Call for Tenders - Consultancy for the translation and adaptation of the digital travellers' curriculum toolkit for youth and women in Syria

THE PROJECTProject Description:The “Cooperation in the Cultural Field for Syria” Project, funded by the Fonds Équipe France, responds to the urgent need to rebuild social cohesion and foster community engagement in the suburbs of Damascus and Aleppo, areas profoundly affected by years of conflict. These communities continue to face widespread destruction, disrupted family and social networks, limited access to education, and significant psychosocial trauma. The project is planned for a 27-month implementation period, divided into two phases.To address these challenges, the project will establish five fully equipped cultural and educational centers in Daraya, Aleppo, and other parts of rural Damascus (Reef Damascus) yet to be identified. These centers will provide inclusive, vibrant spaces for learning, cultural engagement, and community interaction, combining physical and digital resources, including the Digital Travellers Curriculum, media libraries, and innovative digital learning platforms. The initiative will engage 2,500 participants, with particular attention to youth and women-1,700 participants under 30 years old, and 1,250 women will benefit directly.Overall Objective:Strengthen social cohesion in Syria and promote active community involvement in the suburbs of Damascus and Aleppo through the creation of cultural and educational facilities.Specific Objectives:* SO1 - Access to Culture and Education: Enhance access to cultural and educational resources, both physical and digital, through the establishment of community spaces equipped with media libraries, learning tools, and digital platforms tailored to the needs of youth and women. * SO2 - Social Cohesion and Psychosocial Support: Rebuild social networks and strengthen community resilience through psychosocial support programs and participatory cultural activities that emphasize local memory, identity, and shared heritage.BSF’s Intervention:Bibliothèques Sans Frontières (BSF) will lead and coordinate the implementation of the project in close collaboration with its local partners DAR, MARS, INARA, and Screens of Peace. As the lead organization, BSF will ensure strategic oversight, technical supervision, and partnership management throughout the project lifecycle. This includes quality assurance, alignment of all educational and digital resources with project objectives, and the integration of cross-cutting themes such as psychosocial support, gender inclusion, and digital literacy.BSF’s contributions and interventions will include:* Designing and establishing multimedia libraries and learning spaces adapted to the needs of youth and women. * Translating and adapting educational and cultural resources, including the Digital Travellers Curriculum, to ensure they are context-appropriate, culturally relevant, and fully accessible in Arabic and English (a version in Arabic, and a version in English). * Providing technical support, training, and capacity-building for local facilitators and staff to ensure the centers’ sustainable operation. * Coordinating with local authorities, municipalities, and cultural institutions to foster community ownership, enable the replication of best practices, and ensure broad community engagement. * Delivering participatory cultural and psychosocial programs to restore social ties, promote resilience, and reinforce local social cohesion.The Digital Travellers (DT) (“Les Voyageurs du Numérique”) (WEBSITE LINK: Digital-Travellers • Home ), funded by the European Union, represents a key component of the project’s educational strategy. It is designed to strengthen digital skills among young people and women, equipping them with the competencies needed to access employment opportunities, engage safely online, and navigate the digital world responsibly. The curriculum covers three main dimensions:1. Coding and Digital Culture: Foundational and advanced digital skills, coding, and digital creativity. 2. Digital Inclusion: Promoting equitable access to digital tools and opportunities. 3. Digital Citizenship: Including online safety, privacy, combating online harassment, critical thinking, and the ability to verify information and detect misinformation.The DT combines interactive sessions, practical workshops, and learning games to ensure digital education is accessible, inclusive, and engaging for all participants. Training sessions will be delivered by the project’s NGO partners, with BSF providing training-of-trainers (ToT) for one facilitator per center to ensure quality and sustainability.By translating and adapting this curriculum for the Syrian context, BSF will enable young people and women to develop practical digital skills, enhance their employability, and gain tools to navigate the current socio-economic challenges while fostering learning and empowerment within the new cultural and educational centers.1. ^Libraries Without Borders - Discover our