3. Assignment Objectives

 

The problems under focus are (1) increasing the analytical capacity of representatives from selected target groups (listed below), (2) aiding the establishment of partnerships in initiatives focusing on open data, (3) raising awareness on the current situation of open data in Armenia and prospects that can be pursued following the end of the project. 

 

As a sustainable element of the project, we would like the trainees to leave the project with the ability to:

 

• define open data 
• assess the need for open data
• identify open source data 
• interpret and visualize data 
• process data
• use and produce open data
• collect and archive data 
• understand the connection between open data and transparency and accountability
• identify the stakeholders of open data in the sectors the trainees represent
• conduct short-term initiatives aimed at promoting the ideas of the project
• engage in constructive discussions on topics of promoting the use of open data in Armenia
• participate in the development of ecosystems for open data in the country 
• identify gaps in production of open data and solutions to it. 
•  

The participants will be from the following target groups:

 

1. Academia
2. Demographers/Statisticians
3. Media
4. Civil Society Organizations
5. Think Tanks/Research Organizations 
6. Executive Government 
7. Local Government 

The minimum (skill) requirements of the participants are willingness to use and produce open data for the sector they are involved at, basic computer literacy for production of data in daily work (input, calculation of frequencies, archiving), at least two years of work experience in the specific sector (e.g. academic, media etc.). 

 

Training sessions will be based on the specificity of every target group individually, each with a duration of four days. 

 

Following the completion of the training sessions, participants of each group will have a designated amount of time to implement a project in line with the skills they gained during the sessions and the aims of the project. Trainers will be involved in tracking the progress of trainees during the sessions and the implementation of the follow-up activities.

 

4. Assignment Scope and Role for Trainer

 

The role for the trainer is to:

 

1. Design (in collaboration with the CRRC-Armenia project staff) and lead offline/face-to-face workshops for participants
2. Understand the stages of the training cycle
3. Provide feedback and coaching during the training sessions  
4. Adapt their own existing training materials
5. Work on pre-training and post-training skills assessment tools for trainees 
6. Deliver four-day workshops (per target group) in Armenia – 4 in Yerevan and 3 in marzes 
7. Provide consultations for trainees to realize follow-up activities
8. Work with the project manager and affiliated staff on workshop logistics
9. Write segments of a report on the case of open data in Armenia
10. Devise tools and techniques for evaluating the training. 

5. Methodology, Approach and Main Deliverables 

 

The methodology has been shaped already to some extent by the project manager and affiliated staff of CRRC-Armenia. Seven target groups were selected to be the beneficiaries of the training sessions. Selection of participants will take place on rolling bases. The participants will have to be pioneers of open data in the structures, institutions and sectors they represent and become grassroots supporters of open data use and sustainability in Armenia. 

 

Due to increasing demand for better data globally and in Armenia, the initiative tries to address the long-term aim of solidifying the use of open data for the purpose of data-driven democratization. This entails building the capacities of state bodies and democracy-supporting actors in analyzing quantitative data and improving the position of evidence-based decision-making. Inclusiveness in generating quality data is essential for the interrelation of state, civil society and the public. 

 

The project aims at capacity building of representatives of knowledge-producing institutions in Armenia (research organizations, think tanks, academia), civil society and state agencies (from executive and local governments), as an attempt at invigorating open data practices, including creating ripple effects among stakeholders of domains they represent. It aims to raise awareness on why open data is important for efficiency, transparency and accountability, and to promote interest towards creating and improving open data infrastructures. 

 

The project entails seven separate training sessions per target group, each four-days long (28 training days in total). Three of the training sessions will take place in Kotayk, Shirak and Armavir regions, and four will be held in Yerevan. The training groups will begin forming in December, 2020 and sessions will start in January, 2021, lasting until the end of February, 2021.

 

Main deliverables include:

 

• Development of a curriculum (and associated literature review)
• Development of assessment tools for the skills of trainees before and after the training sessions 
• Carrying out of training sessions 
• Support the networking of trainees to aid them in forming groups for follow-up activities
• Support to trainees in carrying out follow-up activities through consultations and guidance 
• Giving the trainees confidence and an identity as actors that will promote open data in the sector they represent and among its stakeholders
• A five page evaluation report in English per four-day training, which includes a section on the case of open data in Armenia.  

6. Reporting Requirements  

 

The expert will be responsible for providing regular updates to the project manager, and write a five-page evaluation report per four-day training (referring to the specific target group and its working domain). The expert is expected to share their experience in written form about the status of open data in the given domain (academic, media, local government etc.). The report outline will be provided by CRRC-Armenia.  

 

7. Trainer Profile

 

The Applicant must meet the following criteria:

 

1. At least three years of experience of delivering training workshops on data/data interpretation and visualization/data archiving and processing 
2. At least three years of experience of working in one or more sectors representing the target groups selected for the implementation of the project  
3. Be informed of/get familiarized with the situation of open data globally and in Armenia, open data hubs and ecosystems, opportunities and challenges in making open data more visible and sustainable 
4. Familiarity with the legislation concerning freedom of information in Armenia is desirable 
5. Good facilitation, communication and presentation skills
6. Experience in applying interactive teaching methods
7. Flexibility when consulting and advising trainees in follow-up activities or for working with the CRRC-Armenia project staff.  

Applicants can respond to the open call as individual applicants or as training teams. They can choose what target groups they are willing to work with. Training teams are encouraged to cover all components of the training sessions and ensure that each training session is tailored to the specificities of the target groups. In the case that the applicant team is unable to cover all components of the training sessions in all sectors, CRRC-Armenia will put together teams from the pool of selected applicants.

 

8. Activities and Timetable

 

Activity

Expert Days*

Timeline

---

Design of the training curriculum	7	December 2020 – February 2021
Deliver workshops in Yerevan and Marzes	28	January 2021 – April 2021

---

Total

35

---

*Expert days are calculated based on the trainer’s indication of the number of sectors and topics to be worked with.

9. Application Procedure

Applications must be submitted by e-mail to Arpi Grigoryan at [email protected]  no later than 23:59, 20 December 2020.

The email subject line should say: Application for the position: Trainer for Open Data Project

The application must include the following:

1. CV in English or Armenian
2. A one-page cover letter in English or Armenian, which:
   • provides concrete examples of how the applicant’s experience and skills meet the assignment (based on the listed criteria for the Expert profile)
   • provides information about which target group the applicant would like to carry out the training workshop for, and which subject and topic the training would encompass from the lists provided 
   • provides rate per expert day

Please pay attention to the following:

If applicants are applying in teams, each team member is required to submit a separate cover letter. 

Teams of trainers need to send a simple budget with daily rates of all experts/trainers involved. 

Applicants need to clearly indicate the training topics and represented sectors they are willing to work with. 

For more information, please contact Arpi Grigoryan, [email protected], phone: +374 10 57 48 98 or +374 10 57 48 68.