The “United Voices in Action” program, implemented by IREX in Ukraine with support from the U.S. State Department, is working to strengthen stabilization in Ukraine by promoting the integration of civil society organizations and increasing community cohesion. As part of this program, a game for children ages 10-14 will be created with the aim of developing critical thinking and information resilience skills in children, as well as training game facilitators who can later pass on these skills to teenagers for further game sessions. 

To achieve this, VIA is announcing a competition for procurement of consultant services to perform the following tasks: 

• Development of a game for children and teenagers in the form of a quest and a board game. Development will include tasks aimed at developing children’s media literacy; instructions for hosts and players; methodologies for conducting and training facilitators and other necessary game elements. Copyrights for the developed materials will remain with IREX. 
• Adaptation of the game to an online format. 
• Conducting an online training for game facilitators (mentors of children’s teams) who will subsequently conduct the game for teams of children offline in targeted communities. 
• Close communication with the IREX team (email, online meetings). 
• Preparation of reports in accordance with instructions provided by IREX. 

Requirements for candidates: 

1. Significant experience promoting media literacy among children and youth. 
2. Experience in developing educational programs for children and teenagers to develop critical thinking and information resilience skills using gamification tools. 
3. Understanding of the needs, interests, and psychological characteristics of children aged 10-14. 
4. Understanding of the Do No Harm approach, gender equality principles, social inclusion concepts (working with people of different backgrounds, ages, gender, religious beliefs, place of residence, and disabilities, as well as civil society organizations and others), and their application in the development of materials and training sessions. 
5. Responsibility and the ability to meet deadlines are important qualities for this job. Flexibility and adaptability in work are also valued. 

The estimated timeline for game development work is March-May 2023, and the Training of Trainers is planned for June 2023. 

To participate in the competition, applicants must provide a resume that includes their hourly rate in USD, a list of at least three contacts who can provide recommendations, diplomas and certificates to prove qualifications, and registration documents proving the right to conduct business activities. 

The deadline for submitting resumes and other documents is March 23, 2023, and they should be sent to tender-ua@irex.org with the subject line “Expert/Media Literacy Specialist for Children’s Game Development.” 

The competition will take place in two stages. The first stage is an evaluation of resumes and other submitted documents. The second stage is interviews with candidates invited based on the results of the first stage, as well as the verification of recommendations.