The USAID/Eastern & Southern Caribbean Youth Resilience, Inclusion and Empowerment Activity (Y-RIE) engages and empowers youth and other key partners to improve youth, family, and community resilience to crime and violence. Y-RIE is a five-year activity being implemented in Saint Lucia, Guyana, Grenada, and Trinidad and Tobago by DAI Global. Y-RIE has the following four objectives:
Objective 1: Government-provided social services strengthened.
Objective 2: Learning outcomes among focus youth improved.
Objective 3: Focus youth preparedness to enter the workforce.
Objective 4: Community and family systems strengthened.
In Guyana, Y-RIE’s main partner ministries are the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS), the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Y-RIE’s interventions will support youth between the ages of 10-29. Special focus is given to youth within this age cohort in the communities of New Amsterdam (Mount Sinai, Symthfield, Buddan Scheme, Little Caracas, Tucber), Sophia (Fields C, D & E) and Albouystown/Werk-en-Rust (including Charlestown).
The Activity Content Creator (ACC) will play a pivotal role in documenting and elevating the Family Forward program's journey across diverse media platforms. This position is designed for a creative storyteller who is passionate about capturing and showcasing the powerful impact of our initiatives on parent engagement and their families. The ACC will develop compelling visual content—through photography, videography, and interviews—that highlights the program’s training sessions, community outreach efforts, and feedback engagements. By effectively portraying success stories and testimonials, the ACC will enhance the program’s visibility and foster deeper engagement within the community and on social media. The ACC will also design content to amplify key messages, to be shared across Ministry of Education platforms as well as those run by schools, and with a youth/parent audience.
In collaboration with the Training Consultant (TC) and the Community Parent Engagement Coordinator (CPEC), the ACC will create a narrative that not only informs but also inspires action and participation among stakeholders. This role requires an understanding of the social media landscape and a strategic approach to content creation that resonates with our audience, ultimately contributing to positive youth development, parent engagement, and academic success for at-risk students. Through their work, the ACC will help build a stronger community connection and amplify the transformative effects of the Family Forward program.
The activity seeks to strengthen community and family systems by enabling family access to risk-informed interventions and improving the capacity of focus organizations to provide risk-informed services. This robust risk reduction program brings together the school community and the family of at-risk youth in Guyana to address issues of increasing school commitment and engagement for students displaying behaviors inimical to academic success and school completion. Parental neglect and lack of involvement in the educational journey of the student, poor academic achievement, poor attendance, and truancy are often associated with students involved in delinquent behavior, including crime and violence. To address this, Y-RIE will hire a consultant to deliver training to the Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), Guidance and Counselling Officers (GCOs), and select parents using the Youth Connection curriculum to enhance their skills in positive youth development, risk reduction strategies, and trauma-informed approaches. The activity will be implemented by Y-RIE in partnership with the Ministry of Education through the National PTA and targets:
· Headteachers and PTA representatives from fourteen (14) schools that service Y-RIE focus communities: Charlestown, New Campbellville, St Winifred, Lodge, Carmel, Dolphin, New Central, Berbice Educational Institute and Vryman’s Ervin, St Stephens, St, Pius X, Smith’s Memorial and Sophia Primary)
· Representatives of the Regional PTAs of East and South Georgetown and New Amsterdam
· Guidance and Counselling Officers of each of these schools
The training will bring together key players in the school and home environments for collaboration to create supportive environments that promote emotional well-being and academic success for students. In addition to the Youth Connections training to be provided and to reinforce additional support for parents, Y-RIE will establish a parent outreach and mentorship program (Parent Friend) that will foster parent-to-parent relationships that can be leveraged to provide parents of children displaying delinquent behaviors with the relevant tools and resources they need to thrive and support their children’s development. Parent Friend will pair 45 parents of students at risk of school expulsion with fifteen (15) supportive parents to create a network that promotes positive parental supervision, improved educational outcomes, improved discipline and stronger school engagement. The Parent Friend program will ensure that the school community enhances its ability to respond to the needs of the family thereby building school and family protective factors with the ultimate goal of fostering healthy, resilient young people.
The ACC will play a pivotal role in documenting and disseminating the journey of the Family Forward program across various media platforms. This consultancy aims to actively engage parents and schools by producing compelling visual content highlighting the program's progress, successes, and overall impact on the community. By capturing key moments from training sessions, outreach activities, feedback forums, and community engagement events, the ACC will significantly enhance the program's visibility and promote online interactions. This position is tailored for a creative storyteller with a deep passion for illustrating the transformative effects of parental engagement on families and their communities, including educational institutions.
The ACC will report to Y-RIE’s Strategic Communication Specialist, in close co-ordination with the Social Services Advisor. The ACC is expected to collaborate closely with the TC and CPEC. Furthermore, Y-RIE’s Program Implementation Specialist will manage all logistical and financial aspects related to the activity, and the Consultants must work in close coordination with them throughout the consultancy period
Education: Secondary education completion; further training in digital media, content creation, or related fields is a plus.
Experience:
- Minimum of 2 year of evidenced experience in social media content creation, digital storytelling, or videography.
- Prior experience in working with community-based programs, especially with youth-focused initiatives, is an asset but not required.
Competencies:
- Proficiency in using social media platforms (e.g. Instagram, Facebook) and basic photo and video editing software.
- Strong and evidenced storytelling abilities and creativity in capturing and showcasing moments.
- Excellent communication and engagement skills, especially with youth audiences.
- Knowledge of digital marketing strategies for building engagement and visibility.
- Perseverance and ability to build good relations with prospects and clients
Other:
- Preference for candidates residing within or near Y-RIE focus communities.
