Norwegian Refugee Council Youth Programme, Jordan

Programme summary

Background

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are currently 752,416 refugees living in Jordan: 83 per cent reside in urban settings and 17 per cent in refugee camps. Almost half of the refugee population is made up of children (46.7 per cent), while the other half comprises older people (4.8 per cent) and adults (48.5 per cent). At 88 per cent (663,210), Syrians make up much of this population. While most of these refugees live in urban areas across the country, 127,373 are housed in three refugee camps: Za’atari, Azraq and the Emirati Jordanian Camp (EJC). Most of the Syrians who are registered as refugees come from southern Daraa (39.9 per cent), Homs (16.2 per cent), Aleppo (11.4 per cent) and Rural Damascus (11.3 per cent) (UNHCR, 2021).

The Jordanian Ministry of Education works to ensure that Syrian refugee students enrol in pre-school, primary and secondary education (Jordanian Ministry of Education, 2018). However, the older a child is, the more difficult it is for him or her to remain in school. There are currently more than 27,000 Syrian refugee children aged 16–18 in Jordan, fewer than 7,000 of whom attend school (25 per cent). During the 2017/18 school year, only 15 per cent of Syrian refugees aged 16 were enrolled in secondary school, compared to more than 80 per cent of Jordanian children of the same age (HRW, 2017).  

About 50 per cent of young Syrian refugees do not have access to the type of secondary education that they would have received in Syria. Moreover, about 25 per cent of young Syrian refugees who were formerly enrolled in university have no access to higher or tertiary education opportunities. The situation is worse for girls, who often face gender-related barriers, such as the security risk they might experience on their way to school (NRC, 2016). 

Jordanian national regulations stipulate that, while Syrian refugees should have access to government schools until the age of 16, they have limited rights to work. Those who live in refugee camps are not allowed to leave the camps and look for work opportunities unless granted permission to do so by the Jordanian authorities. In fact, only the Za’atari camp offers incentive-based labour opportunities through NGOs, and some refugees are allowed to run their own informal businesses. In Azraq and Emirati, no such activities are allowed, even on an informal basis, and working conditions are harsher (ibid.).

Between 2014 and 2018, ICT-related activities grew by 11.64 per cent in Jordan. In 2018, mobile and internet penetration rates reached 85 per cent and 88.8 per cent, respectively (World Bank, 2020). During the pandemic, the Jordanian Ministry of Education worked with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship and private sector providers to develop remote education services. They created a number of platforms, including ‘Darsak’, an official e-learning portal offering short video courses for Grades 1 to 12, and ‘Teachers’, a 90-hour training programme. One of the country’s TV sports channels also became a learning channel (ibid.).

In 2012, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) began implementing a youth programme in Jordan. The programme is modelled on its Youth Education Pack, a programme that aims to respond to the education and training needs of conflict-affected youth in different countries. NRC is a humanitarian organization with a particular focus on refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs). It provides support during different phases of displacement, from emergencies to durable solutions, and assists ‘populations or people affected by displacement’, as its mission mandates. With a country office in the Jordanian capital, Amman, and additional field offices in the cities of Irbid, Mafraq, and Zarqa, as well as in the Za’atari and Azraq camps, NRC delivers programmes that respond to basic needs; provide shelter, livelihood, information, counselling and legal assistance; and assist children and youth through educational and vocational activities.

Overview of the programme

NRC provides access to structured and certified learning opportunities for youth in refugee camps in order to develop their skills, enhance their well-being and prepare them – economically, socially and educationally – for the transition to adulthood. Education and training for young people aged 15–32 is offered over a three-month period, with courses including:

• literacy and numeracy (offered in the Za’atari and Azraq camp) as support subjects for learners who need them;
• post-basic skills training in a wide range of subjects, such as mechanics, tailoring, hairdressing and computer maintenance, as well as literacy and numeracy;
• life skills (currently using course content based on International Youth Foundation (IYF) – Passport to Success curriculum)[1]
• distance learning courses offered through a partnership with Edraak, the online platform of the Queen Rania Foundation; these online courses cover a wide range of subjects, including English as a foreign language (provided by the British Council) and soft skills such as CV writing, child mental health, nutrition and health, entrepreneurship, job searching, career development and self-marketing.

