Consultancy - CRECO

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Faciltators- Digital Democracy Fellowship

Digital Democracy Guide and Sourcebook

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DIGITAL DEMOCRACY GUIDE AND SOURCEBOOK.

Applications, CVs, References and sample work should be submitted on or before 19^th April 2024 by 5:00 pm

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DIGITAL DEMOCRACY GUIDE AND SOURCEBOOK.

Background

The Constitution and Reform Education Consortium (CRECO) is a consortium of 22 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) founded in 1998, working on Democracy, governance, legal, and human rights issues in Kenya. Since its inception, CRECO has provided non-partisan leadership in the democratization process in Kenya through programs in areas of Democracy, Citizen Participation and Demand; and Governance Sector CSOs’ Coordination and Strengthening. We are a registered as a Charitable Trust with the Government of Kenya.
CRECO is undertaking a project dubbed, Vijana Tuchanuke-Youth Let’s Wise Up. The project is expected to achieve the following outcomes:

Empowered youth who are able to identify and counter mis/disinformation and fake news
Enhanced linkages between civil society, media, government and colleges/universities in developing digital media literacy skills for the youth.

Context

Digital democracy is a much discussed but rather fuzzy concept that still lacks a clear definition. We propose understanding digital democracy as a concept that links practices and institutions of collective political self-determination with its mediating digital infrastructures. Digital democracy has both an analytical and a normative dimension. As an analytical lens, digital democracy investigates how the use of digital technologies may influence the conditions, institutions and practices of political engagement and democratic governance. As a normative concept, it enables us to think about democracy as an open, alterable form of political organisation that is always in the making. Its dynamics are on the one hand due to conflicting principles, interpretations, and aspirations endemic to the democratic idea, like freedom, equality, or popular sovereignty. On the other hand, these dynamics also reflect a changing media landscape, which brings about new possibilities of imagining, realising, and practicing political self-determination. Therefore, digital democracy should neither be seen as a utopian model of an imminent future nor as a mere disintermediation of the existing democratic institutions. Instead of relying on monocausal, linear explanations, we suggest studying digital democracy as a contingent, open-ended phenomenon that interconnects two evolving areas, that of democratic self-government and that of digital infrastructures[1]. Also, interrogate challenges of mis/disinformation to digital democracy in Kenya.

Scope of Work

To build skills among the youth, CRECO will conduct a Digital Democracy Fellowship among young professionals as a way to promote engagement, education, and activism in the field of digital democracy.

This will involve conducting training sessions and workshops for selected youth through a dedicated digital democracy guide and sourcebook.

The Consultant will develop a digital democracy guide and sourcebook for use in trainings and workshops to equip passionate young ambassadors on digital democracy.

The Consultant is expected to conduct research or gather intriguing perspectives on the following topics:

-About digital democracy in Kenya

-Designing a digital citizen participation process

-Using democratic technology to promote pro-people governance

-Mis/Disinformation challenge to digital democracy

-Digital security, fact checking and debunking fake news

Deliverables

The digital democracy guide and sourcebook will comprise:

1. A detailed literature review summary report for above mentioned topics, summarizing findings, insights, and recommendations

2.Clear explanations of key concepts related to data privacy, digital security, fact-checking, debunking fake news, and online activism.

3.Practical tips, guidelines, and best practices for individuals to protect their online privacy and security while verifying information online and debunking mis/disinformation.

4.Strategies Case studies, real-world examples, and success stories illustrating effective practices and strategies.

5.Present practical tools to support implementation of the concepts discussed in the guide.

6.Annotated lists of recommended readings, websites, tools, and other resources for further exploration of each topic.

7.Make presentation of the draft to CRECO stakeholders for feedback and input.

Approval Process

The Consultant will provide a draft of the detailed guide and sourcebook for each topic, summarizing findings, insights, and recommendations.

A review and approval will be done by CRECO’s project lead and incorporate feedback and revisions as necessary to finalize deliverables.

Duration of Assignment

The initial draft guide and sourcebook will be submitted to CRECO’s project team within 21 days and reviewed within 3 days for feedback. This will allow for the incorporation of feedback from stakeholders.

Required Competencies/Skills

The Consultant should have:

Subject Matter Expertise: A deep understanding of the digital democracy topics being covered, including current issues, trends, best practices, and relevant research.
Research Skills: Ability to conduct thorough research using a variety of credible sources, analyze complex information, and synthesize findings into clear and concise summaries.

