1. Right To Play/IICRD Baseline Jam Suka Early Qualitative Findings
Research Orientation and Initial Results
October, 2016
Dr. Philip Cook, Michele Cook IICRD

2. Research Goal of Mali Jam Suka Mission
The research aims of the September 18th – October 4th Mali visit were to:
Finalize list of indicators from Jam Suka PMF and tie these indicators to appropriate quantitative and qualitative research tools
Conduct baseline training with RTP staff and baseline enumerators
Begin and oversee Household survey process
Gather baseline qualitative data in all three regions
Begin data analysis

3. Research Goal of Mali Jam Suka Mission

4. Context
Need for baseline research to initiate Jam Suka project (submit report to GAC)
Inform Jam Suka programming in strengthening local protection mechanisms in mitigating risks
Strengthen links between monitoring, evaluation and learning
Team of 4 IICRD staff visited Mali from Sep. 18th – Oct. 4th
Bamako enumerator HH training (Sep. 23 – 26)
Qual. Research in Yanfolila (Sekasso), Kenieba (Kayes), and Badiagara (Mopti) (Sep. 27 – Oct. 4)

5. An Ecological Approach of Childhood Development, Risk and Protection

6. Risk factors can pile up

7. Protective factors can mitigate risks

8. Research Methods Household (HH) Survey (Quant) (1680T/560R)
Ethnography (Qual)
Participant Action Research (Qual)
That draws on:
IICRD and other global experience in CP M&E
New child and youth centred approaches to CP M&E (IICRD CAPE)
Community engagement in CP M&E (Wessells)

9. Household Surveys (Quant)
Adolescent (1200T/400R)
Caregiver (400T/100R)
Vulnerable adolescent (180T/60R)
Practitioners (45T/15R)
Tablet based/POIMAPPER
Each survey approx. 1 hour/practitioner 20min
Informed consent
Resources available upon request
Completion: Oct. 18 (Adol 10, VA 13, CG 16, Pr 17)

10. Qualitative data per region
Focus groups with vulnerable children (approx. 20 boys/girls)
Key informant interviews with vulnerable children (4 boys/girls)
Walking tour using POIMAPPER to map risk and protective factors
Focus group with caregivers (20 men and women)
KII with CG (2-4)
Focus group with practitioners and local leaders (20 men and women)
Spidergram on issues of accessibility and barriers with children, caregivers and practitioners (45)
KII with practitioners (2-4)
(Summary Data Analysis)

12. Initial Findings
High levels of risk for boys and girls (FGM, early marriage, child labour)
Emphasis on poverty and entrenched social norms
Week government protective systems
Generally week civil society protection (stronger in Yanfolila than Kenieba)
Need for RTP and Jam Suka child protection program
Need for creative partnership with local community, CBO’s and government (formal/non-formal systems)

13. Findings (cont’d)
Need to examine interventions to increase protective factors while mitigating risk factors
Focus on unique needs and situation of MVC
In many cases FGM now happens in infancy, implications for work with adolescents
Sensitization with economic strengthening
Need to work closely with Social Opinion Leaders for issues like early marriage and FGM
Deep engagement with children, especially

14. Findings: The subjective understanding and experience of psychosocial support
Key role of family in buffering children from risk
Role of non-formal supports (e.g. women’s groups, religious organizations, sports clubs etc) in providing psychosocial
Important role of gender and peer relations as risk and protection factor
Children’s unique strategies to mitigate social isolation and desire to return home

15. Findings: The subjective understanding and experience of psychosocial support
Lack of opportunity and social and physical space for protection and formal and non-formal education
Importance of secondary risk factors experienced in Lebanon equal to, or greater than, psychosocial stressors from war in Syria
Importance of education and play in recovery and resilience

16. Findings: The role of play in psychosocial recovery, resilience and social justice
Important of discriminating between diverse forms of play (sport, creative arts, theatre and role play, imagination, See Hughes, 2002)
Spectrum of psychosocial positive outcomes from healing, recovery, resilience, social justice
Adapting interventions considering relation between physical space and play (refugee centre, community space, football pitches)
Emergence of local games and child lead games (e.g. math games)

17. Findings: The role of play in psychosocial recovery, resilience and social justice
Virtuous circle from play, to learning, to resilience, to play
Spectrum of communication skills from experience, reflect, connect, apply healing, recovery, resilience, social justice
Role of children’s rights in broadening role of play to include systemic issues of social justice
Importance of competition in play and recovery
Fertile, untilled ground of culture in Lebanese and Syrian contexts
Role of play in strengthening protection (reducing symptoms) and promotional (enhancing well-being) factors

18. Next steps
Focus for next visit (one on one interviews with children and care providers, interviews with coaches, interviews with key experts)
Process for pilot testing of new tools
Reinforcing and articulating child rights contribution to child and family recovery
Explore and enhance local cultural values (e.g. modesty, bravery, compassion)
Partner with local academic institutions
RTP’s contribution to global learning on play, psychosocial support, protection – link programming, policy, advocacy EIE/CP

19. Thank You/Shukraan