The NRC’s literacy and numeracy courses take different approaches to supporting young people with low literacy skills, depending on the context and stage of the course. To avoid duplication, courses are offered in collaboration with other agencies that have already offered literacy classes. NRC also provides its own targeted literacy (in Arabic) and (basic) numeracy classes for young people who are identified through either self-assessment or facilitator observation during the first few days of the training course.

Literacy and numeracy skills are prerequisites for courses such as information technology because learners are required to operate computer software. Other courses, such as hairdressing/beauty and tailoring, allow learners to participate even if they are unable to read and write. In such cases, learners have the opportunity to attend supplementary literacy and numeracy classes. In situations where the need for targeted literacy training is low, learners requiring additional support in literacy and numeracy receive tutorials from facilitators once they have completed their skills training course.

In Za’atari District 8,[2] an additional three-month follow-up programme has been implemented (soon to be available in Azraq) to provide graduates and other skilled young people with opportunities to practise their skills and contribute to community development in the camp. This follow-up programme has enjoyed high retention rates and received positive responses, both from participants and from the community. NRC has been approached by a number of agencies requesting that the participants conduct community projects, such as making wooden beds for people with disabilities in Za’atari camp, and repurposing desks for Ministry of Education schools.

An important feature of the programme is that it strives to change course offerings periodically in order to adapt to the needs of young people as well as to the country context. Another key feature is the programme’s focus on advocacy for youth empowerment, which can take several forms and involve a variety of stakeholders (UNFPA[3], UNESCO[4], UNHCR and other NGOs).

Programme objectives

The overall objective of the NRC Youth Programme in Jordan is to enhance young people’s well-being and resilience. By establishing youth centres and providing learning opportunities and advocacy and coordination activities, the programme aims to:

• increase the transferable and technical skills of young people living in refugee camps;
• educate professionals who have the knowledge and skills to provide training and support;
• address young people’s psychological and social well-being in a safe and protective environment;
• provide an opportunity for young people to apply newly gained skills by engaging in social and economic activities;
• advocate for the recognition of young people’s needs and potential among communities and stakeholders.

Learners

According to UNHCR data, as of October 2021 approximately 76 per cent of Syrian refugees in Jordan are under 35 years of age (UNHCR,2021); yet, the well-being of both Syrian and Jordanian youth is gravely affected by inequality in access to education and employment (ibid.; OECD, 2018). Syrian and Jordanian youth place a strong emphasis on community service and civic participation and are motivated to effect change (USAID, 2015); however, overall youth participation in civil society in Jordan remains low (OECD, 2018). To address this, the programme’s target beneficiaries are adolescents and youth aged 15–32 in refugee camps who are not enrolled in any form of education, employment or training (NEETs) or have been out of formal schooling for more than three years.

Enrolment of learners

Programme participants are identified through mass outreach and via word of mouth. Many locations in both Zaatari and Azraq Camps have hubs that young people can visit to learn about the programme such as Youth clubs in other NGOs in camps, Youth Working Groups, or Youth gatherings within their communities. Learners also get to know about the programme through referrals from organizations that work with young women and youth with disabilities (YWDs) in Jordan. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, young people living in refugee centres registered for courses in person; now, registration is conducted mainly by phone.

Most programme participants are self-motivated. Each class usually has between 15 and 20 participants (the maximum number being 25). The Za’atari and Azraq centres offer childcare facilities to support facilitators and learners (particularly female learners) with children aged between two and five.

Assessment of learners

During the courses, learners are assessed differently depending on the duration and accreditation of the course in which they are enrolled. For example, learners on ICT courses are assessed by an accredited ICT course provider based in Jordan, such as the International Computer Driving Licence (IDCL) Foundation.[5] To ensure quality, internal and external assessments are also conducted. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) courses are accredited by the Jordanian Technical and Vocational Skills Development Centre (TVSDC)[6] and Qualifi, a UK-based vocational accreditation provider.[7] Learners enrolled in these courses are subject to periodic assessment throughout the intake, along with a final assessment to grant graduation upon success.

