Child Protection Assistant - Damaturu at International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Sector: Child Protection

Employment Category: Fixed Term

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: No

CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND

The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In February 2014 the IRC moved into Adamawa State in NE Nigeria to provide humanitarian interventions through a multi-sectoral, integrated approach for conflict affected populations. IRC Nigeria now operates a country office in Abuja and field offices in Mubi and Yola of Adamawa State, Maiduguri and Monguno of Borno state and Damatru of Yobe State. Currently, IRC Nigeria implements programs primary health care, nutrition, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection, child protection, education, food security & livelihoods

Job Overview/Summary

The Child Protection Assistant will provide direct support to children and adolescent girls (younger) and boys (younger), and their caregivers within the PEACE education and child protection teams in all targeted field sites in the project. They will also be responsible for the supervision and close monitoring of Safe Healing and Learning Spaces (SHLS) activities through the SEL and SAFE resource packages.

Position objectives:

• To ensure that children harmed or at risk of being harmed are identified and receive individual case management support by identification and intake, conducting assessments, developing a case plan, direct service provision, referral and follow up for an assigned number of children.
• To provide support and conduct monitoring visits to caregivers and families (particularly foster and alternative caregivers)
• To liaise with other case workers and social workers on management of caseload and referrals.
• To support in mapping services for children and their caregivers in the area of coverage
• To document and safely store all information related to the case

Who this position reports to: The Child Protection Assistant reports to the CP Officer

Major Responsibilities

Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy

• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of SHLS sites; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs.
• Ensure all CP facilitators work together to supervise children and adolescents during sessions.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs

Program Development

• Contribute to the development of proposal activities in relation to case management.
• Coordinate with other IRC sectors staff (e.g. WPE, Protection, Health and Livelihoods) at field level

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:

• Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly.
• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.
• As required identify incentive workers performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures, and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.

Coordination & Representation

• Effectively communicate with other caseworkers, government social workers and service providers as part of providing individual case management.
• Regularly attend case management meetings at field level
• Build strong relationships with Child Protection Committee members for identification and referrals

Key Working Relationships

• Position Reports to:  Child Protection Officer
• Indirect/Technical Reporting: Child Protection Manager
• Position directly Supervises: Community incentive workers

Key Internal Contacts:

• Country Program: 
• Region/Global:

Qualifications

• At least two years’ experience working to support children, adolescent girl and boys, women  or parents and caregivers
• Experience with facilitation of group work with relevant populations
• A high level of motivation to assist adolescent girls and boys affected by humanitarian crisis
• A commitment to child protection and gender equality
• A learning attitude and willingness to increase skills and knowledge in the protection of adolescent girls and boys
• Experience as an active participant of social groups, with an understanding of group dynamics and processes.
• Capacity building, facilitation or training experience
• The ability to adapt and work under pressure and strong interpersonal skills
• Basic competency in computer skills

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

• Work as part of a Child Protection team in a safe space to provide support to children as part of broader response services.
• Participate in identifying facilitators and an initial SEL/SAFE approach training and engage in ongoing skills building using SEL/SAFE materials.
• With support from supervisors, mentor and coach facilitators responsible for co-facilitating sessions with adolescent girls (younger) or boys (younger and older).
• Conduct initial assessments to identify the risks and needs of Children/adolescent girls and boys.
• Work closely with other project staff to identify Children/adolescent girls (younger), adolescent boys, and female and male caregivers to participate in SEL/SAFE learning activities.
• Act as lead facilitator to deliver sessions for Children/adolescent girls or boys together with trained facilitators.
• Facilitate sessions for female or male caregivers enrolled for parenting sessions.
• Provide Psychological First Aid and support to adolescent girls(younger) or boys who disclose experiences of violence and support referral to access required services
• Facilitate feedback meetings with adolescent girl(younger)s and boys, female and male community stakeholders and caregivers and share feedback with supervisor
• Complete weekly reports on project activities, including documenting feedback from participants of SAFE sessions and proactively sharing back lessons learned whilst facilitating the curricula
• Participate in weekly team meetings.
• Work with Child Protection Community led Structures, community leaders, caregivers/parents, learning facilitators, SHLS facilitators to promote child protection in homes, learning centers and in the community
• Ensure regular communication with the CP Officer and manager for updates on achievements and challenges
• Provide support for children and adolescents and their families and link them to specialized services where needed.

Languages:  Fluency in English, and Hausa.

Computer/Other Tech Requirements:

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.  Add position-specific (e.g. accounting software, statistical software, etc.).

Ability to Travel: % of time if applicable

Standards of Professional Conduct The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Working Environment

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.