Psychosocial Officer – Filtu/Deka Softu, Somali

 

Deadline Oct 17, 2020

 

Duration: Until May 31, 2021

Duty Station: Filtu Woreda of Liben zone and covers as well as Deka Softu Woreda

 

Mission

The Psycho-social support officer (PSS officer) will provide specific support to the Para-Social workers (2) and volunteers from the community in establishing Child Friendly Space (CFS) and Women and Girl Friendly Space (WGFS), when designing, implementing and conducting inclusive PSS activities targeted to women, adolescents girls and children especially.

The PSS officer will contribute to build the capacity of the para-social workers and volunteers, mainly to provide basic Psychological First Aid (PFA) and conduct mentoring and ‘’on-the-job’’ coaching.

Additionally, the Psychosocial support officer will be responsible to provide individual counseling sessions (home-visits) identified by the community outreach workers through community outreach as well as group counseling sessions with Persons with Specific Needs identified and their caregivers on specific topics (protection and PSS oriented).

The project will be implemented jointly with Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) as integrated protection response to IDPs protection issues.  The PSS officer will be responsible for establishing and maintaining a system for regular communication with Humanity & Inclusion (HI) protection team and Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Information, Counselling & Legal Assistance (ICLA) staff with the aim of strengthening integrated protection response for IDPs and host community.

The PSS officer will be expected to travel every day with the NRC team to respond to IDPs and host communities protection needs.

Roles and Responsibilities

1.1.  Implementation of PSS activities

–  Ensure quality and inclusive services are provided every day especially to women, adolescents girls and children within the CFS and WGFS;

–  Ensure community mobilization and involvement of Persons with Specific Needs, especially persons with disabilities (including women and girls with disabilities) to attend activities in the WGFS and CFS;

–  Support the design and implementation of inclusive PSS activities within the WGFS and CFS to contribute strengthening social, emotional well-being and increase skills, knowledge and participation (coping mechanisms, conflict management, self confidence, resilience and empowerment…);

– Contribute to organize specific inclusive activities between mother and their children to strengthen positive parenting skills and mother-to-mother group discussions including mothers of children with disabilities and conduct the sessions;

–  Organize and conduct small group sessions with community members on PSS related topics (conflict management, stress and anger management, coping mechanisms,…) to strengthen community-based support mechanisms and resilience;

–  Contribute to the design, planning and implementation of Community PSS events in sites to raise awareness about Rights of Persons with disabilities and ensure participation of persons with disabilities, other community members, actors and representatives of the government;

–   Contribute to the safe identification of Persons with specific needs (PWSNs) especially persons with disabilities, chronic illness, injured and elderly persons using the agreed identification form;

– Conduct specific individual assessment (home visits) to better understand Psychosocial wellbeing and needs of the beneficiaries identified including girls and boys;

–  Conduct regular follow-up sessions through home visits for specific cases identified and based on the needs and level of risk as well as appropriate referral to specialized services if needed (internal and/or external) of persons with specific needs in a timely and quality manner using the agreed referral form;

–  Support the implementation of Caregivers of PWSNs group discussion in coordination with the rehabilitation officer and Community Protection Officer to strengthen community support groups;

–  Conduct small group discussion with caregivers of persons with disabilities on stress management, life experience, sharing positive coping mechanisms, building and strengthening community support;

1.2.       Supervision and coaching of the Para-social workers and community workers

–          Contribute to the identification of community workers and para-social workers who will be working as facilitators within CFS and WGFS;

–  Build the capacity of 4 Para-social workers through advices, coaching and ‘’on the job’’ support to ensure implementation of inclusive activities in the CFS and WFS in coordination with the rest of the team (activities planning, schedule, monitoring of attendance, capitalization…);

–  Provide specific training to the team including the community workers on PFA;

–  Ensure regular discussion at field level with the community workers and para-social workers about identification of children with specific needs and how to refer them internally to HI’s members in a quality manner;

–  Ensure respect of the protection principles, including ‘’Do No Harm’’ and ‘’Non-discrimination’’ principles especially when providing activities and support through the CFS and WFS;

–  Ensure activities established in the CFS and WFS are inclusive for persons with specific needs, including children with specific impairment, and para-social workers are using a participatory approach using inclusive materials;

–  Follow on a daily basis plan and activity implementation schedule by the para-social workers and provide support accordingly for continuous career development of community /para-social workers.

