DEMAC – The Diaspora Emergency Action & Coordination initiative, hosted by The Danish Refugee Council, is excited to invite local Ukrainian NGOs to apply for participation in the Advisory Group within the framework of the SwitchMobile project.

SwitchMobile is a pioneering mobile application dedicated to facilitating localized humanitarian aid, focusing on skills and knowledge exchange between diaspora organizations and local NGOs. Supported and funded by USAID, the project aims to establish a robust digital platform for humanitarian response activities. DEMAC is actively engaged in supporting the development and finalization of the app and seeks collaboration from the Ukrainian diaspora and local NGOs to participate in the co-creation process and foster a vibrant community around the application.

For this purpose, DEMAC is launching a call for application to establish an Advisory Group of five diaspora organizations and five LNGOs in Ukraine, who are interested in participating from June 2024 to May 2025. 

Advisory group will consist of 10 members. They all need to be registered NGOs or charities in their countries of residence. The primary objective of the Advisory Group is to advise and support DEMAC in the development and implementation of the SwitchMobile project over a period of 12 months.

Through active engagement, members of the Advisory Group will play a crucial role in setting strategic directions, providing valuable insights, and ensuring the effectiveness and relevance of the project.

Members should be prepared to attend meetings systematically, mostly remotely, to contribute actively to discussions in the group, and to provide feedback and comments on developments of features, etc. under discussion. As a general rule, documents shared with the Advisory Group will be drafted in Ukrainian/English and meetings will be also conducted in Ukrainian.

1. Nominate one person as representative in the group from the organization. 

2. Provide input and advice on the development & finalization of the SwitchMobile App. 

3. Participate in regular meetings and discussions to review progress and address challenges and benefits.  

• 1 Kick-off Event in June in Ukraine or neighbouring country for 1-2 full-days 
• 3 consultative workshops from August to November for 3 hours/workshops 
• Be available once a month on an ad-hoc basis for feedback around the app, such as testing features, functionality, etc. per email, Telegram, or call. 

4. Participate in regular meetings and discussions to review progress and address challenges and benefits. 

Before applying for the SwitchMobile Advisory Group, please review the criteria below. Be aware that the number of participating organizations is limited to 5 local NGOs from Ukraine. After the submission deadline, we will select participant organizations: 

1. Your organization is currently actively engaged in humanitarian response in Ukraine. 

2. The organization is officially registered in Ukraine, as an NGO or charity. 

3. The organization is interested in intensifying their network and collaboration with other local NGOs and/or Ukrainian migrant associations outside of Ukraine for humanitarian response activities. 

4. The organization follows the Humanitarian Principles of Neutrality, Humanity, Independence, and Impartiality.

1. Intensify Network: Opportunity to collaborate with diaspora organizations, local NGOs, and USAID, fostering valuable connections and partnerships. 

2. Strengthen Capacity: Access to workshops and tailored trainings organized by DEMAC to enhance skills and knowledge relevant to humanitarian response activities. 

3. Participation in Events: Free participation in DEMAC-hosted events, including conferences and workshops, providing opportunities for networking and learning. 

4. Increased Visibility: Featured as a preferred partner through DEMAC channels, increasing visibility and recognition within the humanitarian community. 

5. Compensation: Participants will receive compensation of $1,500 for their engagement in the Advisory Group. 

Interested NGOs are invited to submit their applications by completing this short form, including a brief statement of interest highlighting their expertise and experience relevant to the SwitchMobile project.   

The application can be sent in Ukrainian or English. START YOUR APPLICATION HERE

Application deadline: 30 April 2024

We look forward to receiving applications from local NGOs eager to contribute to the success of the SwitchMobile project and collaborate in shaping the future of humanitarian response activities in Ukraine. After the deadline, DEMAC will select the most relevant applications and reach out to you with the results of the selection process. 

DEMAC - Diaspora Emergency Action & Coordination, is a global initiative that works for a deeper understanding of diasporas as humanitarian actors and strives for better coordination between diaspora organizations, local networks, and the institutional humanitarian system. We are hosted by the Danish Refugee Council and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark with Ukrainian staff based in Kyiv, Ukraine.  

Founded in 2015, DEMAC aims to increase engagement, visibility, and recognition for diaspora organizations within the humanitarian system. Within the framework of DEMAC activities in Ukraine, we are collaborating with USAID on developing a mobile app for digital connection and collaboration between Ukrainian diaspora organizations and Ukrainian NGOs.