Youth Entrepreneurship Curriculum

Job Description

Background

As part of its 2020-2030 strategy, CRS’ vision is that all young people lead healthy, productive and engaged lives. In support of this, CRS aims to transform employment and entrepreneurship systems so that they foster an enabling environment where millions of Opportunity Youth have agency and sustainable livelihoods. This will be achieved by ensuring that Opportunity Youth have agency and leadership, that Opportunity Youth access quality training, services, and support, that ecosystem actors enhance collaboration for shared and expanded impact, and that ecosystem actors influence youth livelihood systems.

CRS has several youth entrepreneurship curricula to support the entrepreneurial aspirations and build the entrepreneurship skills of young people in rural, urban and peri-urban environments. CRS seeks to engage a consultant to develop a youth entrepreneurship curriculum that takes into consideration the findings of evaluations of CRS’ youth entrepreneurship curricula, aligns with CRS’ holistic approach to youth entrepreneurship, and reflects best practices for youth entrepreneurship in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Objective

The objective of this consultancy is to develop a beta version of a youth entrepreneurship curriculum and supporting resources to be piloted in countries where CRS works.

Tasks and Activities

1. Develop a work plan to develop the deliverables in the scope of work (see below) that includes deadlines for submitting drafts, receiving CRS feedback, and submitting final versions.
2. Review existing youth entrepreneurship curricula used by CRS programs and any reports of evaluations of these curricula.
3. Review external youth entrepreneurship curricula.
4. Draft an interview guide and use it to conduct virtual key informant interviews with relevant CRS staff to gather additional input on current needs and recommendations.
5. Submit a report that analyzes and summarizes the findings from the key informant interviews and review of existing CRS curricula, evaluation reports, and external curricula.
6. Draft a curriculum plan that describes the purpose, objectives, audience, instructional materials, instructional methods, instructional media, assessment strategy, and list of units and lessons.
7. Organize and facilitate a virtual workshop with relevant CRS staff to get feedback on the draft curriculum plan.
8. Submit a revised curriculum plan that incorporates feedback from the virtual workshop.
9. Develop the beta version of the curriculum package, which may include the following: curriculum manual (including a facilitator’s guide and lessons), participants’ materials, and accompanying instructional materials. The following steps will guide the development process:
   i. Lesson review by unit.
   ii. Incorporation of CRS feedback and submission of revised units.
   iii. Review of the facilitator’s guide, participants’ materials, and accompanying instructional materials.
   iv. Incorporation of CRS’ feedback and submission of revised lessons, facilitator’s guide, participants’ materials, and instructional materials.
10. Organize and facilitate virtual workshops as needed with relevant CRS staff to gather feedback on draft components of the curriculum package.
11. Finalize the beta version of the youth entrepreneurship curriculum package based on feedback.

The Consultant and CRS Youth Team will have periodic meetings throughout the consultancy to align expectations and ensure that the objectives and deadlines are met.

Deliverables

1. Work plan.
2. Report of the findings from the key informant interviews and review of existing CRS’ youth entrepreneurship curricula, evaluation reports of CRS’ curricula, and external curricula.
3. Draft youth entrepreneurship curriculum plan.
4. Agenda and facilitation materials (e.g., slides, virtual whiteboard, polls) for the virtual workshop to review the youth entrepreneurship curriculum plan.
5. Virtual workshop report.
6. Revised curriculum plan that incorporates feedback from the virtual workshop.
7. Draft beta version of the curriculum package.
8. Agenda and facilitation materials for virtual workshops to review draft components of the curriculum package.
9. Finalized beta version of the curriculum package based on feedback.

Period of Performance

The anticipated period of performance is June 25, 2024, to November 25, 2024(100 billable days).

Qualifications

1. Master’s degree in formal or nonformal education, curriculum and instruction, instructional design, business administration, international development, or related field required.
2. Minimum of 15 years of experience and skills in curriculum development and instructional design for youth programs in LMICs is required.
3. Deep knowledge of standards and best practices in entrepreneurship or enterprise development with a focus on youth, preferably in LMICs required.
4. Deep knowledge of technical principles and concepts for youth programming, including positive youth development and youth engagement in diverse contexts, is required.
5. Excellent communication, writing, analytical skills, and attention to detail for producing high-quality, practical curricula, training materials, presentations, and reports required. required.
6. Strong skills for coordination and collaboration, as well as the ability to adhere to deadlines and work remotely required.
7. Familiarity with CRS is a plus.

About the Organization

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international not for profit non-governmental organization founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States to serve World War II survivors in Europe. Today, it is the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community. It provides support to impoverished and disadvantaged people in over 100 countries overseas based solely on need, regardless of their race, religion, or ethnicity. Within the United States, CRS engages Catholics to live their faith in solidarity with the poor and suffering of the world. CRS works with individuals, dioceses, parishes, schools, and organizations throughout the United States to offer Catholics at home concrete ways to contribute to the progress of the world by helping the poorest and most vulnerable overseas. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) supports hundreds of transformative projects in more than 100 countries around the world. CRS accomplishes relief and development work through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, water, education, microfinance, peacebuilding and partnership. We work through CRS offices located in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America and the Caribbean. Please visit www.crs.org for more information.

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