Movement on the Ground - placement

Movement On The Ground (MOTG) is a Dutch organisation founded in 2015 by five independent business people and creatives who were touched by the refugee crisis and called to action. Motivated to change the game of the humanitarian field, MOTG has made its mission to implement a “new” model of what a refugee camp should be. This new model, which is based on the Camp to campUs philosophy, is more dignified, sustainable, innovative and eventually also cheaper. A campUs focuses on making use of - and building skills of both refugees and host populations. MOTG aims to prove this new model (which is currently being implemented by MOTG on Lesvos and Samos) and persuade other humanitarian actors (UNHCR in particular) to adopt the model globally. More information on the Camp to campUs philosophy can be found in the annex.

Placement objectives and tasks:

The goal is to build a fundable business case for a new generation refugee camp. MOTG is convinced that the Camp to campUs model works, the business case must convince donors and other humanitarian actors. Only when the broader humanitarian industry adopts the Camp to campUs model as the new standard will we profoundly change the game in the sector and create impact at scale. 

The business case should therefore be seen as a blueprint, showcasing all aspects of running a campUs, including: 

  • Financial business plan to build and operate a full-fletched campUs, showcasing cost effectiveness of the campUs model when compared to the traditional model (i.e., costs saved per refugee, per local)
  • Organizational chart – roles, responsibilities, and character traits 
  • The way in which the camp will be run and operated on a day-to-day basis, and how this differs from the traditional model
  • Required (financial) reporting to prove the campUs business case
  • The advantages of focusing on 1) the inclusion of the refugee community in the daily operations of the campUs, and 2) building skills of campUs residents through the Movement Academy (MOTG’s education arm)
  • The advantages of connecting with local communities and businesses to make them part of the campUs, including what demonstratable difference this makes when compared to not including them (i.e., on an economic, local perception and/or security front)
  • The overall advantages of Camp to campUs compared to the current model camps (run by UNHCR), this can be on various fronts, i.e., human dignity, safety, financially, facilitating integration into the EU job markets, etc.
  • Implementation plan outlining all steps that need to be taken to build the world’s first Camp to campUs site from scratch. 

MOTG has a specific site in mind (in Greece), which can function as the pilot to build the world’s first Camp to campUs. The business case will be used to secure funding and cooperation to kickstart this pilot campUs for 10,000 refugees. The business case therefore needs to be written in a fundable way ánd in a language that other humanitarian actors will understand (to increase the chance of them picking it up as the new standard). 

Placement dates:

March - September, part time or full time

Requirements:

MOTG are looking for PhD researchers with the following expertise:

  1. Someone who understands the refugee situation very well and is convinced that the current model is not sustainable or effective.
  2. This person should be a business plan maker guru who understands how data should be presented so that it can be sold well

To apply, please send a CV and a short statement speicyfing why you are interested in the role to Dr Denitsa Filipova (denitsa.filipova@socsci.ox.ac.uk) by 21 February 2021.