Jobs

Research Consultancy: “Poverty in Northern Ireland: From the Local to the Global”

Research Summary

The Centre for Global Education has secured a grant from the Halifax Foundation’s Empower Fund for a research project titled “Poverty in Northern Ireland: From the Local to the Global” which has four main aims. First, to compile a systematic literature review of poverty reports in Northern Ireland from statutory and non-statutory organisations, including government departments, trusts, foundations, and civil society groups. The time scale of the research will be 2020-2024 and will focus on multidimensional poverty that assesses deprivation in various aspects of life such as health, education, social participation, and living standards. The research will discern the main drivers of poverty in Northern Ireland, persistent trends and make informed recommendations that could support anti-poverty policy interventions. The consultant will identify suitable metrics as part of the literature review that facilitate comparative analysis at each stage of the research. Second, the research will frame poverty in Northern Ireland in a comparative context by drawing upon the work of UK and all-island poverty analysts, trusts / foundations, and non-governmental organisations. In an all-island context, comparative data sources include Just Economics, and in a UK context, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s poverty data will be particularly useful. Third, to contextualize poverty in Northern Ireland in a European context using deprivation and monetary indicators paying particular attention to the territories supported by the European Regional Fund that may bear comparison with Northern Ireland. Four, to identify poverty indicators that could usefully locate Northern Ireland in a global context. For example, the Basic Needs Poverty Line reports published by the OECD that measure poverty in terms of access to essential goods such as food, clothing, shelter and fuel. These four aims can collectively help to create a narrative of poverty in Northern Ireland that is both locally and globally focused and can support strategic policy interventions. The report will be disseminated through the organization of two seminars aimed at community and voluntary organisations and international development / global education NGOs. These are sectors committed to poverty eradication locally and globally who can benefit from the research in their advocacy and public engagement work. Dissemination of the research will also include submission of a journal article based on the research findings to the Centre for Global Education’s journal, Policy and Practice: A Development Education Review.

The Research Aims are to:

Carry out a systematic literature review from 2020-2024 of poverty reports in Northern Ireland that will discern the main drivers of poverty, persistent trends and make informed recommendations that could support effective anti-poverty policy interventions.
To frame poverty in Northern Ireland in a comparative UK and all-island context by drawing upon the work of poverty analysts, trusts / foundations, and non-governmental organisations operating in both constituencies.
To contextualize poverty in Northern Ireland in a European context using EU deprivation and monetary indicators paying particular attention to the territories supported by the European Regional Fund that may bear comparison with Northern Ireland.
To identify poverty indicators that could usefully locate Northern Ireland in a global context. For example, the Basic Needs Poverty Line reports published by the OECD and World Inequality Report published by the World Inequality Lab.
Share the research findings in two consultation seminars organised in partnership with NICVA and the Coalition of Aid and Development Agencies;
Publish the report in hard copy and online and disseminate widely;
Publish a journal article based on the research in the Centre for Global Education’s journal, Policy and Practice: A Development Education Review.
Disseminate the report to statutory and non-statutory anti-poverty bodies in Northern Ireland to help inform policy interventions and strategies.

Timeframe for the Consultation

Centre for Global Education would like the consultancy to commence in November 2024 and the final consultancy report to be submitted in March 2025. The dissemination seminars would be planned for April 2025.

Invitation to Tender

Tender submissions should be e-mailed to Stephen McCloskey, CGE Director, (stephen@centreforglobaleducation.com) by 5.00pm on Monday, 28 October 2024 and should include:

Your CV and CVs for any other individuals you plan to involve in the work.
An outline (max 350 words) setting out your understanding of the proposal and what makes you the ideal candidate to carry out this piece of work.
A tailored workplan, budget and timeline.
Contact details of two referees with whom you have previously worked in a research context that we may approach for references.

The total amount available for this work is £8,750.00 inclusive of VAT and travel expenses.

For further information, please contact stephen@centeforglobleducation.com.

The Research Terms of Reference are available below.