille 

Profile required

The evaluation team will preferably be composed of two consultants (one senior and one junior) who have already evaluated development projects:  

• Fluency in English is essential;  
• Mastery of survey and interview techniques;  
• Experience in participatory evaluation methodologies,  
• Understanding of issues related to migration and youth engagement; 
• Knowledge of the contractual framework of Erasmus + projects would be a plus. 

How to apply

If you wish to apply for this call, please send the CV of the consultant(s), an evaluation methodology and a budget proposal before 3rd July 2020 at 12:00 am (French time) to the attention of Camille FIDELIN, IC4LoP’s project coordinator: [email protected]  

Depending on the number of applications received, a skype call may be organized during the week of June 10th in order to decide between the different candidates.

 

Annonce disponible en français.