Open Call for the External Evaluator - YoU Decide Project

Terms of reference 

Project name:  YoU Decide: Supporting Ukrainian Youth in Making Informed Decisions  

Project Lifecycle: May 2025 to November 2026 

Starting date: as soon as possible 

Indicative number of working days: 10-15 

Budget: 8.500 – 10.000 EUR including Belgian VAT, or 7024.79 – 8264.46 EUR excluding Belgian VAT 

About Missing Children Europe (MCE) 

Missing Children Europe (MCE) is the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children connecting 35 organisations from 28 European countries committed to prevent that children go missing and to protect them from any violence, abuse or exploitation that leads to or results from going missing.  

About YoU Decide Project 

YoU Decide is an ongoing EU-funded project implemented by Missing Children Europe, in partnership with Terre des Hommes Hungary, ITAKA Foundation (Poland), and the Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU) in Czechia. The project runs from 1 May 2025 to 2 November 2026 and aims to support displaced Ukrainian youth in making informed decisions about their future. 

In the context of integration, social inclusion, and the prevention of going missing, the project addresses the specific challenges faced by displaced Ukrainian youth by empowering them to seek information and support, particularly when they become unaccompanied or transition into adulthood. Their vulnerability is further exacerbated by persistent risks of malicious offers, exploitation, trafficking, and scams. While information and services for Ukrainian refugees exist in EU Member States, the tailored and nuanced support required by this group has largely been overlooked. 

YoU Decide provides a scalable and sustainable solution to this gap through an innovative, participatory approach and the use of the Miniila mobile application. The project is implemented in Poland, Hungary, and Czechia, with a focus on the capital cities, and seeks to create lasting impact on the protection and integration of displaced Ukrainian youth. In parallel, the project aims to inform regional, national, and European policies by highlighting the specific needs and vulnerabilities of this group, through coordination with local integration actors and advocacy for more comprehensive support systems. 

For more information on project activities and partners please visit: YoU Decide – Missing Children Europe 

Nature of services requested 

The External Evaluator will be responsible for conducting a mid-term and a final evaluation of the YoU Decide project. 

Mid-term evaluation 

The evaluator shall carry out a mid-term evaluation based on desk research and structured consultations with relevant project stakeholders. The evaluation will assess progress towards project objectives, effectiveness of implementation, and early outcomes across work packages, measured against agreed KPIs and contractual deliverables. 

The mid-term evaluation report shall: 

• Assess progress, coherence, and effectiveness of activities; 

• Review early results and emerging impact; 

• Identify strengths, challenges, and risks; and 

• Provide clear, actionable recommendations to inform project management and implementation during the second half of the project. 

The evaluator will present the key findings and recommendations at the Project Taskforce meeting scheduled for the end of March 2026. 

Final evaluation 

The evaluator shall conduct a final evaluation in September–October 2026, assessing the project’s overall effectiveness, impact, relevance, sustainability, and added value, using a pre- and post-evaluation approach where applicable. 

The final evaluation report (5–8 pages, internal narrative, in English) shall: 

• Assess achievement of objectives and expected results; 

• Evaluate impact across all work packages (including research, Hub meetings, app launch, awareness-raising, and advocacy); 

• Assess performance against KPIs and completion of deliverables; and 

• Identify lessons learned, good practices, and recommendations for future programming and policy uptake. 

All deliverables shall be submitted in English and in accordance with the agreed timelines. 

Type of expertise required 

• Proven experience in child rights–based and child-/youth-led project evaluations. 

• Proven experience in EU-funded projects. Experience in project evaluation is desirable 

• Strong knowledge and skills in qualitative and participatory evaluation methodologies. 

• Fluency in English and excellent analytical and report-writing skills. 

• Experience and knowledge in the fields of migration, forced displacement, transition into adulthood and integration, which will be considered a strong advantage. 

Expected deliverables and timetable 

Two main deliverables are expected: 

• One interim evaluation mid-term progress report in English.
• One final evaluation report in English.

Assessment and selection for the call 

The external evaluator will be selected on the basis of their experience for the assignment and through a comparison of capabilities among those expressing interest in the call. Capability will be judged on the basis of qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge on the relevant topic. The assessment of the candidates will also include a combined evaluation of the technical offer with the financial offer to ensure quality and best value.  

Given that the external evaluator will have direct contact with the project’s Youth Board, the selected candidate will also be requested to present a recent DBS certificate.  

Interested candidates should submit: 

• A technical and financial offer demonstrating a clear understanding of the assignment and the project’s thematic focus. The offer shall include the proposed evaluation methodology, work plan and timetable, and a detailed budget. 

• An up-to-date CV highlighting relevant professional experience. 

• Samples of previous work relevant to the scope of this assignment (e.g. evaluation reports or similar outputs). 

• Contact details of two professional references. 

Offer submission  

All offers must be submitted to the Senior Programmes Officer, Alyona Samar at Alyona.samar@missingchildreneurope.eu 

The deadline to submit an offer is Thursday 5th of February 2026.