This Position is contingent

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is an international Humanitarian organization operating Water and Sanitation, Economic Development, Livelihoods, Capacity Building, Emergency Response, Health and Nutrition, and similar sectors in the regions of SNNPR, Somali, Oromia, Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. Mercy Corps works with communities, public and private sectors to implement appropriate relief, recovery and development interventions. Mercy Corps Ethiopia invites motivated and qualified candidates to apply for the following vacant position.

Position Title:  counsellor

Duty Station:  EastIme and Goljano Somali Region

Post Position: Two

Program / Department Summary

The project is intended to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with under nutrition and increased illnesses of conflict induced communities who do not have access to primary health care services and basic nutrition services and reduce psychological impact of crisis particularly the impact of distress because of COVID 19 in the community.

General Position Summary

The position holder shall be in charge of counselling program participants distressed due to the displacement, COVID 19 and other crisis affecting the community with particular emphasis on COVID 19 due to the fact that COVID 19 affects the social interaction of the community.  Their social interaction has been used to prevent sense of isolation and prevent distress but because of COVID 19, this is not possible at this moment and the counsellor is responsible to counsel people with griefs.   S/he is also responsible to promote the existing cultures of the communities to help each other keeping physical distancing and other precaution.  

Essential Job Responsibilities

Strategy & Vision

·         Collaborate with other team member for effective integration between other services like Nutrition and health services 

·         Collaborate with Local authorities and other partners to harmonize different efforts for better impact and sustainability.

·         Able to learn and update his/ her information or knowledge to adapt the changing situation and context

 Program Management

·         Work with individuals, groups and communities to improve mental health

·         Encourage clients to discuss emotions and experiences

·         Examine issues including substance abuse, aging, bullying, anger management, careers, depression, relationships, self-image, stress and suicide

·         Take a holistic (mind and body) approach to mental health care

·         Evaluate clients’ needs and create a custom treatment plan

·           Develop strategies for retention of psychosocial groups and evaluate performance of individual psychosocial groups.

·          Conduct counseling of individual clients and encouraging forms of psychosocial support.

·          Conduct awareness raising activities.

·         Maintain a positive relationship with community health workers, VHT’s and other community-based groups to ensure they are involved in the activities of the community health and they play an active role in the referral pathway.

·          Maintain a collaborative relationship with all organizations working in the context to facilitate referrals and joint activities, while upholding Mercy Corps’ standard in Emergency Health programming.

·          Conduct regular follow-ups, compile daily & weekly reports, and attend weekly case review meetings.

·          Collect data through Community Health management tools and systems.

·           And any other duties that might be given by the supervisor in the line of duty

·         Teach groups coping mechanisms related to stressful and traumatic they encounter

·         Monitor client progress and adjust their treatment plan as needed

·         Coordinate with other healthcare providers, agencies and community resources in order to create a thorough treatment plan

·         Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.

·          Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, and help them to develop insight into themselves and their relationships

·         Guide clients in the development of skills and strategies for dealing with their problems.

·         Prepare and maintain all required treatment records and reports.

·         Counsel clients and patients, individually and in-group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, and making changes.

·         Collect information about clients through interviews, observation, and tests.

·         Act as client advocates in order to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.

·         Develop and implement treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge.

·         Evaluate clients' physical or mental condition based on review of client information.

·         Meet with families, probation officers, police, and other interested parties in order to exchange necessary information during the treatment process.

·         Refer patients, clients, or family members to community resources or to specialists as necessary.

·         Counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, and supporting clients or patients.

·          Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling programs and clients' progress in resolving identified problems and moving towards defined objectives.

Team Management

·         Provide technical guidance for other team members on Mental health and psychosocial support

·         Work very closely other MC teams to strengthen the MHPSS services at all levels

·         Collaborate with other staff members to perform clinical assessments and develop treatment plans.

·         Provided formal and on job training and supportive supervision for Mercy corps woreda level staffs and government health workers.

 Finance & Compliance Management

N/A

Influence & Representation

·         Liaise with concerned government authorities and ensure the programme strategy, objectives and activities are understood, agreed and appropriate communication channel is in place

·         Participating in the Zonal level Technical Working Group meetings, develop meeting agendas, documentation and dissemination of the technical working group meetings action point and recommendations.

·         Liaise and coordinate with local stakeholders and MoH personnel regularly, reporting to them and giving them updates on activities.

·         Collaborate with the potential partners on the field (health centres, health posts, committee leaders) to MHPSS services at facility level 

Security

·         Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.

·         Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

 Organizational Learning 

·         As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps. 

Knowledge and Experience

• BSC in Psychology, sociology, Public health or Nursing, and related fields with Minimum four years working experience in NGOs environment as MHNT out of which two years in surveillance officer. 
• Solid technical skill on mental health and psychosocial support and on how to reduce the impact of mental distress in an individual or families.
• Knowledge and experience on mental health and psychosocial support 
• Demonstrated skills in delivering training/ orientation other teams on MHPSS
• Ability to work in the community and able to face challenges
• Strong computer (Microsoft skills), and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Good command in written and spoken English and Local language.
• Good human relation skills.
• Willingness to work under pressure and extra hours
•  

Success Factors

• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions like long distance
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience in closely working with regional, Zonal and Woreda Health
• Ability to prepare program reports Knowledge in local language;
• Communication skill, good human relations
• Firm belief in teamwork, gender equality