Curriculum Developer – Serving Youth in Newcomer Communities (SYNC) Training Course

Introduction

OCASI – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants invites qualified individuals or organizations to submit a proposal to update and redevelop the content of its Serving Youth in Newcomer Communities (SYNC), a self-directed e-learning course offered in both English and French.

The SYNC course is part of OCASI’s Professional Development and Training Program, funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The course is designed to provide professional development opportunities for settlement sector employees across Ontario who work with immigrant and refugee youth aged 13 to 24.

About OCASI

Established in 1978, OCASI acts as a collective voice for immigrant and refugee-serving agencies across Ontario. With over 246 community-based member organizations, OCASI supports capacity-building, advocacy, and professional development initiatives to promote equitable outcomes for newcomers across the province.

Project Overview

Initially launched in 2009, the SYNC training course and accompanying guidebook were developed to equip frontline workers with knowledge, skills, and resources to better support newcomer youth. The course is grounded in anti-racist, anti-oppressive (ARAO) principles and emphasizes the importance of evidence-based, systemic, and collaborative approaches to support the well-being and integration of immigrant and refugee youth.

The objective of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to engage a consultant or consultant team to update and redesign the SYNC curriculum—a self-directed, five-module e-learning course developed for youth settlement service providers.

The updated curriculum will: 

• Equip service providers with timely, relevant knowledge that reflects current social, political, and immigration policy contexts impacting newcomer youth.
• Enhance providers’ abilities to recognize and respond to intersectional barriers faced by newcomer youth, including those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, have precarious or non-status immigration situations, and experience systemic issues such as housing insecurity, mental health challenges, and discrimination.
• Promote the adoption of promising practices in youth-centred programming and strengthen youth engagement approaches within organizations.
• Support learning through adult education principles and offer an interactive, accessible, and engaging user experience that increases knowledge retention and application in real-world settings.

Ultimately, this project aims to enhance service quality and responsiveness, increase equity in youth outcomes, and strengthen the sector's capacity to support diverse newcomer youth effectively.

Scope of Work

The selected consultant, organization, or team will be responsible for the following:

1. Conduct a Training Needs Assessment
   • Conduct surveys, interviews, and/or focus groups with youth settlement service providers to assess current training needs.
   • Summarize findings to inform content updates and design.
2. Research and Environmental Scan
   • Identify emerging and innovative practices among service providers in supporting newcomer youth.
   • Analyze systemic issues and responses related to mental and physical health, housing, discrimination, and violence.
   • Ensure all updates reflect current social, political, cultural, and immigration contexts in Ontario and Canada.
3. Content Development (5 Self-Directed Modules)
   • Update and redesign the curriculum in alignment with adult learning principles, using OCASI’s internal course design templates.
   • Incorporate:
     • Interactive elements (e.g., quizzes, case studies, reflection activities)
     • Scenario-based learning
     • Discussion and critical thinking prompts
     • Culturally relevant examples
   • Ensure learning objectives are clear, measurable, and aligned with Bloom’s Taxonomy.
4. Accessibility and Inclusivity
   • All content must:
     • Comply with AODA and WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards
     • Use plain language, avoid jargon, and support cognitive accessibility.
   • Include:
     • Alternative text to ensure accessibility when images or visuals are included
     • Descriptive and meaningful link text
     • Proper use of headings and structured lists
     • Transcripts for all audio and captions for all video content
   • Represent diverse identities and lived experiences, including race, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigration status, and ability.
   • Avoid stereotypes and ensure all language is inclusive, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive.
5. Assessment and Evaluation Tools
   • Develop course evaluation tools (pre- and post-assessments to measure learner knowledge and skill development)
   • Create evaluation questions embedded in the modules to support reflective learning and self-assessment
6. Citations and Copyright
   • Properly cite all external materials, including text, images, and media.
   • Ensure permission is secured for all third-party or copyrighted materials.
   • Use open-access or public domain sources wherever possible.
7. Collaboration
   • Work in close collaboration with OCASI project staff and the advisory committee.
   • Attend regular check-ins and feedback sessions to integrate guidance into content design and development.

Budget

The total available budget for complete course content development (in French and English) is $55,000 (including HST). We invite proposals from bilingual individuals/organizations demonstrating the ability to complete the scope of work themselves as well as proposals from consultant firms/organizations/individuals working in partnership to produce the course content in English and French.

However, applicants are not required to be bilingual, in which case content translation and adaptation may be subcontracted. If the selected contractor works in English only, OCASI may arrange for translation and adaptation. The available budget for content development in English only is $25,000 (including HST).

Course content development in French and English: $55,000 (including HST)

• This includes personnel, language translation, and adaptation services to produce culturally relevant content for learners in English and French.

Course content development in English only: $25,000 (including HST)

Eligibility

• Individual consultants with demonstrated experience in curriculum development, adult education, or content design for the non-profit or settlement sector.
• Consulting teams or organizations with expertise in youth programming, equity-based frameworks, and e-learning design.
• Bilingual (English/French) capacity is strongly preferred.

Required Qualifications

• Experience developing content grounded in anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and intersectional frameworks.
• Familiarity with newcomer youth issues in the Canadian context.
• Proven ability to design engaging, accessible, and interactive self-directed learning modules.
• Experience conducting needs assessments and stakeholder consultations.
• Ability to work collaboratively with advisory committees and project teams.

Proposal Requirements

Interested applicants must submit a proposal that includes the following:

• Cover Letter / Letter of Interest: Brief statement outlining interest in the project and relevant qualifications
• CV(s) or Organizational Profile: Résumé(s) of key personnel or team members, or an organizational overview
• Project Approach and Work Plan: Outline your proposed approach and key steps, with a high-level timeline
• Budget Proposal: Include your daily/hourly rate, estimated time, and total cost
  • Maximum $25,000 (including HST) for English only content development and $55,000 (including HST) for French and English content development
• Work Samples: Two examples of similar content development or training materials previously developed
• References: Names and contact information for two professional references familiar with the applicant’s work

Anticipated Project Timeline

1. Proposal submissions deadline September 8, 2025 by 5pm
2. Review and selection of consultant:  September 25, 2025
3. Project start date: September 1, 2025
4. Needs assessment and Research Phase November 1, 2025
5. Draft Content Delivery March 1, 2026
6. Final Content Submission March 15, 2026

Note: Timeline may be adjusted in consultation with the selected consultant.