actions 2. ^ Digital-Travellers • HomeTECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES1. OBJECTIVES OF THE TOOLKITThe primary objective of this toolkit is to provide a fully translated, culturally adapted, and pedagogically sound Arabic/English version of BSF’s Digital Travellers Curriculum (“Les Voyageurs du Numérique”), specifically tailored for youth and women in the suburbs of Damascus and Aleppo, including displacement-affected and host communities. The toolkit aims to serve as a practical, user-friendly, and contextually relevant resource that enables facilitators and educators to deliver high-quality digital literacy programs, fostering both technical competencies and broader psychosocial and social outcomes.The toolkit is designed around the three core dimensions of the Digital Travellers Curriculum, with the following objectives for each:i) Coding and Digital Culture* Equip youth and women with foundational and advanced digital skills, including coding, problem-solving, and digital creativity. * Encourage collaborative learning and the practical application of digital tools in education, daily life, and entrepreneurial initiatives. * Foster critical thinking, innovation, and confidence in using digital technologies.ii) Digital Inclusion* Promote equitable access to digital tools and learning opportunities for all youth and women, including those from displacement-affected or underserved communities. * Address barriers such as limited connectivity, literacy gaps, or socio-economic exclusion. * Enable participants to actively engage with technology in ways that are meaningful, accessible, and contextually relevant.iii) Digital Citizenship* Build responsible and ethical digital behaviours, including safe use of the Internet, privacy protection, and combating online harassment. * Develop critical skills to detect misinformation, evaluate content reliability, and navigate online spaces safely. * Encourage respectful and constructive engagement in digital communities.1.1. TARGET AUDIENCEDirect Audience:* Youth (15-30 years): In-school, out-of-school, and returnee youth with varying digital literacy levels, seeking skills for education, employment, and entrepreneurship. * Women (18+ years): Vulnerable or marginalized women, including displaced and host community members, aiming to gain digital skills, access information, and engage safely online. * Facilitators and Educators: Local NGO staff, teachers, and community center facilitators delivering the toolkit curriculum, trained in both digital skills and pedagogy.Indirect Audience:* Families and communities benefiting from improved social cohesion, resilience, and digital literacy of participants. * Local institutions and organizations that adopt or replicate the curriculum and participatory learning approaches.1.2. LEARNING OUTCOMESParticipants completing the translated and adapted toolkit / curriculum should be able to:i) Coding and Digital Culture* Apply foundational and advanced digital skills, including coding, problem-solving, and digital creativity, for example, creating digital content, developing simple applications, and exploring responsible online practices. * Use digital tools effectively for education, daily life, and entrepreneurial activities - starting from basic digital literacy (e.g., Word, Excel, and online communication tools) and progressing toward more advanced applications relevant to learners’ needs and contexts.ii) Digital Inclusion* Access and use digital technologies equitably, overcoming barriers such as limited connectivity or literacy gaps. * Engage confidently in digital learning environments, regardless of prior experience.iii) Digital Citizenship* Navigate the Internet safely and responsibly, protecting privacy and personal data. * Recognize and combat online harassment, misinformation, and fake news. * Demonstrate ethical, respectful, and responsible behavior in digital spaces.Cross-cutting outcomes:* Strengthen resilience, self-confidence, and social skills through participatory learning activities. * Contribute to community cohesion by collaborating, sharing knowledge, and applying digital skills in practical, locally relevant ways.1.3. FACILITATOR GUIDANCE AND HANDOUTSTo ensure effective delivery of the Digital Travellers Curriculum, the toolkit will include comprehensive facilitator guidance and participant handouts, designed to be practical, user-friendly, and adaptable to local contexts:Facilitator Guidance:* Step-by-step instructions for delivering each module, aligned with the three curriculum dimensions: Coding & Digital Culture, Digital Inclusion, and Digital Citizenship. * Detailed session plans, learning objectives, timings, and suggested activities for interactive and participatory learning, directly linked to the contents to be deployed. The consultancy firm/consultant may also propose additional relevant content or adaptations to ensure contextualization and alignment with learners’ needs. * Tips for adapting activities to varying literacy and digital skill