Proposed research project title
A strengths and assets based needs assessment for youth development in Baucau Diocese, Timor-Leste
Description of lead organisation
Australian Marist Solidarity (AMS) works to ensure that all young people have access to educational opportunities.
We believe education has the power to eradicate poverty. With our Australian community we support grassroots movements run by local people, by resourcing them to deliver the changes they want to make in their communities.
Working across Asia and the Pacific, our projects focus on providing access to education for vulnerable young people, building facilities for the future to ensure safe spaces for learning, and investing in resilience and readiness to help young people who need a little extra support to thrive in learning environments.
Together, we transform the lives of young people by raising awareness of the power of education, and the funds that make it possible. Together, we bring hope.
AMS is a Catholic faith-based organization, guided by the Marist Brothers' principles and the Catholic tradition of service, compassion, and commitment to justice. Our work, primarily in the Asia-Pacific region, focuses on education and skill development, drawing inspiration from the teachings of Saint Marcellin Champagnat. AMS aims to foster dignity, hope, and solidarity, creating inclusive communities where education serves as a pathway to social justice, ethical leadership, and community service, reflecting our deep-rooted Catholic values and mission.
Existing relationship with ACU
AMS and ACU have an informal relationship through engagement with shared community partners in the Baucau district of Timor Leste and collaboration between staff. AMS also receives funds from the Emerge Foundation each year via ACU, to support its work at the ICFP Teacher Training College in Baucau, Timor-Leste.
Context of the research project
AMS acknowledges the critical role of youth services in fostering development and empowerment among young people in Baucau, Timor Leste. Our current and past partnerships with local organisations, including CTUF Uai Lili and CYC Ponta Leste, have been instrumental in addressing the unique needs of the youth in this region. However, these partnerships face significant challenges, particularly in maintaining the necessary accreditation and meeting stringent reporting expectations, which are crucial for the sustainability and effectiveness of these youth services. There have been instances where these challenges have seen the cessation of, or reduced impact of, much needed services.
Youth development is deeply aligned with the Marist Charism, emphasising education, social justice, and community support as pathways to personal and communal growth. The Marist Brothers, in collaboration with AMS, acknowledge therefore a desire to continue delivering such services. But the specific needs, existing capacities as well as the optimal model – stand alone, partnership, broader collaborations – is not currently well understood.
The project would leverage the linkages and relationships developed over more than 20 years of continued service and engagement of the Marist Brothers within the Baucau district – work that began as soon as the young nation achieved independence in the late 1990s. These linkages include the Brothers themselves, staff, connections within the broader network of Catholic orders and the Baucau Diocese as well as the alumni and current students of the ICFP teacher training college. It is the capacity for AMS to access this large network of contacts and relationships that provides a potentially fruitful context for a new model and prospective new program.
Proposed research questions
- What are the development needs of youth in the Baucau Diocese of Timor Leste? (including social, economic and cultural dimensions)
- What are the current assets, resources, strengths, and capacities that exist within the community to meet these needs?
- Which assets can be further developed to improve the capacity to meet these needs?
- What is the optimal model for the Marist Brothers and AMS to be engaged with sustainable and effective youth development within the Baucau Diocese?
Objectives of the research
The objectives of this research project, focusing on youth development needs in the Baucau Diocese of Timor Leste, revolve around developing a comprehensive understanding and strategic approach towards enhancing the lives of young people in this region. The research is driven by a desire to directly engage with the youth, and those involved in delivering youth services, to capture a detailed narrative of the community's needs from the perspective of its most vibrant yet vulnerable demographic. Recognised stakeholders in this endeavour include multiple religious orders, the Baucau Diocese, faith-based and government educational institutions, and existing non-governmental organisations dedicated to youth welfare.
Central to our objectives is the deployment of an Assets-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach for asset mapping within the community. This methodology is chosen for its positive focus, emphasizing existing strengths, capacities, and potentials, rather than deficiencies and problems. By identifying current assets and resources, from individual assets such as community leaders, through physical infrastructures like schools, community centres and public spaces to intangible assets such as community spirit and local knowledge, we aim to construct a detailed inventory of what Baucau currently has to offer to its youth.
Furthermore, this project seeks to pinpoint opportunities for Australian Marist Solidarity (AMS) and its partners to enhance these existing assets. The goal is to facilitate mutually beneficial capacity-building initiatives that not only leverage but also amplify the value of what is already in place. Such an approach ensures that development efforts are grounded in the community's existing foundation, thereby enhancing sustainability and effectiveness.
The ultimate ambition of this research is multi-faceted. Firstly, to gain clarity on the specific needs of Baucau's youth,exploring the challenges they face and the aspirations they harbour. Secondly, to map out the current landscape of assets, strengths, resources, opportunities, and capacities within the community that are or could be harnessed to meet these needs. Thirdly, to identify the gaps in capacity that require development, whether they be in skills, knowledge, infrastructure, or other critical areas. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, to conceptualize an optimal model for AMS and the Marist Brothers' involvement in youth development within Baucau. This model will aim to be community centres, sustainable, effective, and deeply resonant with the Marist ethos of service, education, and community support, ensuring that the youth of Baucau have the resources, opportunities, and support network they need to thrive.