The International Youth Foundation (IYF)[8] assesses learners’ soft skills immediately after enrolment and throughout the course via a written test managed by a facilitator. This test is aligned with all of the courses provided in the youth centres. Upon completing the course, learners receive a certificate issued by the programme, although in most cases it is not officially accredited.

Teaching and learning approaches

In general, the programme implements a competency-based, hands-on approach to teaching and learning. Content is adapted to meet the learning level and needs of youth and adolescents, and learners apply the skills that they have learned in a safe and supportive learning environment, both during the course and in their subsequent internships. Courses also meet the criteria laid down in NRC’s framework for youth well-being in displacement (NRC, 2021).       

The programme provides certified learning pathways for youth in the Za’atari and Azraq camps. Each pathway comprises three complementary levels: (1) certified vocational training courses, (2) structured paid internships, and (3) income-generating opportunities through a youth production line that NRC operates in the camps.^[9]

NRC enrols four cohorts each year. Over a period of around three months, each attends the following courses:

• English language;
• tailoring;
• general maintenance (carpentry, welding and painting);
• air-conditioning maintenance and repair;
• electrical wiring and maintenance;
• jewellery making;
• mobile maintenance;
• ICDL, Advanced Excel, web editing.

Life skills are also mainstreamed across courses to ensure a holistic approach that balances technical skills with personal, social and emotional development.

The programme implements an integrated approach, whereby literacy and numeracy classes are provided to students as needed. When enrolling, learners can sign up for any of the technical courses, and are given pre-tests in literacy and numeracy. If tests show that their literacy and numeracy levels are low, they are given additional classes in parallel.

The programme makes use of a variety of materials to help learners through the studying process, including handouts, books, worksheets, screenshots, voice notes, videos, educational videos and massive open online courses (MOOCs). NRC also monitors job market trends to identify the skills that young people need to develop in order to be retained in the job market.

   An ICDL lab session for youth learners at the Za’atari camp. Source/Credit: NRC Communication team.

Recruitment and training of facilitators

NRC enlists various types of facilitators, from full- and part-time paid workers to volunteers and short-term consultants from the camp community. Flyers are distributed in camp districts and mosques to announce vacancies. Interested candidates fill out a form with questions about their education and relevant experience. The recruitment process takes place in phases. After the announcements and submission of forms, NRC human resources (HR) personnel produce a shortlist of candidates who are invited to take a written or practical exam and then an interview.

Those who pass the interview round are requested to prepare and deliver a demonstration class to show their potential as facilitators. Facilitators are required to have proven technical experience of delivering course content as well as facilitation, mentoring/coaching and interpersonal skills. The recruitment process prioritizes applicants’ knowledge, skills and experience over their educational qualifications.

Once accepted, facilitators receive an NRC induction. Through technical workshops prepared by the specialist NRC youth team, they learn how to enhance the quality of the educational experience for learners. They are then integrated into NRC’s HR system and are accorded different grades based on their skills so that they can receive a monthly wage that is aligned with the requirements and scale of the refugee camp to which they are allocated.

Technology: Infrastructure, management and use

The programme integrates and adapts different learning approaches and course content – e.g. teaching participants how to use digital devices and online platforms in their learning – to ensure that it remains aligned with relevant trends and to leverage meaningful opportunities for young people,

In 2015, for example, the ICT training team collaborated with the nationally recognized MOOC provider Edraak and other platforms to create more options for young people to learn about different technologies. Edraak works with ICDL in the Arab States to offer modules designed for a wider audience (see Figures 1 and 2[10]).

Figures 1 and 2. The Edraak homepage is available in both Arabic and English. Source: NRC Communication team.

To counter the disruption to learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, NRC developed guidelines for remote teaching in 2020 to equip trainers with the skills needed to transition smoothly from face-to-face to online lessons in a limited-resource environment. For example, trainers would record the steps required to perform certain course activities and share these recordings with learners via WhatsApp groups.

To ensure that learners benefit fully from the NRC’s IT-related courses, the programme assesses their current digital literacy level prior to enrolment. Learners’ skills are evaluated by the ICT facilitator via an assessment process approved by the youth team, which covers the main features of all of the ICT courses on offer. Learners who fail the assessment test are offered a backup computer basics course so that they can develop their computer literacy skills before registering for another course.

Preparatory classes are also provided to familiarize learners with the digital infrastructure of the course before it starts. During classroom sessions, learners have access to a computer and practise their skills by completing course activities and online exercises. To maintain the physical distancing required by pandemic restrictions, computers are situated about two metres apart. When COVID-19 forced classrooms to close, facilitators sent screen recordings of the various course exercises to their students. When the centres reopened, learners returned to the classroom to apply what they had learned through these screen recordings.

In order to become an accredited ICDL centre and meet the minimum requirements for Specto accreditation,[11] NRC ensures that several technical requirements are met (see Table 1).

Table 1. Technical requirements for accredited ICDL centres.

Programme impact and challenges

In addition to evaluations conducted by NRC, an external evaluation of the programme was performed by the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) in 2014 (NRC, 2016). While NRC has assessed the needs of affected populations as well as of current learners and facilitators, the report by WRC assessed the overall programme implementation. An ongoing evaluation will be released in the third quarter of 2021, including consultations with youth, trainers and the wider community on the appropriateness, relevance and impact of the youth programme before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also provide additional recommendations on the sustainability of the programme and the way forward.  

Impact

The WRC evaluation concluded that the youth programme was ‘overwhelmingly perceived as relevant to the needs of Syrian refugee youth, by participants and non-participant camp residents, as well as by NRC’s partners’ (ibid., p. 9). Young women who were interviewed for the evaluation noted its positive social impact, while young men reported economic empowerment. Yet, despite this positive feedback, the programme also experienced a high drop-out rate. The reasons for this were varied and gendered: many males aged between 27 and 32 years found jobs, while women cited family issues and marriage. The evaluation also determined that participants found the age range ‘too restrictive’ (ibid., p. 31).

In 2018, NRC continued to provide a comprehensive range of education and skills training courses to young people aged 16 to 32. Courses covered a variety of technical and vocational subjects, as well as online, ICT and language education. According to 2017 programme follow-up data, all graduating youth reported having acquired technical skills relevant to the training they had received, and 91 per cent reported having gained valuable interpersonal skills, including enhanced communication skills and increased self-confidence. Overall, 1,815 young Syrian refugees (610 women and 1,205 men) benefited from post-basic education and life skills training in 2018.

All facilitators and community staff have been trained in the use of the remote learning guidelines described previously, with refresher sessions scheduled for 2021. Lesson plans and outlines have been revised to allow for online delivery. A blended model of accredited vocational training was implemented between June and December 2020. In total, around 739 young learners graduated from the programme in 2020. Table 2 summarizes the benefits to various stakeholders.

Table 2. Benefits of the youth programme for NRC stakeholders.

Testimonials

‘Before the programme, my friends looked at me like, “Where are you going, what are you doing [with your life]?” Now they see me wearing new clothes that I made myself [in the tailoring course] […] learning new things, getting a little stronger and better.’

From a focus group discussion with male programme participants aged 19–32

‘ICDL [is] enough to turn an uneducated refugee into someone confident enough to deal with everyone in the camp. Also, I was able to make more friends than I ever thought I would have. The staff support the participants, making me more confident in myself, more creative. Also, they have a daycare [facility] so any parent can bring their child here while they learn new skills. [The programme has] brought a lot of change to a lot of participants here. I cannot describe in words the change we have been through.’

From a focus group discussion with male graduates aged 19–32 in Za’atari

‘At the personal level, I gained knowledge. Like, I used to know the names of software, but I couldn’t tell you what they were for. Now I know something about these software packages and I can put it on my CV. Speaking of which, I used to have to pay someone to make my CV for me, but after the course I can now do all that myself.’

From a focus group discussion with male programme participants aged 19–32

‘I learned how to deal with people, how to absorb anger, I learned about myself. I learned how to stay calm and [figure out] what is the matter with me, to act instead of react. I learned how to deal with people. […] It also helped the children. They are calmer now than before. This reduced the problems in the family. I consider the programme a caretaker, a guide, a shepherd, like a mother. […] Here, you are able to break the daily routine, meet new people, and see your friends. It is another kind of life.’

Female graduate from Za’atari, District 8

Challenges

• Policies restricting the right to work: Despite having acquired additional skills and knowledge after completing the NRC Youth Programme, young Syrians’ opportunities to work or engage in economic activities are restricted by existing policies in camps.
• Unaccredited certificates: As previously noted, the certificates provided by NRC are not accredited by the Jordanian authorities, which potentially reduces demand for NRC courses among young people. 
• Various barriers to participation: Several factors prevent young people from participating, including the restrictive age range of 15 to 32 years, the long distance participants must travel to reach the centres, and class schedules that do not fit well with learners’ work schedules or efforts to find work. Gender-related barriers were also identified, such as mixed-sex classes resulting in families refusing to let girls attend, or a lack of what is perceived to be adequate or appropriate clothing in which to leave the house.
• High drop-out rate: Completion rates from 2016 varied between the genders and across the camps. According to an internal survey conducted by the NRC, more males than females dropped out of the programme. The highest drop-out rate for males is in Azraq (52 per cent), followed by Za’atari, District 10 (44 per cent). The drop-out rate for females is also highest in Azraq (34 per cent), followed by Za’atari, District 10 (32 per cent)). Reasons for this include young people finding work or returning to Syria, and family pressure on female learners to drop out of class when they get married.

To counter these challenges, the programme strives to be sustainable in a variety of ways:

• Community ownership: The NRC Youth Programme is working towards transferring full ownership and management responsibilities to the camp community. In recent years, NRC has decreased its managerial role in centres. Today, all trainers and managers of trainers work side-by-side with community staff members. In 2021, NRC plans to continue strengthening community staff capacities by offering training in project-cycle management, leadership and management, and email correspondence. NRC will also pilot a system whereby community staff are mentored by NRC managers. In 2022, NRC plans to further expand the role and decision-making capacities of community staff with regard to centre management and operations.
• Durable solutions: Where possible, course certification is provided and international transferability secured. This enables youth to continue their education, regardless of whether they choose to stay in Jordan, return to Syria, or resettle in a third country. NRC is currently finalizing a research project to identify the skills that are most in demand in the private sector in Syria. The results of the research project will be reflected in both technical and transferable skills offerings.
• Financial sustainability: The production workshops component of the programme is based on a non-profit cost-recovery model whereby young people receive a wage and all operational and production costs are covered by the requester. Dedicated resources are invested in developing this model, as it is likely that a portion of the training and operational costs of the programme will be recouped through the income generated from production in future.
• Institutional sustainability: The NRC uses national-level coordination groups to advocate for the rights of refugee youth, and to push for changes in policy that will grant young refugees the right to quality education and decent work.

Stakeholders and partnerships

NRC partners with national and international actors to ensure better quality of learning in refugee camps. These include, among others:

• Turquoise Mountain, an organization that works to preserve heritage and create income for artisans in countries around the world.
• Specto, a market leader in the use of ICT in learning, capacity-building and quality assurance.
• Arizona State University, which offers accredited English-learning programmes.
• UNICEF, the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acting as long-term partners and donors.

Furthermore, the NRC works with the Jordanian Government, engaging in relevant Jordan Response Plan taskforces,[12] and with the Ministry of Youth. It also co-chairs the national-level Education Sector Working Group and Youth Task Force, as well as co-leading the Compact for Young People in Humanitarian Action.[13] The NRC Youth Programme has been accredited by the Jordanian Centre for Accreditation and Quality Control since 2018[14] and by the country’s Technical and Vocational Skills Development Commission (TVSDC) since December 2020. Furthermore, the NRC’s technical work-based learning programme has been accredited by Qualifi (NRC’s UK partner for international vocational skills accreditation) since early 2020.

Future plans

There are plans to expand the programme to other countries and contexts. For example, the NRC has been approached to support projects in Lebanon. The NRC Youth Programme in Jordan has developed operational guidelines that provide practical, macro-level guidance on managing and operating ICT training for capacity-building programmes in refugee contexts. It is derived from experiences in the Za’atari and Azraq camps, and focuses on sharing the NRC’s processes, scale, capacities and partnerships systems so that they can be adapted for use by other youth programmes.

