Ukrainian Young People's current concerns, Needs and Hopes: Looking Forward

Tender description

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on the 24 February 2022, which constituted the largest attack on a European country since World War II, young Ukrainians have been subject to the profound effects of warfare. In addition to the direct consequences of the conflict, such as physical harm to themselves, family and communities, trauma/psychosocial consequences as well as displacement from region or country, they have experienced disruption to education healthcare, and other vital services. Ukrainian children and youth are showing signs of widespread learning loss as Russia’s invasion preceded by the COVID-19 pandemic have left them facing a fourth year of education setbacks. According to UNICEF (2023) only a third of children of primary and secondary age are learning fully in-person. Another third of enrolled students are learning through a mixed approach of in-person and online, and one-third are fully remote with secondary-age students most likely to miss out.<br /><br />The British Council delivers education, arts, and English programmes in Ukraine. The British Council have been working in Ukraine since 1992, and every year connect with thousands of students, educators, policymakers, academics, creatives, and entrepreneurs in Ukraine. The British Council, alongside the Ukrainian Institute, managed the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture. First envisioned in 2019, the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture gave a voice to Ukrainian creatives amidst the changing needs and priorities of the Ukrainian cultural sector. In the area of youth and society, based on successful projects focusing on citizenship, social enterprise and social cohesion and resilience, the British Council is currently developing and delivering a pilot project that aims to develop to develop a suite of activities to meet the needs of a diverse cohort of young Ukrainians, either currently in Ukraine, possibly internally displaced or recently resident under Temporary Protection in three potential partner countries, Romania, Poland and Bulgaria and promote their integration in their current social contexts. <br /><br />The British Council is seeking to understand more fully the challenges currently being faced by young Ukrainians both in Ukraine, and those who have moved outside its borders since Russia’s invasion. Much of our programming in Ukraine has been changed significantly since 2020, as both the COVID pandemic and Russia’s invasion necessarily altered British Council operations, and now it is important to get a clearer understanding of young Ukrainians’ needs, hopes, and aspirations as they describe them. The British Council is seeking a partner to conduct research that investigates, records, and makes explicit these concerns, needs, and hopes. Through the process of listening to, and understanding, the unique challenges young Ukrainians face, this research will aid in clarifying and evidencing British Council programming, and influence our work in Ukraine, and with Ukrainians. In addition, the British Council is seeking in our partner for this research the ability for that partner to take the insights gained from young Ukrainians and hold both internal and external round table discussions with key stakeholders, to facilitate learning across the organisation from what is learned.<br /><br />This contract will be given to a single supplier for the provision of research, management of that research, and subsequent associated activities including, but not limited to, round table discussions, internal dialogues, associated PPT slide decks, a final report, and guidance papers. All work associated with this contract will be completed by 31 March 2024.