Psychosocial Worker

People with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply

The Organization

Handicap International is an independent and impartial international Humanitarian organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster.

Working alongside persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, our action and testimony are focused on responding to their essential needs, improving their living conditions and promoting respect for their dignity and their fundamental rights.

Job Context

Handicap International is present in Dadaab refugee camps since 2007 through its development department.

In response to the recent and massive influx of refugees, Handicap International’s Emergency Response Department has launched in August 2011 a holistic approach called Disability and Vulnerability Focal Point (DVFP) to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable newly arrived refugees.

The strategy of these DVFPs is to identify most vulnerable persons and enhance their access to essential basic and specific services through different mechanisms as well as through direct services’ provision.

Handicap International is also currently launching a new activity to respond to the needs of people suffering from ARI (Acute Respiratory Infections) especially amongst malnourished children.

After a period of suspension of most of our activities due to the degradation of the security context, we are now resuming our emergency activities with new modalities.

Global Objective of the Position

The main objectives of the position are:

• To support technically the different DVFP field teams in the elaboration and implementation of activities promoting psychosocial support of conflict and/or drought affected refugee population.
• To support directly the vulnerable refugee population with psychosocial group activities tailored according to the needs identified
• To evaluate the impact of our activities on the well being of our beneficiaries.

He/she will have to help and reinforce HI’s team’s capacities in taking into account the vulnerable persons specific psychosocial needs in all DVFP activities.

Under the supervision and coordination of the DVFP Team Leader and of the DVFP Project Manager, he/she will also be responsible for implementing specific psychosocial support group activities for the most vulnerable people identified with psychosocial needs.

These specific activities, implemented through the different fixed and mobile Handicap International’s DVFPs aim at providing psychosocial support to people in need and their families. The objective is to promote expression of each individual in a secure, trustful and defined holding environment as guardian of the individuals’ suffering.

The Psychosocial worker / Psychologist will develop tools and methodologies to contribute responding to the different psychological and psychosocial needs identified through groups activities (group discussions, activities through other medium as creative activities, recreative activities, social activities, daily activities, etc…)

He/She will be responsible to evaluate and report on all psychosocial related activities implemented by him/herself or by any other member of his/her DVFP team.

Responsibilities

• Helps the DVFP team members identifying specific psychosocial needs of our beneficiaries, contributes to the assessment of these needs and/or directly assesses these needs as required
• Assesses vulnerable persons’ psychosocial and psychological issues and refer internally or externally as needed respecting confidentiality and the right of the beneficiary.
• Participates in the analysis and reporting of psychosocial issues in the refugee population
• Supports and builds DVFP team members’ capacities on psychosocial support approaches and activities according to the needs identified through field visits (analysis of training needs, elaboration of training material, etc…)
• Elaborates, proposes and implements psychosocial support group activities for psychologically vulnerable persons identified adapted to the needs identified.
• Regularly conducts specific psychosocial group activities (adapted and appropriate to each one’s specific needs and capacities) and ensure follow up of the beneficiaries.
• Supports social workers in the implementation and animation of certain psychosocial group activities when they have been identified as in capacity of implementing them
• Reports quantitative (through Follow Up Form, Data Base and reports) and qualitative data and analysis to your Psychosocial Technical Advisor / Project Manager

In specific cases, and if the beneficiary agrees, do mediation between beneficiaries and families or between families and other structures.

Required Profile

Education

• Higher degree diploma in Psychology (clinical or social psychology)
• Knowledge on Protection
• Languages
• English
• Somali (would be a great asset)
• Swahili

Experience

• Experience of minimum 2 years implementing group psychosocial activities
• Experience working with vulnerable population, displaced population and/or refugees
• Experience in Protection
• Experience in implementing short trainings on psychosocial support would be appreciated
• Working experience with an NGO or an association (would be an asset)

Skills

• Good analysis skills
• Analytical and problem solving skills
• Training skills
• Computer skills (at least Word)
• Good communication and listening skills

Personal qualities

• Adaptation
• Be ready to listen
• Capacity to work both in team and autonomously
• Capacity to work in an multidisciplinary and multicultural team
• Like taking initiative and
• Dynamism, high level of motivation
• Interest for field work
• Capacity to keep professional distance with the beneficiaries / adopt empathic positioning
• Willingness to learn new skills and/or approaches
• Good capacity to interact with members of the team and community

If you feel you are the right candidate for this position, Kindly send your application along with an up to date CV indicating your salary history and 3 referees with their current contacts by email to : hr-nairobi@handicap-international-ken.org .

The email subject should be marked as 'Application for the Psychosocial Worker position.

Closing date is 27th April 2012.

Only shortlisted candidates with the above qualifications and skills will be contracted.

Chosen person will be called by phone. Thank you not to call.