DREEM Youth Advisory Committee

Terms of Reference: DREEM Youth Advisory Committee

Background

Mastercard Foundation is on a journey to include refugee and displaced youth in their initiatives and the programming they support. The Foundation is supporting programming that strengthens the resilience of refugees and displaced young people, their host communities, and the institutions which support them in their educational journey and transition to work. This contributes to the Foundationâs Young Africa Works Strategy and the refugee inclusion commitments made at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum.

As part of these efforts, since 2020, the Foundation has collaborated with WUSC to fulfill its commitment to meaningfully include refugee and displaced young people across the Foundationâs work. The DREEM project is a five-year project that works towards greater inclusion of refugees and displaced young people across the Foundationâs programming, particularly the Scholars Program and Young Africa Works strategy.

An Advisory Committee composed of individuals with lived experiences was formed to advise and provide guidance to WUSC, Mastercard Foundation, their stakeholders, and program partners in order to meet the Foundationâs objectives and ensure that DREEM activities are designed and delivered to meet the needs of refugees and displaced young people.

The Youth Advisory Committee provides support and guidance to WUSC and the Foundation on the DREEM project, namely:

Higher Education Inclusion: The inclusion of refugee and displaced youth in the Mastercard Foundationâs Scholars Program; Economic Inclusion: Refugee and Displaced Personsâ inclusion in economic opportunities that are dignified and fulfilling and Strengthening Economic Opportunities for Refugees (SEOR) by implementing pilots to provide innovative funding and grants to refugee and host community-owned businesses. Thought Leadership: Strategic research to advance policy objectives and systems change related to refugee and displaced youth education and employment â at national and sub-national levels.

As the Foundation works to implement its strategy for refugee and displaced young people, the DREEM project and Youth Advisory Committee ensure that the Foundationâs work is informed by and continues to reflect the unique perspectives of displaced and refugee youth.

Purpose and Key Functions

The Youth Advisory Committeeâs mission is to ensure that the perspectives, experiences, needs, aspirations, and guidance of refugees, displaced youth, and host community members are included in the design, development, delivery, and evaluation of activities undertaken by DREEM, the Foundation and its partners. The Youth Advisory Committee has the following responsibilities:

Providing overall strategic guidance to ensure project alignment with the refugee framework, Foundation objectives, and expected outcomes as they relate to the inclusion of refugee and displaced young people, as well as host community members; Advising and providing feedback on the design and implementation of initiatives and broader system change to ensure that they are informed by and reflect the perspectives and experiences of refugees and displaced young people and host communities in the country; Providing recommendations on the content and delivery of training and workshops, as well as taking a leadership role in the development of refugee-led events supported by DREEM; Attending events and occasionally participating as guest speakers/facilitators; Supporting information dissemination and establishing connections and opportunities with other existing networks of refugee and displaced youth.

Refugee Advisory Team members can expect:

To receive complete, accurate, and relevant information in a timely manner; To be given adequate time to make important decisions; Feedback and open and honest discussions; Commitment to incorporating feedback into the design and implementation of initiatives (within the limitations of project scope); Opportunities for professional development in project-identified areas of interest.

Composition:

The Youth Advisory Committeeâs membership is determined in an open and transparent process; WUSC makes its selection based on the qualifications and backgrounds of the nominees; The Youth Advisory Committee should be composed of up to 20 people with diverse perspectives and backgrounds, with at least 50% of the Team made up of young women and people with disabilities; Considerations include but are not limited to: â GenderCountry of originCountry of asylumCurrent geographic location Areas of expertise and experience People appointed to the Youth Advisory Committee must meet the following requirements:Have lived experience in Africa as a forcibly displaced person or member of the host community;Must be between the ages of 18 and 35;Must be able to demonstrate relevant experience or knowledge, abilities, and skills related to the advisory bodyâs mandate; A proven track record of personal and professional conduct.

Administration:

WUSC, together with the YAC coordinators will be in charge of convening the Youth Advisory Committee and working with members to facilitate participatory processes. The Youth Advisory Committee will report to the WUSC DREEM Deputy Project Director and Project Director, and will provide advice to the Foundation and its partners on the implementation of the refugee and displaced populations strategy. The YAC will be in charge of creating an agenda and taking minutes at each meeting. All YAC documents will be kept in a shared space for each member to access as needed. WUSCâs Code of Conduct will be trained to team members, and they will be expected to comply with it. WUSC and Mastercard Foundation have the right to dissolve the Committee or remove and reappoint members as needed.

Term and Commitment:

The membership term will conclude by December 31 2025. The YAC members will be expected to attend at least six regular meetings per year, including one to two in-person meetings that may necessitate travel. The time commitment will vary depending on the team member, but YAC Members will be asked to contribute an average of 10-15 hours per month, depending on the events planned. Members may be asked to review publications and other documents developed throughout the project, as well as to participate in additional Foundation working sessions throughout the year.

Remuneration, costs and conduct:

Membership is entirely voluntary; Members will receive a modest honorarium in recognition of their contributions to the DREEM projectâs strategy, work plans, research, policy, and communications products, and convenings; Members will receive a telecommunications stipend to allow them to join virtual meetings; Travel and lodging expenses incurred as a result of participation in meetings and/or project activities will be reimbursed; Members will be expected to sign and adhere to the WUSC Code of Conduct and conduct themselves professionally, otherwise they may be asked to withdraw from the committee; During their term, members will be given opportunities for professional development and access to the Youth Advisory Committee Fund for community initiatives, projects, and events.

Key competencies:

Ability to provide critical, constructive feedback and advice; Capability to work in a team environment; A strong desire to give back to their communities; Commitment to youth leadership; Demonstrated leadership in their communities.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their CVs and letters of interest by November 14th, 2023. In your letter of interest, please describe yourself, including your motivation to be a part of the committee, your leadership activities, what contributions you will bring to the committee, and your aspirations for the future.

For any questions, please contact