Content Development: Proficiency in developing engaging and easy-to-understand training content.

Communication Skills: Excellent written communication skills to convey complex concepts in an understandable and engaging manner.
Instructional Design: Knowledge of instructional design principles and strategies for creating effective learning experiences, including interactive exercises, and assessments.

8.0 Application Requirements

The Application document should comprise of the following:

Full contact details;
Consultancy firm or individual profile;
Relevant experience and technical capacity;
Staff experience (education and relevant work) and availability;
Up to date registration certificate for firms and curriculum vitae for individuals;
References of past or current clients;
Organization capacity assessment (OCA) result if there is any for firms or completion certificate/letter from past assignments for individuals; and
Assignment work and financial plan.

CRECO will treat all information (or that marked proprietary/sensitive/financial) received from Applicants as confidential and any personal data in accordance with its Data Protection Principles.

See ToR

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR DESIGNING VISUAL ILLUSTRATIONS

1. Background

2. Objectives

The visual illustrations are meant to compliment efforts to:

(i) Enhance the youth’s capacity in countering disinformation and misinformation

(ii) Develop digital literacy skills

(iii) Conduct awareness raising campaigns on digital media and disinformation within online communities

(iv)Transfer skills and knowledge to youth on fact checking and how to counter mis/disinformation

3. Scope of Work

The Visual Artist will generate 12 contextualized creative visual illustrations on the impact of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news on society, particularly targeting youth on the balance between media freedom of expression and civic responsibility. Each illustration shall be delivered in digital formats.

4. Specifications

The visual illustrations shall depict various scenarios where misinformation spreads, the consequences of believing and spreading fake news, and the importance of critical thinking and fact-checking in media consumption.

5.Artistic Style

Employ a visually engaging style that appeals to youth, incorporating bold colours, expressive characters, and clear storytelling to effectively convey complex concepts surrounding misinformation and fake news.

6.Customization Requirements

The illustrations shall feature diverse characters from different backgrounds and demographics, reflecting the audience's diversity, and engaging in relatable situations that highlight the challenges of discerning truth from falsehoods in the media.

7. Consumers of illustration messages

CRECO targets the general public from diverse regions: Civil society, college and university students, media and state agencies.

8. Duration of Assignment

Initial sketches to be provided within 12 days, with finalized artwork due within 30 days from the start of the assignment, allowing for revisions and feedback.

9. Required Competencies/Skills

The Artist should have:

1. A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a diverse range of high-quality artwork demonstrating skill, creativity and consistency;

2. Proficiency in creating memorable and expressive visual characters with distinctive personalities, features, and gestures;

3. Proven talent for infusing illustrations with wit, humour, satire, and irony to entertain, provoke thought, and engage viewers on a variety of topics and themes;

4. Ability to convey compelling stories in every illustration, while maintaining simplicity; and

5. Willingness to receive feedback and incorporate revisions or suggestions from CRECO to refine and improve the quality of the illustrations while staying true to the project's objectives.

Attach the required documents through the form below.

Consultancy 2024

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Applications, CVs, References and sample work should be submitted on or before 12^th April 2024 by 5:00 pm

See ToR

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR DESIGNING VISUAL ILLUSTRATIONS

1. Background

2. Objectives

The visual illustrations are meant to compliment efforts to:

(i) Enhance the youth’s capacity in countering disinformation and misinformation

(ii) Develop digital literacy skills

(iii) Conduct awareness raising campaigns on digital media and disinformation within online communities

(iv)Transfer skills and knowledge to youth on fact checking and how to counter mis/disinformation

3. Scope of Work

4. Specifications

5.Artistic Style

6.Customization Requirements

7. Consumers of illustration messages

CRECO targets the general public from diverse regions: Civil society, college and university students, media and state agencies.

8. Duration of Assignment

Initial sketches to be provided within 12 days, with finalized artwork due within 30 days from the start of the assignment, allowing for revisions and feedback.

9. Required Competencies/Skills

The Artist should have:

1. A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a diverse range of high-quality artwork demonstrating skill, creativity and consistency;

2. Proficiency in creating memorable and expressive visual characters with distinctive personalities, features, and gestures;

3. Proven talent for infusing illustrations with wit, humour, satire, and irony to entertain, provoke thought, and engage viewers on a variety of topics and themes;

4. Ability to convey compelling stories in every illustration, while maintaining simplicity; and

5. Willingness to receive feedback and incorporate revisions or suggestions from CRECO to refine and improve the quality of the illustrations while staying true to the project's objectives.

