Please find here the full consultancy Terms of Reference (ToR).

The Big Six Youth Organizations are an alliance of leading international youth-serving organizations formed in 1996, comprising the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), World Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award (The Award). Together, the Big Six represent the largest youth movements globally, collectively engaging more than 250 million young people and contributing to the empowerment of over one billion young people over the past century. Each organization operates as an international secretariat supporting extensive national, regional, and local membership structures.

In 2020, in response to the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people, the Big Six launched the Global Youth Mobilization (GYM). Supported by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Foundation, and with significant in-kind contributions from the Big Six, GYM was designed to place resources directly in the hands of young people to enable youth-led responses to community-level challenges. An independent evaluation of GYM 1.0 demonstrated that a collaborative, adequately funded, youth-led and intergenerational funding mechanism can deliver meaningful and scalable impact.

Building on this evidence, the Big Six partnered with the European Union in 2024 to deliver the EU Youth Empowerment Fund (GYM 2.0), disbursing EUR 13 million to youth-led initiatives in EU-designated countries, following the principles and operational model established in the first phase.

The Big Six now share an ambition to transition GYM from a time-bound project focused initiative into a sustainable, institutionalised model of collaboration to support youth mobilisation, funding, convening, and advocacy. Achieving this ambition requires consolidating learning from GYM 1.0 and 2.0; defining a fit-for-purpose governance and secretariat model; and developing viable business model scenarios and a compelling external case for support.

This consultancy is commissioned to kick start a structured change and transition process that will enable the Big Six to evolve from a coalition-led initiative into a strengthened, GYM-branded platform capable of delivering sustained global impact, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Pact for the Future.

While the Global Youth Mobilization has proven to be a relevant, accessible, and replicable youth-led, intergenerational funding mechanism, the Big Six recognise the need to synthesise the available evidence, data, and operational experience from GYM 1.0 and 2.0 projects into a coherent and adaptable business plan for ongoing collaboration through GYM and a strong, donor-ready external case for support. In parallel, as GYM scales, there is a need to formalise governance arrangements, define a sustainable secretariat model, and centralise coordination functions.

The Big Six remain committed to addressing structural barriers to youth mobilisation and to creating enabling environments that allow young people to respond to contemporary global and local challenges. To do so sustainably, they seek to institutionalise co-created, youth-led mobilisation through appropriate governance, operating models, and capacity-strengthening mechanisms -positioning GYM as a replicable, long-term collaboration rather than a time-bound crisis response or one-off donor-funded initiative. This transition will be informed by and embed the lessons learned from GYM 1.0 and 2.0.

A sustainably resourced GYM collaboration would support a range of youth engagement and impact pathways, including:

• Expanding access to non-formal education, civic learning, and youth-led activism that strengthens understanding of local challenges, builds skills and resilience, and fosters long-term engagement.
• Supporting enabling environments for youth volunteering and community-based action.
• Financing and scaling youth-led local solutions that enable young people to mobilise, lead, and implement responses to community challenges.
• Leveraging the national and regional networks of Big Six partners to inform, connect, and mobilise young people.
• Enabling evidence-based policy engagement and meaningful youth participation in local, regional, and global decision-making.
• Extending GYM reach to young people and communities not currently connected to Big Six member organisations.

Through this transition, the Big Six seek to leverage their collective legacy, global reach, and trusted relationships with more than 250 million young people to create a durable collaborative mechanism through which young people can mobilise, lead, and deliver solutions with lasting impact.

Scope of Work and Expected Deliverables

The consultancy will lead a structured research, consultation, analysis, and drafting process, drawing on existing information and informed by an iterative engagement with Big Six leadership, youth board representatives, and the EU Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF) Programme Coordination Team. The objective is to develop and articulate a clear change management strategy for the Big Six organisations to transition GYM from a project to a wider model for collaboration.

The work will include three interrelated streams:

1. Design and delivery of a focused consultation process, including schematic narratives and budget scenarios.
2. Facilitation of an inclusive and iterative consultative process, including interviews and workshops with key stakeholders.
3. Development of a clear and compelling external positioning, including a marketing deck and supporting materials.

Key Deliverables

• Inception report outlining the work plan, proposed methodology assumptions, and parameters.
• Consolidated document collating existing research, analysis, evidence, and learning to date Including suggested business model, governance structure and GYM delivery model.
• Stakeholder interviews to refine understanding and enrich the evidence base.
• Initial workshop to present findings and test emerging directions.
• Pitch deck that brings the concept to life visually, including 2–3 illustrative business model scenarios.
• Final external case for support, developed through an iterative consultation process and structured to allow adaptation to different donor requirements.
• Budget frameworks with modular and scenario-based options suitable for different funding contexts.
• Mapping of up to 10–15 qualified funding opportunities.

Required

• Advanced university degree (Master’s level or equivalent) in organisational development, change management, business administration, international development, public policy, social sciences, or a related field.

Required

• Minimum of 10 years’ professional experience in change management, organisational transformation, or strategic development in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Proven experience supporting institutional transitions, including development of strategic frameworks, business plans, and governance models for alliances, federations, or international networks.
• Experience working with international NGOs, coalitions, or membership-based organisations at global or regional level.

Required

• Demonstrated ability to design and facilitate inclusive consultation processes, including interviews and virtual workshops with senior leadership and diverse stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and drafting skills, with experience producing high-quality outputs such as cases for support, strategy papers, business model scenarios, and donor-facing materials.
• Ability to work remotely across time zones and deliver outputs within agreed timelines.

Language

Required

• Full professional proficiency in English (written and spoken).

Application Instructions

• Please submit your application in English only.
• Please include a proposal in your application that includes:
  • Demonstrated relevant experience aligned with the scope of work.
  • Evidence of the ability to navigate and synthesise diverse organisational perspectives into a coherent and practical strategy.
  • A brief reflection on what will be required to develop a compelling and fundable case for support for GYM.
  • Any additional information that clearly demonstrates the consultant’s understanding of the assignment and distinguishes the proposal from generic submissions.