1. Background
Climate change (CC) is one of the greatest threats facing humanity, and a defining issue of our time. Children and youth are at the receiving end of climate change. It is reported that since 1960, temperatures in Tanzania have increased by 1 degree centigrade, and are projected to increase by 2.7 degrees centigrade by 2060. An estimated 65% of the population in Tanzania is under the age of 25, many of whom will experience climate change related threats to their development, and access to education and health-care.
The national climate change strategy of Tanzania calls for greater public climate change awareness and participation. Y-Engage supports this agenda and aims to generate evidence about how best to engage young people in the climate change response, which is key to accelerating a number of sustainable development goals (SDGs 2030), including goals 1.5, 2.4, 11, 13, and 13.3. The global momentum for climate change is getting stronger, and young people are playing a critical role in building heightened awareness.
While such activism should be applauded, there are calls for research into how young people all over the world are taking up climate crisis action and the response to the impacts of climate change.
The Y-ENGAGE project is a 5 years research project that will be implemented through a DANIDA funded multi stakeholder initiative, coordinated at the University of Copenhagen – Denmark, in partnership with the University of Dar es Salaam, Ardhi University, and Tanzania Youth Coalition (TYC) – a youth led organization.
2. Objective
Y-ENGAGE aims to advance and diversify the understandings of young people’s climate change awareness, agency and action. It involves young people in Tanzania in the study of how patterns of daily life shape their climate change engagement. The research will:
A. Explore how young people in Tanzania experience, interpret and respond to environmental concerns
B. Examine the opportunities and challenges of an innovative participatory research design for investigating and instigating young people’s climate change engagement
C. Make available empirically generated theories and models for research, policy and practice on how to engage young people in climate change response that are locally relevant and empowering
D. Form an East African ‘Young people in climate change studies’ research lab for research capacity building, communication and uptake
Y-ENGAGE has mobilized an experienced multi-disciplinary team of researchers and advocates using innovative methods to achieve these groundbreaking objectives. The projects’ explicit goal is to develop evidence around how we study, understand and promote young people’s engagement in climate change in the context of sub-Sahara Africa.
Y-ENGAGE is a participatory research project with and about young people. The project is therefore looking to actively involve a group of young people in the research process. These young people are referred to as peer researchers.
3. Scope of Work
What is a peer researcher?
A peer researcher uses their lived experience and contextual understanding of a social or geographical community to help generate information about their peers (other young people) for research purposes.
They may be involved in assisting with research design, developing research tools, collecting and analysing data or writing up and disseminating findings.
The research will be limited to five specific areas in Tanzania: Singida, Rufiji, Ikungi, Mtwara and Dar es Salaam. The project is seeking peer researchers from these five target areas only. The research project seeks
10 peer researchers (2 for each mentioned district) between the ages of 18 -24.
The peer researcher will be contracted to:
3.1. Support the individual PhD candidates and assist the study process of the Photovoice methodology attune to the local settings
3.2. Engage with young people and supervise the activities of the young people at local schools in the target areas to generate data that will support the research project
3.3. Formulate, co-create and evaluate the data using the Photovoice methodology
3.4. Take the lead in developing Story maps, for communication of insights, that will be initiated by the school pupils in the target areas
3.5. Be involved in the thematic analysis of the data
3.6. Document their experiences through various methods such as video testimonials, voice recordings, or through recorded dialogues with PhD candidates
3.7. Engage local partner organizations and community leaders
3.8. In collaboration with the PhD candidates- continuously write and record documentation of the empirical and methodological process
3.9. Travel between the urban and rural areas of the district to conduct Photovoice studiesin collaboration with PhD candidates
4. Expected Deliverables
The peer researchers will submit the following as outputs:
4.1. Documentation and report of activities highlighting progress
4.2. Evidence of regular individual dialogues with participating pupils about their photos
4.3. Deliver relevantly themed photos to support the Photovoice methodology of data collection with written documentation attached
4.4. Present a working schedule showing interaction with teachers, parents, and pupils of the school and district
4.5. Be visibly active in WhatsApp groups of the respective districts with sharing of photos and comments on photos that are uploaded
To complete the deliverables above, the peer researchers will be expected to:
- Have a awareness of climate change
- Have a desire to do something about climate change
- Have experience of working with young people or other community members for a cause
- Hold at least a BSc or MSc in the area of social sciences. Experience in climate change studies will be an
added advantage - Dedicate time and commitment to the project
- Have a willingness to spend time in the field during data collection
- Have the willingness to attend ethical and methodological training prior to generating data.
Young People’s Climate Change Engagement in Tanzania (Y-ENGAGE) welcome young people to the Applications for Peer Researchers. For more details please download PDF file below to read more and application mode