Anticipated outcomes and outputs
Anticipated key outcomes:
Comprehensive Needs Analysis: The project is expected to yield a detailed understanding of the specific development needs of the youth in Baucau Diocese. This will include insights into the educational, vocational, social, and emotional support required to foster a conducive environment for their holistic development.
Asset Inventory: A thorough mapping of existing community assets and capacities that can support youth development will be completed. This inventory will highlight the physical, institutional, and human resources available within the community, including schools, community centers, local organizations, and key community leaders and influencers.
Identification of Capacity Gaps: The research will identify gaps in the current system that hinder the effective delivery of youth services. This will cover areas such as educational content and delivery, vocational training opportunities, access to healthcare and emotional support, and availability of safe and engaging community spaces for youth.
Strategic Development Model/s: A key outcome will be the formulation of optimal potential model/s for sustainable and effective youth development in Baucau. The model/s will outline how AMS, the Marist Brothers, and other stakeholders can best contribute to and support the identified needs and utilize the mapped assets. It will include recommendations for capacity building, partnerships, and program development.
Actionable Recommendations: The project will provide actionable recommendations for AMS, the Marist Brothers, and their partners to enhance their current programs and initiatives or develop new strategies to address the identified needs and capacity gaps.
These outcomes will inform the strategic direction of AMS and the Marist Brothers in Baucau and provide a framework for collaboration with local stakeholders, including government and non-government organizations, to ensure a coordinated and impactful approach to youth development in the area.
Organisations’ anticipated timeframe
Acknowledging the added complexities provided by an international context it is expected that this project may take longer than some domestic SESU projects. Much of this will be encapsulated in the initial stages – particularly the process of obtaining ethical clearance both in Timor Leste and within Australia. Furthermore, the language context/barrier may increase the lead times on development of some resources such as surveys. It is expected that at least one of the research team will need to spend time in country to effectively conduct this research – approval and execution of which may also add time to the completion. However, the fact that most of the required network of contacts etc. are already in place and maintained by the Marist Brothers in country removes some of the potential time intensive barriers. In consideration of all of these elements this it is expected that a timeframe of 12 – 18, possibly up to 24 months would likely be required to complete this program.
Existing data
N/A
Involvement of minors
Yes, AMS intends that data will be collected from persons under the age of 18.
Organisations’ project lead, expertise and their desired support from ACU
As an international development organisation AMS has extensive expertise and experience working interculturally and has been working in Timor-Leste in various capacities since the Marist Brothers first established their teacher training college in Baucau following Timorese independence. AMS been present and had partnerships with community groups in the Baucau Archdiocese for more than 12 years, including in central Baucau and in the subdistricts to the East and South of Baucau town. Given the Marist charism’s focus on supporting young people, the majority of this work has been with youth organisations and schools providing education to children of primary and secondary school age. AMS and the Marist Brothers have staff with strong Timorese language skills, primarily as native speakers. There are also a range of Australians in our network who have extensive experience with Timorese culture and language. We are seeking support with strong research skills and experience from ACU.
In-kind contributions from the organisations
AMS will be able to set up and initiate connection between the researchers and a broad range of related local stakeholders in Baucau. Through our local partners we can assist the researchers with logistical planning for in-community research visits and support local cultural orientation if needed. Assistance with translation can also be provided.
Proposed partner agencies
The Marist Foundation Timor-Leste (FMTL) is the governing body for Marist Brothers programs in Timor-Leste. Established initially to support the development of the ICFP Teacher Training College in Baucau, it is currently also establishing the first Marist school in Timor-Leste near the town of Lautem, to the East of Baucau. AMS collaborates strongly with FMTL to support the ICFP Teacher Training College, particularly through scholarships for young people who are training to be qualified as teachers. AMS and FMTL have also partnered together, and with the Diocese of Baucau, to deliver the school rebuilding program, which has seen AMS renovate/rebuild 14 catholic schools in the Diocese. FMTL is the local implementation partner that oversees the program in-country for AMS. FMTL and AMS also both support the 12 Australian Marist schools who visit Timor-Leste each year for immersion experiences, building strong long-term relationships between Australian and Timorese communities. The organisations share the ethos of the Marist charism, a vision for all young people in need to access hope and education and a commitment to child rights and activity grounded in authentic solidarity and subsidiarity. FMTL, with AMS support and resourcing, would play a key role in hosting the researchers and connecting them with key local stakeholders and communities for the research.
The Catholic Education Office within the Diocese of Baucau, known as Fundacao San Jose (FSJ), oversees 109 schools from pre-school to senior high school level. Within these schools there are over 20,000 students and almost 1,000 teachers. Following the ‘scorched earth’ policy of the retreating Indonesian occupiers, one of the challenges faced by FSJ is that many schools require major structural redevelopment for which they do not have available funds to achieve. FSJ partners with AMS to redevelop strategically selected schools in large catchment areas or schools that are nearing complete disrepair and to date the partnership has resulted in 14 school renovations/rebuilds. FSJ would support the researchers to connect with youth programs hosted/offered by other catholic orders and ministries.
Recommendations from the SESU Advisory Group
This is an international research project. Additional overseas approvals and research ethics requirements will apply, as well as other required actions, which are likely to extend the timeline beyond the usual 18-month timeframe for SESU projects.
The project will be ‘higher risk’ from a research ethics perspective if new data is collected from minors. The risks will need careful attention and management.