Counselor Educator at Medecins Sans Frontieres

Slots: 4

Main Objective and Responsibility of the Position

• Perform counseling and/or education sessions to patients, following different medical and mental health MSF protocols and procedures, in order to improve their psychosocial condition.

General Accountabilities

• Identify the psychosocial, socio-economic and administrative needs for patients
• Actively promote the availability of counselling services and carry out, individual or in group counseling, basic psycho educational sessions, to patients, their families (when needed), in order to alleviate their psychosocial difficulties within the project scope.
• Refer patients to other specialists or other institutions for further assistance, when necessary in order to propose the best support available.
• Participate in the creation of any material needed for counseling activities and look after it,
• Keep files and statistics of daily activities and participate in team meetings to share experiences and discuss special cases with other counselors, preserving confidentiality
• Inform line manager of any problem of any kind arising during the day-to-day activities.
• Take active part in trainings, supervisions/InterVision and support the activities manager when necessary in doing sensitization for MSF staff or external partners about mental health /psychosocial issues.
• Discuss difficulties and problems in counselling with supervisor.

MSF Section / Context Specific Accountabilities

• Ensure individual and/or group counselling to the internal displaced people, SGBV (SV/IPV) survivors, vulnerable population and other MSF Benue project target populations. To identify the psychological, emotional and behavioural needs and develop a treatment plan, according to the universal survivor centred principles.
• Conduct in-take and psychosocial assessments of each client
• Provide one-on-one emotional support counselling and guidance to IDPs, survivors of SV and IPV (children, adolescents, adults and elders) and other vulnerable groups.
• Provide group counselling when needed
• Provide referrals for clients in need of additional specialized mental health support.
• Develop action plans to address survivors’ physical, emotional, psychological, social, protection, and financial needs and provide follow up to ensure provision of needed services.
• Give survivors information and help them identify their needs and options.
• Participate in the setting, implementation and reporting of psychosocial activities and other group interventions with specific target population (youth, men, children, parents).

Ensure that in providing psychosocial support to the patients, their rights, needs and wishes are prioritized:

• To be treated with dignity and respect
• To choose a course of action in dealing with the violence
• To privacy and confidentiality
• To non-discrimination
• To comprehensive information to help make their own decision
• Treat survivors and other vulnerable beneficiaries with respect, kindness, and in a caring manner, always maintaining the confidentiality and based on survivors’ needs and wishes.
• Work in close collaboration with the other team members - