Job Summary

IR/INT/EXT/VN/008.21

March 11, 2021

Post title: Psychosocial Counsellor-Officer 

Report to: Senior Emergency WASH Officer

Duty Station: Somali Regional State, Kohle

Required: 1

Duration: 6 months

Introduction

Islamic Relief is an international relief and development charity founded in 1984 with its headquarters in Birmingham, UK. As well as responding to disasters and emergencies, Islamic Relief promotes sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities - regardless of race, religion or gender. The office officially started operation in Ethiopia in 2004. Islamic Relief Ethiopia (IRE) is operational in the Somali Regional State with a base office in Jigjiga, Hargelle, Elkere, Bare, GG and Dekasuftu, Afar Regional State; Ewa, Awra and Gulina; Oromia regional State, West Harergeye, Chiro and Meayso Woredas and an additional operational office in Addis Ababa. For more information please visit our website

Job Purpose 

The purpose of this post is to support the successful Management, coordination & implementation of all psychosocial activities, and will be responsible for the provision of quality case management to survivors of GBV in Kohle IDP camp including responding to incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) in a timely, survivor-centered and caring manner. S/he will be responsible for reporting on a monthly basis on all GBV protection activities undertaken by the team and representing IRE at meetings with donors and stockholders. S/he will work and liaise closely with the Protection Officer-Prevention, and Protection Assistants on documentation of program activities as per the donor requirements

The Psychosocial Counsellor works with survivors of GBV, women, adolescent girls, community partners, service providers and local authorities. In addition, the Psychosocial Counsellor will provide individual and group support to other vulnerable and marginalized beneficiaries, and also assists in raising awareness to prevent gender-based violence incidents from happening and to ensure that survivors of GBV know what the services available to them are and how to access them. He/She will be Under the guidance and technical support of the Area manager, Protection and inclusion officer, Senior WASH officer and country office protection , safeguarding and Inclusion officer - He/she is responsible for working closely with women, adolescent girls, children, camp leaders, community and government stakeholders for provision of effective, efficient and quality psychosocial support both in individual and group therapy techniques to improve the well-being of beneficiaries. Moreover, further case referral for sever mental/physical problem cases will be handled along with social workers and other project teams. 

Key Role and Responsibility

• Compiling and analyzing data, and related information on overall IDP, returnees and humanitarian crisis in the target area, with a specific focus on child protection/GBV, and prepare written inputs accordingly to inform effective program planning, development and management.
• Undertakes regular protection service delivery for vulnerable women, girls and children to recover from the traumatized experiences caused by conflict and forced displacement
• Monitor, analyses and evaluate project results to ensure achievement of objectives and take corrective action when necessary
• Ensure application of standards, guidelines and good practices for children and women protection in emergency related activities
• In collaboration with other protection staff, stablish/improve referral pathway among service provider and assistance to affected peoples as per community norms.
• Familiarize communities with referral pathway, available services and facilitate the referral of vulnerable individuals to various organizations for specialized care, including specialized psychological services as required.
• Build the capacity/Establish community-based protection reporting mechanisms and structures such as community-level complaint and feedback mechanisms.
• Cary out community awareness campaign targeting families and communities (children boys, girls, women and men in regard to protection of children, boys and girls, women, and PWDs.
• Risk mitigation and prevention activities such as awareness raising about child protection, sexual violence and GBV.
• Organize workshop with CBOs, to use existing systems in identifying their own needs for the provision of formal and informal assistance.
• Capacity building of local authorities and community leaders to develop capacities in the identification on existing barriers, and specific protection concern of person with disabilities and available services.
• Provide assistive devices to person with disabilities and increase their mobility to access the humanitarian response services providing in the area
• Establish women and adolescent girls -friendly spaces to create access to resources, support, basic services, social networks and referrals to additional services and providing community based psychosocial support.
• In collaboration with government health professionals provide community based psychosocial support by involving community’s especially religious leaders and clan leaders.
• Conduct protection audit and assessments in collaboration with Protection and Inclusion officer and social worker and other stakeholders.
• Implement remote activities that are sensitive to the needs of vulnerable individuals. This includes, among others, psychological first aid, support, or self-help groups and other recreational and/or social support activities for the population.
• Ensure provision of professional and confidential psychosocial services to survivors of GBV and other beneficiaries through a survivor- centered case management approach.
• Collaborate closely with the P& I officer, Community social worker and WASH staff to provide outreach to encourage survivors to come forward and seek assistance.
• Take lead in preparing all relevant reports regarding the IRE’s psychosocial activities, beneficiary databases.
• Strictly respect the confidentiality of data, being the property of the project beneficiaries and respect the confidentiality regarding the content of interview during assessments.
• Work closely with all stakeholders, other agencies providing services and ensure the community participation in the project activities.
• Perform other functions as requested by the immediate supervisor.

Job Requirements

Education and Work Experience

• Minimum BA degree in social work, sociology, psychology, child protection, public health, International Law, Human Rights and relevant fields of social sciences
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in child protection, Gender-based violence and related areas, program/project development and management in emergency context is required
• Proven experience in designing and implementing child protection, GBV and Psychosocial counseling trainings to a variety of stakeholders.
• Direct case management , Psychosocial counseling and experience working with children, women and adolescents is an asset
• Knowledge and experience on Gender Based Violence programming including prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) is an asset
• Extensive training in the fields of CP/GBV, psycho-social wellbeing, case management and application of international technical guidelines and standards in Child Protection and GBV.
• Good understanding of GBV and guidelines in preventing in humanitarian action, CHS Commitments, SPHERE, minimum standards of CP, GBV and age and disability inclusion
• Experience in implementation, monitoring and evaluation
• Computer literate in word processing and excel packages 

Language

• Fluency in English, and knowledge of local languages (Somale) is mandatory.

Required Skills/Competencies

• Communication skills
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good advocacy, analytical skills
• Teamwork/working with people
• Drive for results Learning Elements
• Be familiar with IR overall programming in unstable situations;
• Articulate methodology of program and project management; Planning and organizing
• Articulate rights based and results based programming in IR;
• Demonstrate a good understanding of IR policies and strategy to address safeguarding, (PSEA) child protection and GBV issues

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunity 

Islamic Relief and Islamic Relief staff considers the welfare and protection of children, young people and people at risk to be paramount to the organization. And must adhere the principle of ‘do no harm and leave no one behind.’ It is critical we do not expose communities or staff we work with to the risk of harm through our interventions. With a zero tolerance approach Islamic Relief have a number of related policies which also describe standards in behavior expected from the organization, its staff and representatives towards each other and those we serve. Islamic Relief is committed to responding swiftly, appropriately and constructively to any and all information children, young people and people at risk have disclosed.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. We participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and child abuse during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment before signing the contract agreement.

Islamic Relief believes everyone has the right to be safe, respected and valued regardless of who they are or their circumstances, and an equal employment opportunity to all candidates and qualified applicants, we do not discriminate on the base of age, sex, race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability status and diversity. 

How to Apply

Application Procedures

Interested candidates are required to submit a complete Job application form with all required supporting documents (copy of credentials and testimonials) through Ethiopia.HR@islamic-relief.org.et.

You can access the Job Application Form with this link.

Failure to follow the instructions will invalidate your application.

Closing date for the application is March 25, 2021.

Due to the high volume of application, we regret that we will be able to contact only the shortlisted candidates.