Call for Consultancy: Leading co-creation of evidence-based recommendations for safeguarding related policies and practices with women and young women

The World YWCA seeks a consultant (consulting agency/firm/group of consultants) experienced and passionate about evidence-based, feminist, localised safeguarding for and of women of all ages, in all of their diversities. Consultant approaches must be based on research-led feminist principles. Safeguarding in the context of this consultancy will include deep diving the practices and policies across organisations and initiatives aimed towards protecting children, young people, and women of all ages in all of their diversities, including intergenerational safeguarding; preventing sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH); safe national and international travel for young women and women; safeguarding young women and women advocates and activists; operating in fragile states; environmental safeguarding and ethical supply chains; feminist procurement; and other forms of safeguarding as relevant to contemporary feminist networks and alliances. This Consultancy is grounded in moving from the principle of “do no harm” to women, children, the community, and environment, to actively ensuring care, wellbeing, safety, and support rooted in individual, community and organisational action. This evidence-based process must prioritise the wisdom of young women and women and other marginalised, underrecognised and underrepresented voices based in their experiences of local knowledge, tradition and customs that safeguard people and the environment – centring people as part of the environment, not as separate of natural resources. The process must engage in deep diving evidence from practices on going to proposed recommendations for practices and policies of what should be in coming future.

Objectives of consultancy:
To develop evidence-based recommendations to inform organisations and groups (like the
YWCA movement) on safeguarding related policies and practices through:
• A global landscape mapping of good practices around feminist safeguarding in line with
the safeguarding-related understanding above.
• Utilising World YWCA’s Feminist Consultation Methodology to co-create a group to lead
consultation with international NGOs, World YWCA partners, donors (like the Australian
Government) and some YWCA member associations around current trends, practices
and policies.
• Ensure safeguarding is looked at from multiple angles of travel, safety, digital safety,
environmental safety, and child protection, amongst others.

Location: Remote with consistent online engagement

Closing date for expression of interest: 31 August 2023

Starting date: as soon as possible after the closing date.

Type of agreement: consultancy – estimated working days 60 days

Reference: WYWCA-SafeguardingResearch

Estimated budget available: 20,000-35,000 AUD

Estimated duration: October 2023- April 2024

World YWCA Accounting Associate

The World YWCA is seeking an Accounting Associate to join the World YWCA team.

The ideal candidate is a professional with an accounting background, experience, and a proven track record working in accounting and financial processes for non-profits with a global footprint.

The World YWCA offers a dynamic and diverse work environment and enables its employees to use flextime arrangements. It functions as a secretariat with a dozen Geneva-based core positions and a few additional collaborators working on programmatic initiatives and based out of different locations worldwide.

The World YWCA is registered in Switzerland and follows Swiss GAAP FER accounting standards.

World YWCA is excited to find a good fit for this position and is confident that many individuals can do this
job, even though the role is precise in need and scope.

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Closing date for applications: Thursday, 24 August 2023 – 11:59 PM CEST

Starting date: As soon as possible

Type of contract: full-time permanent staff contract – 40 hours weekly

Reference: WYWCA-ACC

Specific requirement: Applicants must have the right to work in Geneva, Switzerland.

Call for consultancy under the RiseUp! Asia-Pacific Leadership and Advocacy Initiative

Applying Feminist Consultation Methodology (FCM)- an Action Research (Round 2)

This call for consultancy is to invite proposals for FCM-based action research- Round 2 from interested non-government organisations (NGOs), National or local YWCAs and/or research institutes and consulting teams located in any of the nine (9) countries in Asia and Pacific (Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa). All the action research studies should be designed, led, and implemented by young women, based on World YWCA’s Feminist Consultation Methodology (FCM).

The Feminist Consultation Methodology (FCM) was first conceived and designed as a youth-centric and youth-led approach by World YWCA in 2018 and published in 2022 after a three-year-long participatory process of co-creation with women and young women worldwide. Anchored in a six (6)-step process (Plan, Design, Implement, Sense Make, Learn, and Iterate) and three (3) complimentary research methods (survey, focus group and interviews) rooted in participatory approaches, and guided by concepts of intersectionality, safe spaces and intergenerational conversations, the FCM can be used by anybody who works with young people or other marginalised and underrepresented communities and is interested in investing in them for systematic and process-driven change.

Encouraged by the response from Round 1, and with profound interest to continue this journey and add newer insights, World YWCA is now looking to commission Round 2 of FCM-based action research through four (4) action research consultancies in four different locations within countries of Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa. Each research will be for a maximum amount of AUD 22,000 for a period of nine (9) months.

Through these studies, World YWCA seeks to strengthen the evidence around critical issues of young women leadership driving advocacy on ground through the FCM’s use, relevance and applicability. World YWCA intends to create a community of young women feminist researchers who can drive the process of transformative change through their leadership, as highlighted in World YWCA’s Goal 2035. Kindly read the ToR carefully before applying.

Location: Remote (anywhere in Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa)

Closing date for submitting proposals: 25th August 2023, EOD CEST

Type of agreement: Consultancy

Eligibility:  Independent research organisations working at the grassroots level following feminist principles, NGOs working extensively with young women and women at the grassroots level and/or National or Local YWCAs from the 9 countries. The team leading the research must be youth-led, can be part of a feminist movement and/or an intergenerational team of consultants.

Application requirements:

Some key guidance on the proposals:

• The proposals must be related to or linked to the overall aims of RiseUp! Young women leadership Theory of Change.
• The proposals must include diverse young women at the very core of the action research – in the team, in the core research group and as wider co-creators and participants within the research.
• The proposals must highlight the group of young women who will be engaged- explaining their background, and/or if they belong to different under-represented communities and/or at-risk groups.
• The proposals should demonstrate how the research will be mutually beneficial for them as an organization/group.

Submit proposals including the above and:

1. Organizational background, including the team and registration status 
2. A cover letter highlighting past demonstrated experience in working with young women and civil society engagement on social issues at the grassroots level and experience on using feminist methodologies and/or showcased interest to strengthen the use of feminist methodologies for evidence and engagement.
3. A two-page summary proposal of a plan to use FCM in a new initiative or an ongoing work along with a draft plan of action on process.
4. Draft a financial proposal along with timelines (do not exceed the consultancy budget window)
5. Two references (who will be only contacted in the final stages of selection)

How to apply

Kindly send the above documents to World YWCA at hresources@wp-wywca.thinkbluedata.com by August 25, 2023, EOBD CET.

The subject line for the email should state: Application/FCM/2023/<name>.