We are looking for a group coordinator to help Praxis carry out a participatory study with displaced women from Ukraine who have settled in Estonia, focusing on issues of gender equality. This is a paid opportunity.
Together with the group coordinator, we will form a group of women from Ukraine who will contribute to the research process in all its phases: deciding on the topics which will be studied, the exact methods, analysing collected data and deciding on ways of communicating the findings. This means that the participants contribute to the project as co-researchers and will also be compensated for their efforts and time. The coordinator’s key responsibility in this project is planning and facilitating the group meetings which are at the core of a participatory research process.
Who are we looking for?
Ideally, we would see a group coordinator who is:
- well-connected with other displaced Ukrainians in Estonia or motivated to build and maintain relationships;
- motivated to contribute to a project which studies the experiences of displaced Ukrainians in Estonia through a feminist lens;
- experienced in facilitating groups (discussions, workshops, creative activities, etc).
Knowledge & experience in social scientific research is a bonus, but a different background is not a deal-breaker. The coordinator will receive training in participatory research methods from Praxis and will be supported by Praxis’ analysts throughout the project.
The coordinator should have good knowledge of Estonian or English AND Ukrainian or Russian languages.
This is a paid part-time job opportunity (10h/week, monthly gross salary ca 600 EUR) from January 2024 until the end of 2024.
Please send your motivational letter latest by Jan 4, 2024 to Mari-Liis.Sepper@praxis.ee
More about the project and feminist participatory research
The focus of the study is to explore:
- What are the gendered experiences of Ukrainian refugees in Estonia?
- What are the personal coping strategies of refugees from a gender perspective? Which services and benefits support coping in Estonia, which hinder?
The study takes a feminist participatory research approach. This means that in this research project, participants are not just subjects but co-researchers, contributing their insights, experiences, and expertise throughout the research process. Feminist participatory research emphasises the active involvement and empowerment of women and marginalized genders in the research process. It centers on understanding and challenging gender inequalities, injustices, and power dynamics while amplifying the voices and experiences of those affected. More specifically, participants are empowered through connecting with people with similar experiences, becoming more aware of their situation and power relations in the society, learning new skills and trying new roles.
Practically, the process centers around group meetings. In the first meetings, participants get to know each other better, then move on to identifying the main problem through discussions and planning research methods like surveys or interviews. The community actively participates in data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Together, they develop action plans and interventions based on their findings, aiming for tangible positive change. The process is cyclical and includes continuous reflection and evaluation to inform the next steps, ensuring that the community’s interests remain at the core of the research journey. Often creative methods, such as storytelling, different arts-based activities, drama, photography, or mapping are used throughout the process in order to engage participants and create deeper insights.