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FOR THE DIGITAL DEMOCRACY FACILITATORS

Applications, CVs, References and sample work should be submitted on or before 10^th May 2024 by 5:00 pm

See ToR

CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

FACILITATORS FOR THE DIGITAL DEMOCRACY FELLOWSHIP

1.0 Introduction

In today’s digital age, the young persons are more geographically mobile and technologically connected than any previous generation. Born in the 1980s and the 1990s, generations Y and Z (the millennials) are more likely to interact and get their news alerts on and from on-line platforms that they tend to find credible and believable. This is not often the case. A thriving false content supply and demand chain has a ready, reliable market for gullible consumers mostly among the youth willing to believe anything that is readable, laughable, looks dependable and sounds plausible. Studies published in the Science (2018) reveal that fake news spreads "farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth."^[1]

CRECO believes, IF young persons gain knowledge and skills to identify and discern mis/disinformation, and increase their public outreach, THEN they will more easily recognize false or manipulative information and have a greater sense of control over how they respond to information they consume. This is in itself liberating.

Through partnership with the Embassy of Finland in Kenya, the project Vijana Tuchanuke 2024 (young people, let’s wise up) builds on the experiences and vital lessons learnt by CRECO during Kenya’s 2022 election season. In partnerships with key community informants, the media and peer civil society networks, we did document and shared several instances of misuse and abuse of digital platforms by persons leveraging on anonymity to promote hate speech, misinformation and disinformation – teams flagged out as fake a number of false messages. In our findings, social media platforms such as Instagram, You-tube, Tik-Tok, X, Facebook and WhatsApp (to name a few) disseminated lots and loads of misinformation and fake news that did hijack political discourse and disproportionately affected public participation especially by women and the youth.

2.0 Context

CRECO Kenya will invite applications from college/university students, young digital journalists, content creators, activists and human rights defenders in the 47 Counties of Kenya for an inaugural Digital Democracy Fellowship Program running from July-December 2024 that will involve training, mentorship, and co-production of communication outputs based on fake news and mis/disinformation.

CRECO Kenya will facilitate the first Digital Democracy Fellowship among young professionals as a way to promote engagement, education, and activism in the field of digital democracy through a dedicated digital democracy guide and sourcebook. We will establish a rigorous application process that includes motivation letters, interviews, and references to select dedicated and passionate young ambassadors of digital democracy. This fellowship programs involves training, mentorship, society readings and support fellows to conduct community outreach program where fellows will engage young persons in or out of school on digital democracy issues, including the importance of media literacy, digital security and online civic engagement.

This program seeks to facilitate collaboration between college/university students, journalists, content creators and activists on topics such as data privacy, digital security, fact-checking, debunking fake news and online activism. The digital democracy resource persons will conduct a weekly online session for one week in six months while also leveraging the expertise of young professionals. A performance evaluation system shall assess the impact of the fellowship program and identify areas for improvement, recognize and celebrate the achievements of fellows through award of completion certificates during a national stakeholders’ symposium dubbed “The Youth Factor in Digital Democracy in Kenya”.

CRECO Kenya will target dedicated and passionate young ambassadors of digital democracy between age18-35 years, in college, university or working for civil society organization or media in any of the 47 Counties of Kenya to join the six-month fellowship. A total of 50 young professionals interested in promoting online hygiene will be selected to join the program. A gender ratio of 50:50 and an affirmation action will be applied to have at least 5 PWDs recommended by the United Disabled Persons of Kenya (UDPK) join the fellowship running from July 2024 to December 2024.

3.0 Main Objective

The main objective of the Facilitator’s task is to consolidate a training Guide using the CRECO Digital Democracy Guide and Sourcebook that will be used to conduct virtual trainings for the 50 selected youthful fellows from colleges/universities, media, civil society and community-based organizations in the 47 counties to be able to engage and use the internet as a tool for democratic debates and responsible action.

