Administrative Management Assistant

Youth Civic Mapping in TajikistanSearch for Common Ground (Search) is seeking to engage a qualified consultant to conduct a Youth Civic Mapping in Tajikistan under the project “JavoniStan (YouthLand): Unleashing Youth Civil Society Potential in Tajikistan.” The consultant is expected to work closely with local youth researchers and the project team and be responsible for designing and implementing the mapping exercise, generating baseline data, and producing analytical findings and practical recommendations that will inform youth engagement strategies, program design, and the establishment of youth civil society hubs. Background and ContextSearch for Common Ground is implementing the EU-funded action JavoniStan (YouthLand): Unleashing Youth Civil Society Potential in Tajikistan, a 36-month initiative designed to strengthen youth civil society and foster inclusive development and civic participation. The project aims to establish youth civil society hubs and strengthen collaboration between youth, civil society, local authorities, and private sector actors. A foundational step in implementation is a youth-led civic mapping and baseline study to understand how youth organize themselves, what needs and opportunities exist, and how inclusive engagement can be entailed in their context.Purpose of the AssignmentThe purpose of this consultancy is to design the mapping exercise, lead and navigate young researchers to collect field data in the target regions of Tajikistan. Analytical findings will generate evidence on youth civil society actors, informal youth groups, and excluded youth while measuring baseline Pease Impact Framework (PIF) indicators for the project. The mapping will serve several essential analytical and programmatic steps for the project further implementation: ● Generate a comprehensive context and stakeholder analysis that captures the dynamics of youth civil society, institutional actors, and community relationships within the target areas. ● Offer a practical and evidence-based guide for outreach, participant recruitment, and programme design to ensure that interventions are locally grounded, inclusive, and responsive to youth realities. ● Ensure full alignment with the project’s Youth 360 approach and conflict-sensitive methodology by integrating participatory, inclusive, and Do No Harm principles throughout the mapping process and resulting recommendations. The youth-led civic mapping report (A0.1) will be methodologically led by Search, with a sociological expert and two youth researchers recruited for the process. The project implementing partners will accompany and support the research teams in the target locations. Its primary purpose is to understand how youth are currently organising and mobilising in DUS and Sugd district — (a) identifying existing formal and informal groups and excluded individuals, (b) exploring their needs and grievances (in particular in relation to national green, digital, and local development agendas), (c) identifying existing convening spaces and inclusion practices, and (d) collecting baseline indicator values. This includes highlighting underserved youth populations, informal organising models, and protection risks across target regions. The mapping report will include protection and inclusion analysis based on this information. By positioning youth as researchers, the process will generate context-specific insights to guide inclusive outreach and recruitment for the youth civil society hubs. Dedicated mentoring and capacity support by the expert will ensure youth researchers can carry out the analysis safely, ethically, and effectively. The outputs will directly inform the selection and design of subsequent interventions, ensuring they resonate with local youth realities and priorities.Objectives of the Mapping Overall ObjectiveThe youth civic mapping will pursue the following objectives: 1) Identify and analyze the landscape of formal and informal youth civil society actors, networks, and initiatives operating in the target regions. 2) Map and assess the needs, priorities, aspirations, and challenges of diverse youth groups, including underserved and marginalized youth. 3) Explore and document existing opportunities, barriers, and enabling factors influencing youth participation in civic, social, and development processes. 4) Analyze and describe relationships and levels of trust between youth, civil society organizations, local authorities, and community stakeholders. 5) Identify and evaluate existing formal and informal spaces, platforms, and mechanisms that enable or limit youth engagement and collective action. 6) Measure and establish baseline PIF values required to inform project indicators, targeting, and adaptive program design. 7) Provide and formulate practical recommendations to guide youth engagement approaches, outreach strategies, and the establishment of youth civil society hubs. 8) Generate a comprehensive, youth-centered evidence base map on youth civil society ecosystems, needs, and opportunities in Sughd and DUS regions to guide inclusive program implementation.The mapping will: 1. Identify and analyze existing civil society actors: i) Formal youth CSOs; ii)Informal youth groups and networks; iii) Youth initiatives and organizing models2. Map excluded and underserved youth; Young women with restricted participation; Out-of-school youth; Youth with disabilities; Returnees and children of labor migrants; Other marginalized groups3. Analyze youth needs, aspirations and grievances: Livelihood and economic aspirations; Civic participation interests; Green and digital priorities; Barriers to engagement4. Identify existing spaces and mechanisms for youth engagement: Physical spaces (youth centers, community spaces); Digital platforms; Informal convening spaces5. Analyse relationships and trust dynamics: Youth–authority relations; Youth–CSO relations; Youth–private sector relations6. Establish baseline PIF values for key project indicators related to: Youth civic agency; Collaboration with authorities; Perceptions of youth influence; Participation levelsPIF Baseline indicators to be measured in the Youth Civic Mapping The consultant is expected to lead and coordinate youth researchers in collecting field-based data within the scope of the Youth Civic Mapping exercise. The overall concepts, methodology, and data collection tools will be provided by the Search for Common Ground Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team. In close collaboration with the selected youth mapping team, the consultant will be responsible for measuring and establishing baseline values for the project’s below listed Peace Impact Framework (PIF) indicators:1. % of youth civil society that takes action to influence the things they care about in the target locations2. % of youth civil society who believe local authorities’ decision-making is inclusive and responsive3. % of youth civil society in Dushanbe and Sughd regions who believe they can make a positive difference in the area they live4. % of LAs, community leaders, and private sector actors who believe youth civil society are a constructive partner in development5. % of LAs, community leaders, and private sector actors who apply youth-led advocacy, policy recommendations, and development contributions from project activities in their work.Geographic ScopeMapping will cover: Sughd region (Lokhuti Sanchidzor and Patar jamoats in Kanibadam district, and Histevarz jamoat in B. Gafurov district), Dushanbe and Districts of Republican Subordination (DUS) (Ismoili Somoni district, particularly the Nagornoe area, the southern part of Firdavsi district, including microdistricts 46, 61, and 65, the northern part of the Sino district, such as microdistrict 112, Ispeshek, and Kalinin). Consultant ProfileRequired:● Advanced degree in social sciences, development, or related field● Strong experience in youth research or civic engagement mapping● Experience in Tajikistan or Central Asia● Expertise in participatory and qualitative research● Gender and conflict-sensitive research experience● Fluent in Tajik or Russian (English required)● Strong experience working with youth as co-partners and co-leaders ● Team of youth researcher for data collectionAssets:● Experience with EU or SFCG projects● Experience with baseline and MEL frameworksHow to Apply: Interested applicants who fit the requirements should apply by 23 March 2026. Applications should include: the recent updated CV of applicant(s), a detailed timeline, financial proposal, narrative proposal, and piece of similar Youth mapping exercise or/ and baseline assessment report or any appropriate paper led by the applicant and written in English (preferably) or Russian languages to casiaproc@sfcg.orgThe maximum budget proposed should not exceed 5K USD. The application should outline: 1. Designs for the Youth Civic Mapping, the main concepts will be taken for further work;2. The chosen methodology, sampling strategy and an explanation for why it was selected and preferable for utilization. 3. Brief analytical framework.4. Anticipated risks for this research, particularly from a Conflict Sensitivity and Do No Harm perspective. 5. A description of the applicant’s experience and its relevance to this research.6. A detailed financial proposal which should specify a detailed budget, including sufficient details related to daily rates for major categories of personnel or activities, and the narrative should clearly state the scope of the study including # of respondents, of research activities, or # region consultants going to visit;7. Enclosed CV of proposed candidates/team.