The adidas Foundation gGmbH is inviting proposals from experienced consultants or expert teams to design and deliver a Youth Participation and High-Quality Listening Learning Journey across its global programmes.
This assignment focuses on strengthening how organisations in the sport-for-development sector engage with young people through meaningful participation, safeguarding, accountability, and reflective practice.
About the Opportunity
The adidas Foundation seeks a specialist to develop a structured learning journey that supports organisations working in sport-for-good to meaningfully involve young people in decision-making, programme design, and evaluation.
The initiative is grounded in the belief that youth engagement must go beyond consultation and move toward shared ownership, active listening, and sustained participation. The learning journey will support organisations at different levels of experience to build or strengthen their youth participation approaches.
The consultant will design both conceptual and practical components of the programme, ensuring that learning is not only theoretical but directly applicable in real-world sport-for-good contexts.
Assignment Objectives
The selected consultant(s) will design and facilitate a comprehensive learning journey that includes:
- A structured framework for youth participation and high-quality listening practices
- Practical tools, facilitation guides, and case-based learning materials
- Interactive learning components such as peer exchange sessions and applied exercises
- Adaptable content for organisations with varying levels of experience
- A strong emphasis on safeguarding, ethical engagement, and accountability mechanisms
A key requirement of the assignment is the development of a Training of Trainers (ToT) model, enabling the adidas Foundation to independently replicate and scale the learning journey in future programme cycles.
What the Work Involves
The consultant will be expected to:
- Design a learning architecture that combines theory, practice, and reflection
- Develop facilitation methodologies for youth participation training
- Create toolkits and resources for organisational implementation
- Incorporate real-world case studies from sport-for-good initiatives
- Strengthen organisational capacity to embed youth voice in programme design
- Ensure approaches are inclusive, accessible, and adaptable across global contexts
The learning journey should enable organisations to build confidence, ownership, and reflective practice in working with young people.
About the Organisation
The adidas Foundation gGmbH is an independent nonprofit organisation committed to leveraging the transformative power of sport to address global challenges including inequality, discrimination, conflict, and climate change.
Operating autonomously while maintaining a close relationship with adidas AG, the Foundation focuses on:
- Supporting grassroots sport-for-development initiatives globally
- Providing grants and capacity-building support to local organisations
- Empowering social entrepreneurs and community-led projects
- Advancing research and advocacy in the sport-for-good sector
Its mission is to ensure equitable access to sport and physical activity while promoting inclusive, community-driven social change.
Candidate Profile
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Proven experience in youth participation, facilitation, or participatory programme design
- Strong expertise in learning design, training delivery, or capacity-building frameworks
- Knowledge of safeguarding and ethical youth engagement practices
- Experience working in sport-for-development, education, or community engagement sectors (desirable)
- Ability to translate complex participatory concepts into clear, practical tools
- Strong facilitation and communication skills in English
- Experience designing Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes is an advantage
Proposals and CVs must be submitted separately, with all CVs and portfolios combined into a single PDF file.
Application Details
- Type: Freelance consultancy (remote, part-time)
- Submission language: English
- Deadline: 12 July 2026
- Questions deadline: 8 July 2026
- Contact: [email protected]
Applicants are encouraged to review the full Terms of Reference on the learn more button below before submitting their application.
Why This Assignment Matters
This consultancy reflects a broader shift in global sport-for-development practice toward genuine youth participation and shared decision-making. Rather than treating young people as passive beneficiaries, this initiative aims to strengthen systems where youth voices actively shape programmes, policies, and organisational culture.
By developing a scalable learning journey and Training of Trainers model, the consultant will contribute to long-term capacity building across a global network of organisations working with young people through sport.
Equal Opportunity Statement
The adidas Foundation gGmbH welcomes applications from all qualified individuals regardless of gender identity, background, nationality, beliefs, or ability. The organisation is committed to inclusive, equitable, and transparent recruitment practices.
