Consultant – Youth-led Research Specialist at Theirworld

The Youth-led Research Specialist consultancy at Theirworld offers a unique opportunity to support young people as leaders in global peace, security, and education research. Through this role, the consultant provides technical guidance while ensuring that youth voices remain central, visible, and influential throughout the research process.

Founded over 20 years ago, Theirworld has become a leading global children’s charity committed to ending the education crisis. As a result, this consultancy plays a vital role in strengthening youth participation while shaping evidence-based solutions for peacebuilding worldwide.

About Theirworld and the Global Youth Ambassador Programme

Theirworld actively works to give children and young people the best start in life through education, advocacy, and systems change. Over the years, the organisation has supported initiatives that improve access to learning across diverse global contexts.

Moreover, Theirworld’s Global Youth Ambassador (GYA) Programme connects more than 2,000 young leaders from over 140 countries. Through this network, Global Youth Ambassadors advocate for education by sharing lived experiences from their communities and engaging powerholders to unlock meaningful change.

Project Background – Peace, Security, and Education

Across the world, threats to peace and security continue to disrupt education systems. Conflict, displacement, violence, and instability disproportionately affect children and young people, limiting access to safe and inclusive learning environments.

However, education remains a powerful tool for peacebuilding, prevention, recovery, and sustainable reconstruction. Therefore, the Peace, Security and Education Task Team brings together young leaders who already use—or aim to use—learning as a pathway to peace within their communities.

Task Team Objectives

• Build leadership capacity among young people with lived experience of insecurity
• Support and advance youth-led peacebuilding initiatives through education
• Generate youth-led evidence and recommendations
• Elevate youth voices in peace and security policymaking at all levels

The Global Youth Consultation

At the heart of this initiative lies a two-stage global youth consultation embedded within the Task Team’s work. This consultation ensures that young people do not merely participate but actively lead research and analysis.

Consultation Stages

• Stage One: A global qualitative survey designed to capture youth perspectives, lived experiences, and existing peacebuilding practices
• Stage Two: Community-based focus group discussions led by Task Team members to validate findings and explore solutions

Importantly, the consultation approach remains youth-led throughout. Young people contribute to question design, facilitate discussions, analyse findings, and shape recommendations. As a result, the evidence generated reflects real-world realities.

Scope of Work for the Youth-led Research Specialist

Working closely with the Theirworld Youth Team, the Youth-led Research Specialist provides technical leadership while maintaining a facilitative approach. In doing so, the consultant ensures that the process remains structured, ethical, and aligned with project objectives.

At the same time, the consultant upholds safeguarding standards and supports quality without overshadowing youth leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop a clear consultation delivery framework aligned with timelines
• Lead the design of the two-stage consultation methodology
• Create qualitative surveys and focus group discussion tools
• Establish a simple yet robust data analysis system
• Facilitate virtual and in-person analysis and sense-making sessions
• Support youth-led thematic analysis and validation of findings
• Build Task Team capacity to independently lead focus groups

Throughout the consultancy, the consultant must ensure that youth leadership is both enabled and visible.

Deliverables and Timeline

Phase One – Design and Preparation (February–April)

During this phase, the consultant finalises the consultation framework, designs the global qualitative survey, and establishes data tracking systems. Additionally, the consultant delivers at least two virtual capacity-building sessions to support Task Team engagement.

Phase Two – Stage One Consultation (April–June)

Next, the consultant provides technical oversight during the consultation rollout. Meanwhile, they support initial thematic analysis and facilitate sense-making sessions to identify key themes. Furthermore, the consultant develops focus group guidelines and delivers training for Stage Two.

Phase Three – Stage Two and Reporting (July–October)

Finally, the consultant guides the analysis of focus group findings, drafts the Stage Two report, and delivers a three-day in-person validation workshop with Task Team members.

Consultant Requirements

Theirworld seeks a consultant with strong expertise in youth-led research and participatory methodologies, particularly within peace, security, and education contexts.

Essential Experience

• Proven experience in youth participation and youth-led research
• Strong background in qualitative and participatory research design
• Experience facilitating youth-led consultations or studies
• Background in peace, conflict, or education in emergencies
• Ability to translate research findings into policy-relevant outputs

How to Apply

Interested consultants should submit a CV, a one-page cover letter detailing relevant experience, and their consultant day rate. Because applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, early submission is encouraged.

📩 Send applications to: dawn@theirworld.org
🗓 Deadline: 16 February, 5:00 pm GMT