–  Ensure the para-social workers receive training on disability, inclusion, Rights of persons with disabilities including children, communication and group facilitation and provide support on that;

–  Ensure monitoring of CFS and WFS’s activities through regular meetings with community workers and follow-up and report accordingly through the weekly reports (quantitative and qualitative data);

–  Work in close collaboration with the para-social workers on a daily basis to ensure quality of services and effective flow of information;

–  Support in the development of user-friendly and inclusive awareness-raising IEC material;

1.3.   Coordination with the team

–  Ensure Persons With Specific Needs (PWSNs) especially persons with disabilities, receive appropriate multidisciplinary support through establishment of internal referral pathway;

–  Work in close collaboration with the members of the team to ensure effective coordination on the field;

–  Report on a regular basis to your line-manager about the PSS activities implemented on the field as well as on activities implemented by the Para-social workers you should supervise through weekly reports and activities planning;

–  Participate in internal team meetings with other team members and project manager to ensure efficient communication, coordination and sharing of relevant information;

1.4.  Data Collection, Storage, Analysis, Sharing and Reporting

–  Ensure data are collected in a qualitative and effective way with the consent of the beneficiary and that appropriate tools and formats (agreed identification form, individual assessment,…) are filled properly;

–  Ensure on a daily basis safe documentation and storage of the cases identified (identification forms, assessment forms, referrals forms,…) in line with internal standard operating procedures, guidelines and protection principles;

–  Ensure cases are well recorded through the database and other data collection methodologies (beneficiary’s files, …), updated every week and shared to the Project Manager when required;

–  Ensure data are disaggregated by age, gender and disability when collecting and recording data;

–  Ensure additional monitoring tools (attendance sheet, reports,…) are well recorded and stored properly;

–  Ensure the respect of the rights of the beneficiaries when collecting, storing, sharing data mainly by ensuring the consent from the individual is understood and given;

–  Adhere to HI’s data protection and confidentiality protocols;

–  Produce weekly activity reports for each activity implemented on the field with quantitative and qualitative information, including best practices, lessons learnt, progress report and share to the PM;

–  Produce weekly plan with specific detailed activities (objectives, detailed activities such as PSS activities to be run in the CFS, community events,…) that you’re planning to conduct on the field;

–   Provide relevant and timely information for data driven decision making and monitoring of project performance to the project manager when required;

1.5.  Networking and representation

–   Identify and network with external service providers to reinforce referral mechanisms;

–   Support the Project Manager in continuous mapping of services available in HI’s areas of intervention;

–  Establish and maintain positive and efficient relations with target beneficiaries, community members, and all the other actors operating in the camp (regular meetings…);

–   Work in cooperation and partnership with local government stakeholders to realize the project objectives such as  Zone and Woreda Women & Children Affairs, DPPO, Health, Justice, Education Offices and Coordinate regular activities with IDP committees, Kebele authorities, and other partner teams if required;

–  Set-up and maintain effective communication system with partners and stakeholders;

1.6.  Maintain a high quality of work

–    Maintain a high level of knowledge and skills in understanding needed responses to general protection issues of IDPs and host community;

–   Ensure the implemented project meet the quality requirements of HI, partners and the funding agency;

–    Refer high priority cases to the relevant actor in a timely manner following the respect of the protection principles to ensure beneficiary receives services and prepare quality reports of the case;

1.7.  Responsible for implementing the safeguarding policies at project level

–   Ensure respect and compliance of HI’s policies including Child Protection and Child Safeguarding Policy, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse [PSEA] policy, Anti-fraud and anti-corruption policy, Code of Conduct;

–  Ensure reporting mechanisms are implemented and accessible for persons with specific needs in the working areas and inform the community accordingly;

–   Ensures that beneficiaries, IDPs and community members are informed about HI’s safeguarding policies;

–  Disseminate information among community and partners about HI’s policies, Code of Conduct and PSEA’s messages and promote reporting of any concerns related to SEA and Child Safeguarding;

–  Report immediately to the Project Manager and Operational coordinator any concern, incident related to child protection, safeguarding and PSEA;

1.8.  Relationship management

–  Work in cooperation and partnership with local government stakeholders to realize the project objectives with the support of the Project Manager;

–   Create and maintain conducive working relationships with protection partners, Zone and Woreda Women & Children Affairs, DPPO, Health, Justice, Education Offices, host communities, beneficiaries, project staff and other stakeholders to facilitate smooth implementation of the project activities;

–  Set-up and maintain effective communication system with partners and stakeholders;

Job Requirement

Education & Qualification

·       Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, counseling, or Sociology, Social Work;

Knowledge and Professional Experience required

·       Minimum of 2 years of experience as psychologist or social worker;

·       Experience in Community-based protection and awareness raising in humanitarian settings;

·       Good knowledge of data collection, analysis and reporting;

Skills

·       Knowledge of working area language (Somali) is Must.

·       Computer literacy (Word, Excel and Power Point).

·       High degree of confidentiality.

·       Good interpersonal and communication skills.

·       Ability to work with teams and develop team spirit.

·       Diligence and attention to detail.

·       Never been convicted, free from khat, smoking, alcohol and substance abuse addictions.

How to Apply

Interested applicants who meet the above criteria should fill in the attached application form Job application form updated.docx and submit it with a 1 page motivation letter through ethiojobs or email it at recruitment@ethiopia.hi.org on or before the above mentioned deadline.

Please clearly state the position you apply in the subject of your email.  Only short listed candidates will be contacted for exam/interview no phone calls please.

We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting child protection and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This position involves working with beneficiaries and is subject to strict safer recruitment checks. The successful candidate will be required to complete a police check and sign self-declaration form to help us verify your suitability to work with children including checks with past employers.

Humanity & Inclusion is an equal opportunity employer and particularly welcomes women and persons with disabilities to apply.

 

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