Introduction

UNESCO is now calling for proposals from youth regarding Youth As Researchers (YAR) global research initiative.

The Youth As Researchers (YAR) is a global youth-led research initiative on COVID-19 that connects and engages with young people all over the world to conduct research on the impacts of COVID-19 on youth and the responses young people have embraced to confront these.

Moreover, UNESCO and the UNESCO Chairs at the National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) and Penn State University (PSU) lead a consortium of youth-led or youth-focused actors to support the research through training, mentoring, and coordination.

Details

Deadline: 12 July 2020

Organizing institutions: UNESCO, NUIG, and PSU

Scope: Global

Project type: Voluntary and Unremunerated

Research Focus Areas: Youth and COVID-19

Benefits

Participating researchers will receive training, certificates, and be part of publishing the research findings.

Research themes

There are five themes to define the overall scope of studies with regard to COVID-19 Impact on Youth:

• Well-Being
• Learning
• Use of Technology
• Human Rights
• Youth Action

Likewise, a global survey was conducted to identify, within this framework, the core issues of concern for young people, which will inform the focus of upcoming researches.

Youth involvement in the research

Young people can be involved in a number of ways:

• The project team consists of young people from NUIG, PSU, UNESCO and its partners including five young people who are part of the Steering Committee
• Research teams of youth will work together to design and carry out the research
• Other young people will be research contributors, responding to surveys, partaking in interviews and focus groups
• Youth will also be able to be reviewers of the research, an important step before the publication of the results
• And lastly, young people will be included in the evaluation at the conclusion of the project
• You don’t need previous research experience because training to conduct the research will be provided.

In addition, UNESCO will provide on-going assistance to help the applicants work through each phase of the research process from design to publishing results, including how to cope with problems, barriers, and anything else that emerges.

Eligibility

UNESCO is seeking applications from young people who wish to be part of research teams and fulfill the following criteria:

• 18-35 years of age
• Interested in learning about and undertaking research, previous research experience is not a requirement but is an addition
• Have access to internet
• Willing to devote up to 10 hours/week from July to October (tentative)
• Have enthusiasm in development issues
• Be able to work efficiently in English or French

Evaluation procedure

• A panel of the partners and youth will evaluate the applications and recommend the research teams. It is worth noting that the organizers will make every effort to match you into a team, but spaces will still be limited.

How to apply?

If you are interested and eligible, please complete and submit the online application or send the completed form to the given email address.

Submission email: yar@unesco.org

For more information about the initiative, please read on its website.