The Creative Side of the Proximity Brain.
Proximity Lab
The Lab is the center of Proximity's innovation and learning. It's our space to refine ideas, pilot new approaches, test hypotheses, and disseminate findings. The Lab sits at the nexus of our program design and delivery. It is how we improve and how our real-life operational problems get solved.
Lab Fellowships
The Lab hosts fellows to support its innovation. We provide our fellows with access to expansive, on-the-ground teams of enumerators in volatile contexts and facilitate research permissions and industry introductions. This access enables researchers to collect robust qualitative and quantitative data in contexts where independent fieldwork is unsafe and logistically difficult. We also provide our fellows with research guidance and support.Our fellowships are open to humanitarian and development practitioners as well as junior and senior scholars. Please get in touch if you think you would be a good fit for our fellowship program – or would like to find out more!
Making A Difference with Data
Within the Lab, we undertake self-funded research to give back to the communities we serve. Our work amplifies the voices and builds the capacity of the communities that we serve. We also help to strengthen the humanitarian aid and development sectors by identifying gaps and redundancies, allowing for better coordination between actors.
About
Research Spotlight
Policing in Syria
As Syria undergoes a profound transition, the country is grappling with the need to rebuild its institutions. Crucial in this process will be the capacity and capability of the security institutions (including the police) – and the extent to which they are inclusive and people centric. This research provides readers with a background on (a) different concepts of security and policing, (b) the history of policing in the Middle East and North Africa, and (c) recent examples of policing in the region, with a focus on community engagement.
About
Research Spotlight
Syria in Transition
As part of its work with the BASIC Research programme led by the Institute for Development Studies (IDS), Proximity conducted a rapid assessment of the current changes in social protection across Syria. Situational social protection reports were produced by ten Syrian researchers across nine governorates. Collectively, the reports highlight a further deterioration of social protection provision in Syria, and increasingly blurred lines between social protection, local charitable organisations and humanitarian relief actors.
What the MEL?
A Proximity-Powered Podcast
"What the MEL?" is a Proximity-powered podcast. It is a space for in-depth, honest discussions on all things research, monitoring, evaluation, and learning for humanitarian aid and development. The podcast is co-hosted by Ezra Karmel and Richard Harrison and each episode features interesting new guests from the worlds of MEL and programming.
We're always open to suggestions about the podcast.
Approximations:
A Proximity Blog
Past Research Spotlight:
Survey of Jordanian Residents
Regarding Covid-19 Vaccination Reluctance
Given high levels of vaccine reluctance in Jordan, Proximity conducted a nation-wide survey in the summer of 2021. The research aimed to better understand perceptions and behaviors around the vaccine and thereby support efforts to increase vaccine acceptance and distribution.
The survey was administered to 1266 residents of Jordan, covering the north, center, and south, as well as urban and rural areas. It was conducted both online and in person via Proximity’s established network of Field Monitors. The results of this self-funded research have been distilled into an interactive dashboard.