Research Partner, Comparative Review of The Pillowcase Project, GDPC

The Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC), a joint venture of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and American Red Cross, works with the Red Cross and Red Crescent (RC/RC) network in development and delivery of youth disaster preparedness education.

The GDPC is currently implementing an international pilot of The Pillowcase Project, a youth preparedness program designed and used by American Red Cross domestic chapters. With support from the Walt Disney Company beginning in 2014, The Pillowcase Project has expanded to Australia, Hong Kong, Mexico, Peru, United Kingdom, and Vietnam. The program’s 60-90 minute disaster preparedness lesson, which is delivered by Red Cross staff and volunteers, is designed to teach students (ages 8-11) about local hazards, basic psychosocial coping skills, and general preparedness actions. The curriculum aims to empower children with the confidence and skill-set to take appropriate actions in reducing the potential impact of disaster. Over the past two years, the national societies have explored the scalability of The Pillowcase Project’s modular design.

To validate and further inform the program model that will allow for successful implementation by any RC/RC national society, the GDPC is looking to collaborate with research partners in a ‘Comparative Review of The Pillowcase Project.’ The findings will help guide future Pillowcase Project developments, adaptability, and integration within national contexts and ultimately within The Comprehensive School-Safety Framework.

Scope:

This study will comparatively review relevant literature, available program documentation, video case studies, teacher training tools and manuals, and national society reports and evaluations across the pilot locations – Australia, Hong Kong, Mexico, Peru, United Kingdom, and Vietnam - as well as The American Red Cross. These materials and data will be reviewed in close relation to Comprehensive School-Safety Pillar 2 and 3 tools along with measures used by other partners in the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES). Where relevant, interviews with key actors for additional program feedback will help inform the review. The scope will involve the following:

• An overview of existing literature on best practices of youth preparedness and child-centered DRR and resilience education, particularly focused on The Comprehensive School-Safety Framework;
• An assessment of The Pillowcase Project Curriculum (English) – examining methods, approaches, and tools available – and analyzing its content for adaptability, in consideration of IFRC’s Public Awareness and Public Education (PAPE) key messages;
• A critical review of the roll-out, implementation, and M&E methodologies of The Pillowcase Project in the seven participating countries, extracting lessons learned of strengths and limitations as they meet programmatic objectives;
• An assessment of how The Pillowcase Project aligns within The Comprehensive School-Safety Framework

For further details on the project background, expected outputs, timeline and deliverables please consult the Terms of Reference.

For questions please send an email to bonnie.haskell@redcross.org specifying ‘Comparative Review of The Pillowcase Project’ in the subject line.