3.1 The Consultant’s scope of services includes;

Provide CRECO with a proposal/offer for development of the Facilitator’s Training Guide using the CRECO Digital Democracy Guide and Sourcebook. Proposed topics to be included are listed below but the consultant has the opportunity to propose some additional sub-topics. The topics include:

Digital democracy
Opportunities for young people and the digital space for sustainable democracy in Kenya
Social media and online hygiene
Data privacy/protection, digital security, fact-checking, debunking fake news and responsible online activism
Legal framework for tackling fake news, mis/disinformation

Develop a Guide that will be used for the virtual trainings of the digital democracy fellows. The content should be summarized and precise with a short digital explainer that includes: Estimated time of the session, session expectations, ice breaker introductions and method of evaluation for session and relevant additional information.
The Guide should be an interactive and participatory one including live links with explanatory/relevant videos where necessary followed up with discussions through stories, blogs, press releases, videos, mobile journalism videos, podcasts, X threads, Instagram posters, Facebook posts, Social media reels, action photos, LinkedIn videos, Tiktok videos, Webinars, Visual Illustrations etc.
It should include more innovative examples relevant to the digital democracy context and practical exercises (individual or group) where necessary and apply more of youth learning methodology.

The Facilitator should have in mind that the Guide will be used to conduct virtual trainings through Microsoft Teams platform thus the content should be user friendly and well structured.

3.2 Key deliverables

The Facilitator will be expected to produce well-researched content in form of a Facilitator’s Guide using CRECO Digital Democracy Guide and Sourcebook roughly (10 - 15 pages or less) incorporating use of relevant examples and short group exercises and discussion points/ questions where possible;
The content of the Facilitator’s Guide should have short and precise information of the proposed topics mentioned in the Guide and Sourcebook;
The Facilitator’s Guide should be an interactive one with live links that have explanatory/relevant videos for some of the relevant topics to be covered. Explanatory/relevant videos clips should also be provided as well to accompany the Facilitator’s Guide. A few copies of the Guide will be printed as hard copies and as well have an interact able soft copy version of the same;
Using CRECO’s criteria assist in the selections and facilitation of the six-month fellowship online workshops and training sessions on topics such as data privacy, digital security, fact-checking, debunking fake news and online activism;
Supervise fellows participating in community outreach activities where fellows will engage young persons in or out of school on digital democracy issues, including the importance of media literacy, digital security and online civic engagement; and
Participate in the National Stakeholders Symposium dubbed “The Youth Factor in Digital Democracy in Kenya” with fellows to be awarded certificates of completion.

4.0 Supervision

The Digital Democracy Fellowship Facilitator(s) will be required to make a presentation of draft outline shows the approach in facilitating the six-month online workshop sessions and evaluation of the fellows, how virtual trainings will run as well as the incorporation of the explanatory videos where necessary and specific work plan. CRECO Kenya will solely supervise this process to ensure quality and purpose.

5.0 Duration of the Assignment

The CRECO Kenya digital democracy resource persons will conduct a weekly online session for one week in six months.

6.0 Payment Terms for the Consultancy

The consultant’s fee will be paid in three instalments of 20% at the inception stage, that is after submitting the inception work plan and signing of contract and the second installment of 40% after 3^rd month of the fellowship and last balance 40% after submission of the final draft of the facilitators fellowship training report only if it meets CRECO Kenya expectations as stipulated in the Contract of Agreement and Terms of Reference.

7.0 Proposal Submission

The consultant interested in this assignment should submit the following:

Technical proposal about 3 – 5 pages outlining the following;

A draft outline which shows the approach in facilitating the online workshop sessions and evaluation of the fellows;
The draft outline should entail your understanding of how virtual trainings will run as well as the incorporation of the explanatory videos where necessary. Note that the consultant should provide us with a framework of how the short videos clips (2 - 5 mins) will be done as well as the cost implications;
Specific facilitation approach and work plan;
Consultants CV or consultants team list (name/position within the team/qualification/task for each member/number of working days and CVs for each one of them which covers his/her experience and track records in similar undertakings (This can be annexed); and
Financial proposal – a finance budget estimates to deliver the deliverables submitted with an itemized breakdown of professional fees.

Qualifications

This TOR is open for anyone with a background in Social Sciences, Law or Mass Communication. A degree in Political Science and experience in youth and governance and digital democracy will be an added advantage.

Please send your Expression of Interest, CV which covers your experience, together with your budget proposal by 10^th May 2024

[1] Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Attach the required documents through the form below.

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Faciltators- Digital Democracy Fellowship

Digital Democracy Guide and Sourcebook

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DIGITAL DEMOCRACY GUIDE AND SOURCEBOOK.

Attach the required documents through the form below.

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FOR THE DIGITAL DEMOCRACY FACILITATORS

Attach the required documents through the form below.

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