Responsibilities:
R1. Psychosocial support:
- Provide individual psychosocial support sessions to targeted individuals.
- Facilitate PSS group sessions to promote mutual support, socialization and positive coping strategies.
- Support the designing and delivery of psychoeducational awareness sessions (both content and materials) on psychosocial support topics and coping skills including stress management, behavioral activation, problem solving and available mental health services.
- Collaborate with other service providers, such as healthcare professionals and social workers, and make appropriate referrals and follow-up when needed.
- Foster community participation and engagement in psychosocial support activities, encouraging the active involvement of individuals, families and community stakeholders.
- Identify and support, including through awareness and capacity-building, local resources, such as community-based organizations or volunteers, to enhance the availability of community-based psychosocial support.
- Participate in capacity-building sessions as needed and required.
- Contribute in developing and continuously updating the referral system detailing available services and assistance in DRC’s areas of operation.
- Any other duties as may be assigned by the Protection Team Leader – GBV/PM/PSN and Protection Officer – Psychosocial Support (PSS), relevant to the achievement of protection objectives.
- Participate in the preparation of accurate reports for all Psychosocial support related activities.
- Participate in the design of psychosocial Support projects.
R2. Coordination and Networking:
- Maintain and strengthen existing networks through other service providers at the camp level, to ensure that individuals and groups receive quality services and support both at the agency levels.
- Actively participate in scheduled meetings such as the Case Conferences, safe haven inter-agency meetings and as assigned.
- Strengthen existing referral systems and identify new networks to work with to ensure holistic support to the clients.
- Work in close collaboration with the prevention team to ensure ongoing needs of at-risk groups, women and girls, Persons with specific needs are being met in the prevention related activities.
- In collaboration with other partners, design psychosocial interventions within the refugee community focusing on the psychosocial needs of adults and youth.
- Participate in conducting trainings for partners on relevant organizational development areas and support peer learning between DRC and other partner agencies.
R3. Community Engagement and Outreach:
- Conduct sensitization, dialogue and mediation sessions with the wider population about issues of trauma.
- Facilitate formation of support groups for targeted individuals and other vulnerable groups.
- Identify and strengthen Community structures through engaging community leaders, camp management and other stakeholders to ensure that persons who have undergone adversity receive adequate support at the community level.
- Support the Protection Officer – Psychosocial Support and RLOs in dissemination of relevant information during the Community forums and meetings.
R4. Monitoring and Evaluation:
- Assist in preparing daily, monthly, quarterly and annual reports, progress notes, and case plans on time.
- Use appropriate data collection tools and submit assessments and reports in a timely and accurate manner.
- Work closely with the refugee staff to ensure quality reporting.
- Assist in the designing, planning, implementing and facilitating of external trainings for numerous target groups.
- Ensure Core Humanitarian Standards are mainstreamed in the day to day project implementation.
- Attend relevant training forums relevant to the job.
- Assist with any other related activities as deemed necessary by the supervisor.
R5. Staff Management and Development:
- Provide supervision to the Community Workers – PSS and ensure effective provision of Psycho-social services.
- Conduct continuous performance/evaluation for the Community Workers – PSS working under her/him.
- Engage in quality self-care through supervision, debriefings, and other shared sessions.
- Conduct regular formal and on-job training and mentorship to Community Workers – PSS on areas related to PFA, counselling skills, coping skills and other related topics to enhance professionalism.
- Conduct regular case conference meetings with the Community Workers – PSS both at individual and group levels.
- Organize for external capacity building forums on Mental Health and Psychosocial support.
Experience and technical competencies:
- 2 years’ experience in providing psychosocial counseling.
- Good team player; able to take direction and work collaboratively with others.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including empathic listening.
- Ability to communicate in a highly professional manner with clients, community members and professional partners.
- Able to complete required reporting and documentation within the set deadlines.
- Highly motivated, creative, and compassionate person who is dedicated to ensuring that models of best practice are utilized.
- Able to uphold high ethical and professional standards.
- Able to maintain the highest levels of confidentiality.
- Problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
- Ability to work in a challenging environment.
- Ability to promote the values of equality, non-discrimination, and human rights for all.
- Experience working in a refugee context is highly desirable.
Education:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
- Fluent in written and spoken English and Swahili.