Protection Assistant-Psychosocial Counselor

Experience and technical competencies:

• 2 years’ experience in providing psychosocial counseling to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
  
• 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 deadlines set.
  
• 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 or counselling
  
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Swahili.
  

R1. Case Management:

• Provide comprehensive case management psychosocial counseling to GBV survivors focused on the survivor centered approach.
  
• Provide assessment and counseling both at individual and group level as the situation demands.
  
• Ensure all work with GBV survivors is confidential and that ethical practices are observed.
  
• Document client data accurately in the intake forms and ensure they are under lock and key.
  
• Ensure that the GBVIMS is accurately updated on a regular basis.
  
• Participate in the interpretation of the data analyzed on trends and work with prevention team to disseminate information to all relevant stakeholders.
  
• Participate in the development of the case management monitoring tools and systems and ensure that all staff that are required to utilize it are trained on the correct way of handling the systems.
  
• Participate in the preparation of accurate reports for all Psycho-social related activities.
  
• Participate in design of case management and psychosocial projects.
  

R2. Coordination and Networking:

• Maintain and strengthen existing networks through other service providers at the camp level, to ensure that GBV survivors 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 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, youth and children.
  
• 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 and GBV.
  
• Facilitate formation of support groups for survivors of GBV and other vulnerable groups.
  
• Identify and strengthen Community structures through engaging community leaders, camp management and other stakeholders to ensure that the survivors receive adequate support at the community level.
  
• Support the Protection Officer GBV Prevention and Protection Assistant GBV Prevention and RLOs/WLOs in dissemination of relevant information during the Community GBV prevention forums and meetings.
  

R4. Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Assist in preparing daily, monthly, quarterly and annual reports, progress notes, and treatment 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 external training 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 Para counsellors and ensure effective provision of Psycho-social services.
  
• Conduct continuous performance/evaluation for the Para counsellors 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 Para-Counsellors on areas related to Case Management, Counselling and other related topics to enhance professionalism.
  
• Conduct regular case conference meetings with the Para-counsellors both at individual and group levels.
  
• Organize for external capacity building forums on GBV Case Management and Therapeutic Counselling techniques.