Volunteer researcher - Mental health & psychosocial interventions (In-person or remote)

About Chase a Better Tomorrow (CHASE Rwanda)

Rwanda’s current generation of children is growing up in the long shadow of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, a national trauma that has proved inter-generational. Research shows that the genocide’s psychological wounds have not stopped at the survivor generation: inter-generational studies describe trauma being “picked up” by youth through family silence, parental grief, and everyday reminders in their communities. New stressors now layer onto that legacy, including chronic poverty, gender-based violence, teen pregnancy, school pressures, and, most recently, the upheavals of the COVID-19 years. The 2018 survey by the Rwanda Biomedical Centre found that over one quarter of young Rwandans aged 14-25 (27.4 %) live with psychological distress, including trauma, depression and anxiety.

Earlier studies on child survivors showed higher post-traumatic-stress rates in the immediate aftermath, and follow-up research confirms that many symptoms persist into adolescence and adulthood. While government initiatives and programmes have begun integrating mental healthcare into primary services, coverage remains insufficient and community-based child services are scarce. Cultural stigma, gender norms, and limited awareness, among others, further deter children from seeking help.

Chase a Better Tomorrow (CHASE Rwanda) is a Rwandan nonprofit organization founded in 2018. CHASE Rwanda works to empower vulnerable communities in Gasabo, Nyarugenge and Rulindo districts through mental health care, sustainable livelihoods, and access to essential services. The NGO supports children and families affected by poverty and trauma by following a “mind-and-matter” approach that combines life-improving hard infrastructure and seed capital to single entrepreneurs with psychosocial care so communities can thrive on every level. CHASE Rwanda combines the delivery of emotional support and life skills programmes to provide children and adolescents with safe spaces to process trauma, learn resilience skills and connect to referral pathways that would otherwise be out of reach, with the implementation of energy infrastructure programmes for productive uses for households and institutions. By advancing safe water, sustainable incomes, and emotional well-being in tandem, CHASE Rwanda offers a holistic pathway out of hardship and toward lasting community resilience, helping to lay a healthier foundation for Rwanda’s next generation.

Position summary

Objectives

• Build a solid evidence base on child-and-adolescent mental‐health issues in Rwanda, followed by proven psychosocial interventions in low-resource settings (especially sub-Saharan Africa).
• Identify the main programmatic gaps and opportunities for future CHASE interventions.

Key deliverables

1. Background literature landscape. A review summarizing key child-and-adolescent mental‐health issues in Rwanda, drawn from peer-reviewed and grey literature, followed by a review of carefully selected studies, programme evaluations, and technical manuals relevant to child mental health in low-resource and post-conflict settings. The sources will include both international and local (Rwanda-specific or regional) materials to ensure contextual relevance. Each source will be summarised in approximately half a page, highlighting key findings, practical lessons, and potential applications for CHASE’s programming. Special attention will be given to evidence that reflects social, economic, and cultural conditions similar to those in Rwanda.
2. Evidence synthesis brief. A concise, three-page summary that draws out common lessons and best practices from the literature. The brief will explain what types of child-psychosocial interventions are most effective, under what conditions they work, and what factors contribute to success or failure in similar settings.
3. Sector landscape mapping. A summary of key local actors (e.g., schools, clinics, NGOs) currently providing child or youth mental health support. Each actor will be presented on a separate slide, outlining their area of coverage, available services, referral mechanisms, costs (if any), and operational challenges or gaps.
4. Gap analysis memo. A 4–5 page document that integrates findings from the literature and local service mapping to identify unmet needs, underserved groups, and systemic barriers. The memo will include clear implications and recommendations to inform the design of CHASE’s child mental health programme.

Core tasks

1. Kick-off and scoping. Hold an initial meeting with the CHASE team to confirm the research questions, geographic focus, interview targets, document-sharing structure, and available support from the team.
2. Literature review. Conduct a structured search of academic databases and grey literature sources to identify and screen 12 to 15 high-quality studies, programme evaluations, or technical manuals relevant to child psychosocial support in low-resource settings. Prioritise both international and locally relevant materials, including those applicable to Rwanda and similar contexts.
3. Development of research and mapping tools. Draft the research tools to collect information on existing services (e.g., location, hours, staff, fees, referral systems). Share with CHASE leadership for rapid feedback and finalisation.
4. Stakeholder consultations. Conduct brief phone or WhatsApp interviews with at least one local teacher, one community health worker, one parent leader, and one NGO counsellor. Where possible, gather basic service delivery information from clinics or schools to support the service mapping.
5. Thematic analysis and synthesis. Review and organise findings from the literature and stakeholder interviews using key themes: availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality. Identify service gaps, inconsistencies, and opportunities for programme alignment.
6. Annotated literature compendium. Prepare concise, half-page summaries for each literature source, highlighting key findings, relevance to CHASE’s context, and potential programmatic implications. Compile all entries into a single reference document.
7. Evidence synthesis brief. Develop a three-page summary highlighting effective approaches, conditions for success, and common challenges drawn from the literature review. Emphasise relevance to Rwanda or comparable low-resource settings.
8. Gap analysis memo. Draft a four- to five-page document that combines local findings and evidence from the literature to identify critical gaps in existing services, underserved populations, and strategic priorities for CHASE. Include practical design implications for programme development.
9. Validation meeting. Present preliminary findings to CHASE leadership and relevant technical advisors. Gather feedback, clarify outstanding issues, and agree on necessary revisions to final deliverables.
10. Final packaging and submission. Incorporate feedback and finalise all documents. Organise materials in a shared digital folder and submit a brief executive summary by email, outlining top recommendations and any areas requiring follow-up.

Suggested timeline (to be agreed with the )

26 August 2025: publish call for application

10 September 2025: deadline for submission

17 September 2025: commission awarded

18 September 2025: agreed short review

25 September 2025: draft literature review

30 September 2025: CHASE Rwanda comment on draft back to author

10 October 2025: final literature review submission

Education, skills and experience required

• Applicants must hold a master’s degree in psychology, public health, social work, sociology/anthropology, international development, economics, or policy studies.
• Ability to conduct structured literature reviews, screen academic and grey literature, and synthesise findings clearly.
• Ability to summarise complex information, compare findings across sources, and communicate in concise, actionable language.
• Basic fieldwork/interview experience, designing and conducting brief, informal qualitative interviews (even remotely).
• Awareness of local context, especially regarding stigma around mental health and child protection issues.
• Ability to work independently, organise time across deliverables, and communicate proactively with a remote supervisor.
• Demonstrated organisational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Organised, efficient, and able to meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with computer software (e.g., MS Windows, MS Office programs, internet).
• Fluency in English.
• Understands and is committed to the organization’s vision, mission, and core values.

Important note

This is an unpaid volunteer position. The successful candidate, if based in Rwanda, will have any required in-country travel expenses covered.

If you’re ready to make a meaningful impact through mental health research and join a dynamic team dedicated to advancing evidence-based psychosocial support, we’d love to hear from you!