- Ability to travel within program areas as needed to capture content. Areas include the participating schools and Y-RIE’s -- office in Campbellville and the focus communities of Sophia (C, D, and E Fields), Werk-En-Rust and Albouystown (including Charlestown), and New Amsterdam (Smythfield, Mount Sinai, Little Caracas, Tucber Park, Winkel, Budhan Scheme), as necessary.
- Must possess empathy, reliability, and a proactive approach to community storytelling.
Computer skills: Ability to work with Microsoft Office Suite – Excel/Word/PowerPoint, Google Doc
a) Tasks
Task 1: Onboarding
1.1 Attend an orientation meeting with the Family Forward team to gain a comprehensive understanding of the activity background and the coordination between the TC and the CPEC.
1.2 Participate in briefing sessions with the Y-RIE Communications lead to familiarize yourself with USAID/DAI communications, branding, and marking requirements.
1.3 Draft a plan for approval by Y-RIE Communications Specialist and Social Service Advisor that includes agreed number of outputs and their format, posting schedules/frequency, travel plans as aligned with key grant activities, key messages and stories to be created and disseminated, reviewing schedule and drafting process.
Task 2: Content Creation and Engagement
2.1 Attend Family Forward activities to capture high-quality photos and videos that highlight key moments and interactions.
2.2 Create engaging visual and written content (photos, reels/videos, captions) tailored for social media platforms to showcase the program’s journey and participant stories effectively.
2.3 Collaborate closely with the Family Forward team to identify and develop impactful stories and achievements that resonate with the program's mission and objectives, incorporating participant testimonials when possible.
Task 3: Social Media Message Dissemination
3.1 Work alongside the Y-RIE and its activity partners, including the Ministry of Education, to strategically share content across their social media channels, including via WhatsApp, ensuring cohesive messaging.
3.2 Implement innovative strategies, such as leveraging trending hashtags, developing interactive posts, and utilizing various digital engagement tools to enhance program visibility and audience interaction.
Task 4: Reporting and Coordination
4.1 In co-ordination with respective organizational page admin, monitor online engagement metrics where accessible and provide regular updates and comprehensive reports on content creation activities, including engagement metrics, and curation of content captured to the Y-RIE Strategic Communication Specialist.
4.2 Attend bi-weekly progress meetings to present content performance data, gather constructive feedback, and align on future activities and objectives.
4.3 Ensure strict compliance with all USAID and Y-RIE communication guidelines, prioritizing the safeguarding of participants' privacy and the protection of program stakeholders’ information.
Task 5: Submission: Final Portfolio Preparation
5.1 Compile and submit a comprehensive final portfolio showcasing the entire content creation activity, which includes high-resolution videos, photographs, success stories, testimonials, and other relevant materials.
TASK and Time Frame
· Content strategy outlines key themes, format, distribution channels: Timeline: January
· Content Creation and Engagement: Timeline-January- June
· Social Media Message Dissemination: Timeline-January to June
· Reporting and coordinating: Timeline -January to June
· Final Portfolio submission: Timeline -July
CONSULTANT DELIVERABLES
1. Content Plan (Due Date- January 2025)
Submit a detailed content plan outlining the number and format of deliverables, posting schedule/frequency, travel plans, key messages, stories/reels to be created, and review timelines. This plan requires approval by the Y-RIE Communications Specialist and Social Services Advisor. The plan should also include interview questions for success stories, a plan for co-ordinating content dissemination – identifying social media channels and their admins. The plan should also include a strategy to increase online engagement, such as using trending hashtags, creating interactive posts, and incorporating various digital tools to boost visibility and interaction.
Evidence of Completion Required- Submitted content plan
2. Story Development (Due Date- February 2025)
In collaboration with the Family Forward team, draft and produce compelling narratives and participant testimonials that highlight program achievements and impact related to the training component.
Evidence of Completion Required- Submitted narratives and storyboard for all planned content
3. (a) Content Creation – Risk Reduction Training with Teachers, Parents Executives (Due Date- March 2025)
Develop and disseminate content captured on key messages from the delivery of the risk reduction training.
Evidence of Completion Required- Submission of all content created that captures the Risk Reduction training component of the activity.
3. (b) Content Creation – Parent Friend Support and Outreaches-(Due Date- April 2025)
In collaboration with the Family Forward team, draft and produce compelling narratives and participant testimonials that highlight program achievements and impact related to the outreach component.
Conduct interviews with families and other participants or capture key moments that resonate with other parents with a strong message related to parent-child/parent-school relationships.
Evidence of Completion Required -Narratives and storyboard for all planned content. Submission of all content created that captures the Risk Reduction training component of the activity.
4. Engagement Metrics Reports-(Due Date- February, March, April, May, June 2025 -(5))
Provide monthly written updates to the Y-RIE Communications Specialist on content engagement, including data on views, likes, shares, noteworthy comments, reactions, and other interaction metrics where accessible.
Present content performance data in bi-weekly meetings, incorporating feedback from the team, and adjusting strategies based on input and emerging needs.
Evidence of Completion Required -Submitted monthly reports (written) and bi-weekly presentations at meetings.
5. Content creation - Success Stories and Final Portfolio Submission-(Due Date- July 2025)
Submit a final portfolio by the end of the contract term, showcasing the full scope of content creation efforts, including high-resolution images, videos, testimonials, success stories, and other materials documenting the program’s journey and impact.
Evidence of Completion Required -Portfolio submitted via USB or cloud storage link to all finalized materials submitted under previous deliverables as well as a success story.
Period of Performance
This consultancy's performance period is expected to begin in January 2025 and continue through July 2025, at which time it could be extended as agreed upon by both parties.
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