References

HRW (Humans Rights Watch). 2017. “I want to continue to study.” Barriers to secondary education for Syrian refugee children in Jordan. [online] Available at: https://www.hrw.org/report/2020/06/26/i-want-continue-study/barriers-secondary-education-syrian-refugee-children-jordan [Accessed 16 June 2021].

Jordanian Ministry of Education. 2018. Education strategic plan 2018–2022. [pdf] Amman, Jordanian Ministry of Education. Available at: https://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/sites/default/files/ressources/jordan_esp_2018-2022.pdf [Accessed 15 July 2021].

NRC (Norwegian Refugee Council). 2016. Norwegian Refugee Council Jordan: Youth Programme evaluation. Prepared by Women’s Refugee Commission for the Norwegian Refugee Council. [pdf] Oslo, NRC. Available at: https://www.nrc.no/globalassets/pdf/evaluations/nrc-youth_programme-jordan-final_report.pdf [Accessed 16 June 2021].

NRC. 2021. Youth wellbeing in displacement: Case study research and NRC global framework. [pdf] Available at: https://www.nrc.no/globalassets/pdf/reports/youth-wellbeing-in-displacement/nrc-youth-wellbeing-case-study-paper-2021.pdf [Accessed 22 October 2021].

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 2018. Youth well-being policy review of Jordan [pdf] Paris, EU-OECD Youth Inclusion Project. Available at: https://www.oecd.org/dev/inclusivesocietiesanddevelopment/Youth_well_being_policy_review_Jordan.pdf [Accessed 21 October 2021].

UIL (UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning) LitBase. 2016.Norwegian Refugee Council Youth Programme, Jordan. [online] Available at: https://uil.unesco.org/case-study/effective-practices-database-litbase-0/norwegian-refugee-council-youth-programme-jordan [Accessed 16 June 2021].

UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). 2021. Global Focus. UNHCR operations worldwide: Jordan. [online] Available at: https://reporting.unhcr.org/jordan [Accessed 16 June 2021].

UNHCR. 2021. Jordan: Statistics for Registered Syrian Refugees (as of 15 October 2021). [online] Available at: https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/89180 [Accessed 11 November 2021].

United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 2015. Jordan national youth assessment. [pdf] Arlington, VA, USAID/Jordan Monitoring & Evaluation Support Project (MESP). Available at: https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KBZD.pdf [Accessed 21 October 2021].

World Bank. 2020. Jordan: US$200 million to improve digital services and access to jobs for youth and underserved communities. [online] Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/03/20/jordan-us200-million-to-improve-digital-services-and-access-to-jobs-for-youth-and-underserved-communities [Accessed 16 June 2021].

Footnotes

[1] Learn more about the International Youth Foundation (IYF) – Passport to Success curriculum at : https://www.passporttosuccess.org/

[2] The Za’atari camp has 12 districts.

[3] UNFPA : United Nations Population Fund

[4] UNESCO : The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

[5] The IDCL Foundation is an international organization that offers IT skills certification programmes worldwide, based on its globally recognized IDCL standard. For more information, see https://icdl.org.

[6] For more information on TVSDC, see https://tvsdc.gov.jo/en/.

[7] For more information on Qualifi, see https://qualifi.net/.

[8] For more information on IYF, see https://iyfglobal.org/.

^[9] In 2018, the NRC Youth Programme conducted workshops in the Za’atari and Azraq camps that enabled graduates of vocational training courses to gain more experience through on-the-job training.

[10] For more information on the Edraak in Arabic, see: https://www.edraak.org/specialization/specialization/icdlsp-vv1/ ; For more information on Edraak in English, see: https://www.edraak.org/en/

[11] Specto is a company specializing in software development and professional training. It has been responsible for bringing the ICDL programme to Jordan since 2001. For more information, see https://www.specto.co

[12] For more information on the Jordan Response Plan for the Syria Crisis, see http://www.jrp.gov.jo/.

[13] For more information on the Compact for Young People in Humanitarian Action, see https://www.youthcompact.org/.

[14] For more information on the Centre for Accreditation and Quality Control, see http://www.hcd.gov.jo/en/content/accreditation-and-quality-control.