STANDARDIZING THE MINI-SOCIAL COHESION BAROMETER AS A MEASUREMENT TOOL At Catholic Relief Services

https://www.crs.org/about/bid-opportunity Please visit the CRS website for the full scope of work and attachments.

CALL FOR CONSULTANCY
BACKGROUND
CRS views social cohesion as the strength, quality and diversity of relationships between and among individuals, groups and communities, coupled with the linkages between society and the state, markets and other institutions, all based on trust, respect, mutuality and equal opportunity, for the dignity of every person and the common good for all (CRS, 2019).
CRS’s Social Cohesion Conceptual Framework considers that social cohesion encompasses three broad spheres of society: Socio-cultural, Economic, and Political spheres, manifesting across diverse groups (horizontal) and different levels of leadership, authority, power, and influence (vertical).
Simultaneously with the elaboration of this framework, and in response to needs arising from different countries (especially in Africa), in 2013 the CRS team created a mini-Social Cohesion Barometer (the Barometer). This innovative tool gauges perceptions of the level of social cohesion in a defined area using 18 indicators that fall under the socio-cultural, economic, and political spheres. The defined area could be a country, sub-region, district, community, or any other designated scope.
While originally developed as a tool to stimulate reflection during social cohesion workshops, the Barometer has increasingly been used by CRS Country Programs for additional purposes, including:
(1) pre-intervention assessment instrument to ensure grasp of a conflict context (baseline),
(2) a context monitoring tool throughout project implementation, and
(3) post-interventions or end-lines (to compare with baselines or midlines) to gauge changes in perception, illustrate trends or suggest project modifications and follow-on activities.
OBJECTIVES
Given these varied uses of the tool, which show promise but which are largely untested, this consultancy will validate and confirm the appropriateness of the Barometer indicators for use in project baseline studies, and mid-term and final evaluations; as context indicators; to gauge the perception of social cohesion in specific geographies and demographics; social science and population research and application to measuring social cohesion perceptions in various contexts with different gender, age, cultural, regional and other groups, and measure statistical change over time.
This consultancy will assess and provide recommendations regarding the following:

1. The Barometer tool in general
   a. Tool validity (content – accuracy of indicators to gauge social cohesion);
   b. Tool reliability (consistency of measurements);
   c. Accuracy and Consistency (coefficient of equivalence and coefficient of internal consistency),
   d. Sensitivity and Appropriateness for measuring social cohesion (including the value of individual indicators; is each statement equally useful, are some redundant and should any adjustment be made to the 18 statements comprising the SCB?);
   e. Objectivity and Inter-rater reliability: Does the tool yield a clear score value for each performance and score is independent of personal judgment;
   f. Practicability related to tool administration, scoring and interpretation;
2. How to analyze data (using parametric or nonparametric test) to allow researchers to research, analyze, utilize, interpret and visually present data in program evaluations, longitudinal and cross-comparison studies. To what extent is factor or principal component analysis appropriate for analyzing barometer data? What are the pros and cons of any of the proposed data analysis methods? Should the data be interpreted as individual indicators, indicators organized into groups, or as an index?
3. How the Barometer could be incorporated into project survey instruments (formative research, baseline, midterm and endline, and others), including recommendations on the parameters that feed into sample size calculations, triangulation with other methods as necessary, whether administration should vary according to purpose (assessment, monitoring, evaluation), or any similar considerations. Does the barometer need an accompanying qualitative tool for accurate interpretation of data?
   LEVEL OF EFFORT
   This assignment is estimated to be completed within a level of effort of approximately 40 working days. RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FOR REVIEW:
   1. The mini-Social Cohesion Barometer: A tool to assess and strengthen social cohesion in divided communities.
   2. Social Cohesion Indicators Bank: Illustrative Indicators to measure changes in social cohesion
   3. The mini-Barometer raw data and/or analysis reports from a number of projects in West, Central and Southern Africa; Southeast and South Asia, and others. This may also include findings from preliminary factor analysis of one or more data sets.
   4. Gauging Harmony: Applying the Social Cohesion Barometer to Assess and Advance Peacebuilding, forthcoming book chapter (available upon request). DATES OF PERFORMANCE
      The consultancy will start on March 4, 2022.
      PLACE OF PERFORMANCE
      The consultant/s shall work outside the CRS office, working remotely from his/her home, personal office, or usual place of business. No travel is planned, whether overseas or domestic. Meetings and discussions with CRS staff or other external stakeholders, as needed, can be conducted remotely. WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
      Primary points of contact for this consultancy will be Edita Čolo Zahirović, Technical Advisor for Learning & Influence, and Nell Bolton, Technical Director for Equity, Inclusion and Peacebuilding. At key stages in the process, members of the CRS Justice & Peacebuilding team, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) advisors, and points of contact in various CRS departments may be consulted for input and review.
      QUALIFICATIONS
      The ideal consultant will possess the following qualifications:
       Deep and broad familiarity with statistics, sociology, psychometry or other related discipline (PhD an advantage).
       Demonstrated experience in developing/validating research tools in sociological or similar research;
       Excellent writing and analytical skills;
       Strong coordination skills and ability to adhere to deadlines and work remotely.