levels, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility. * Guidance on facilitating discussions, encouraging collaboration, and addressing sensitive topics related to psychosocial well-being, online safety, and ethical digital behavior. * Instructions for integrating assessment and reflection exercises to track participant progress and understanding. * Recommendations for creating a supportive and engaging learning environment that fosters confidence, empowerment, and social cohesion.1.4. PARTICIPANT HANDOUTS* Clear, visually engaging materials summarizing key concepts, exercises, and practical applications. * Interactive worksheets, case studies, and step-by-step guides to reinforce hands-on learning. * Scenarios, examples, and exercises contextualized to Syrian communities, daily life, and participants’ socio-cultural realities. * Quick-reference guides and digital literacy tips to support continued practice beyond the sessions.1.5. CREATION OF SHORT EXPLANATORY VIDEOSDevelopment of 2–3 concise/short videos per core dimension in Arabic Language:* Coding and Digital Culture: Short tutorials introducing key coding concepts, digital problem-solving, and creative digital expression, using simple, relatable examples. * Digital Inclusion: Videos highlighting access to digital tools, overcoming barriers, and practical tips for participating fully in the digital world. * Digital Citizenship: Clips focusing on online safety, responsible behavior, privacy, and ethical digital interactions.Contextualization: All videos feature scenarios, examples, and exercises relevant to Syrian communities, participants’ daily lives, and socio-cultural realities.Engagement and Accessibility: Videos are visually engaging, easy to follow, and incorporate inclusive language and gender-sensitive approaches to reflect diverse experiences and needs.Support for Continued Learning: Videos are designed for repeated viewing and use as quick references, complementing the participant handouts, worksheets, and other toolkit resources.1.6. GENDER SENSITIVITY AND INTERSECTIONALITYThe toolkit and its implementation are designed to ensure gender-sensitive and inclusive approaches, recognizing the diverse experiences and needs of participants:* Gender-sensitive content and delivery: * Ensure equitable participation of women, girls, and men in all activities. * Adapt examples, case studies, and activities to be relevant and relatable for both female and male participants. * Promote women’s empowerment through skill-building, confidence development, and access to digital resources. * Intersectional approach: * Recognize and accommodate differences in age, educational background, disability, displacement status, and socio-economic conditions. * Design activities and learning materials that are accessible and inclusive for participants with varying literacy and digital skills. * Consider psychosocial and cultural sensitivities to avoid exclusion or marginalization. * Safe and inclusive learning environment: Foster respectful and supportive interactions among participants. Ensure that discussions around online behaviour, digital citizenship, and social cohesion are conducted in a manner that promotes equity, safety, and mutual understanding. To assess the impact of this component, a pre- and post-assessment (evaluation grid) will be used to measure changes in participants’ understanding, attitudes, and behaviours related to online safety, inclusion, and respectful interaction.1.7. LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL SENSITIVITYThe toolkit will be fully adapted to the Arabic language and Syrian cultural context to ensure accessibility, relevance, and engagement for all participants:* Language Adaptation: * Translate all materials into clear, simple, and culturally appropriate Arabic. * Use terminology that is understandable across different literacy levels and educational backgrounds. * Avoid technical jargon without explanation, ensuring participants can follow instructions and concepts easily. * Cultural Relevance: * Adapt examples, case studies, scenarios, and activities to reflect local realities, daily life, and social norms in Damascus and Aleppo suburbs. * Integrate local stories, traditions, and references to make learning relatable and engaging. * Respect cultural and religious sensitivities in content, discussions, and exercises. * Inclusive Communication: * Ensure materials are accessible to all participants, including women, youth, displaced persons, and marginalized groups. * Promote respectful interactions and dialogue during workshops, fostering a positive and safe learning environment.2. SCOPE OF WORK AND EXPECTED DELIVERABLESThe consultancy firm/consultant will be responsible for delivering a comprehensive set of services to translate, adapt, validate, and operationalize BSF’s Digital Travellers Curriculum (“Les Voyageurs du Numérique”) for youth and women in Syria.All activities and outputs should be culturally relevant, gender-sensitive, pedagogically sound, and aligned with BSF’s three core …