Consultancy: Facilitation of co-creation workshops with digital hubs in Kakuma and Kalobeyei for the SEOR digital grants

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian non-profit organization in international development, committed to providing education, economic opportunities and empowerment opportunities that improve the lives of millions of disadvantaged youth around the world.

The Displaced and Refugee youth Enabling Environment Mechanism (DREEM) project(2020-2025) engages national and local government representatives, academic institutions, private sector actors, refugee-led organizations, local and international NGOs, and refugee youth to share knowledge and identify opportunities to advance the inclusion of refugee youth in national, local, and institutional priorities. The project’s two thematic areas drive WUSC to build change and advance the inclusion of refugees and displaced youth, especially young women, in education, employment and entrepreneurship. WUSC believes that through this work and engaging diverse stakeholders from varied sectors and geographies, the organization will form new strategic partnerships, build momentum and mobilize to advance refugee and displaced youth inclusion.

One of the areas of work of the DREEM project is Strengthening Economic Opportunities for Refugees (SEOR), providing refugee and host community entrepreneurs in Kakuma and Kalobeyei with a fund that combines financing and business development services access to micro and small enterprises. Business development services entails tailored mentorship and coaching, capacity building and market linkages to ensure that businesses have the right expertise and support to generate revenue and jobs.

Through the SEOR component, DREEM will facilitate digital economic opportunities for refugee youth, by building the capacity of local businesses and organizations working in the digital space (such as ICT hubs, training centers and cybers) to directly employ more refugee youth and/or provide better serve the needs of refugee youth engaged in the digital space (for example as freelance online workers). DREEM will build on the work being conducted in the LEAP Project, by offering expanded services and facilitating linkages to employment opportunities to more refugee youth, as well as to design a more sustainable model where refugee-owned ICT businesses can expand facilities to freelance online workers at a reasonable cost.

DREEM will take on a diversified model that will involve working with already existing enterprises/organizations that offer digital services (including cybers providing workspaces), and supporting other digital skills training programs (where possible) in expansion of pathways that result in employment creation for trained youth.

WUSC has completed an initial mapping exercise (which would be shared with the successful consultant) and identified prospective Digital Hubs for participation in an initial set of co-creation activities including two categories of digital Hubs: (1) RLOs/CBOs/private enterprises providing training and linkages to digital work for refugees/host communities and (2) cyber cafes providing access to infrastructure for digital work. WUSC anticipates individualized co-creation workshops to be completed with Hubs falling under category 1, but may consider group co-creation sessions for hubs falling under category 2. In addition, WUSC is exploring potential for engaging with digital employers and digital entrepreneurs as additional digital ecosystem actors for prospective co-creation sessions.

Purpose of the assignment.

The assignment aims to:

1. In collaboration with WUSC and others key stakeholders including the identified refugee and host community serving Digital Hubs, design and plan the activities due to take place during the co-creation workshop via a design thinking approach. The output should include the agenda and the format of the sessions (building on materials provided by WUSC, including data collected from previous studies) as well as a description of the methodologies and the resource material that will be used during the workshop.
2. Facilitate the co-creation workshops. The key objectives of these workshops are:

• To align on the key elements, including digital work/activities, that will be included in the design and target operational model of the SEOR digital hubs
• To identify the main focus areas in the digital gig economy and entrepreneurship that will be delivered by the identified Refugee-led and host community-serving Hubs.
• To identify opportunities for collaboration between WUSC and the identified host community led and Refugee-serving digital hubs in the digital innovation space in Kakuma and Kalobeyei.

3. Following the co-creation workshops, present a report that compiles the main outcomes of the workshops. The report should inform the views of the host-community -led and refugee-serving digital hubs’ value proposition, targeted operating model, prioritized focus areas for the SEOR grant(s), and the possible new innovations that would result in job creation for young people in Kakuma and Kalobeyei.

Expected Deliverables

1. Plan the workshop activities drawing on mapping study and draft agenda/facilitation materials provided by WUSC
2. Facilitate co-creation workshops involving identified actors working in the digital space ( this task will be done primarily in Kakuma/Kalobeyei
3. Present a report that compiles the main outcomes of the workshop

Qualifications of the Consultants

The Consultant(s) is expected to have:

• Significant familiarity with refugee context in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, must be based in Kenya
• Relevant work experience: At least seven years of professional experience working on refugee economic development initiatives, preferably those in the digital economy space in Kenya.
• Have sound experience in human-centered design and co-creation techniques. Workshop facilitation experience is required and experience working in Kakuma/Dadaab or any refugee context is desired.
• Competencies: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, excellent written and oral communication skills; effective organizational skills; high drive for results; high commitment; teamwork, and strong interpersonal and intercultural skills. Languages needed: Fluency in English and Swahili (verbal and written) is desired.
• Lived experience as a refugee or displaced person will be an asset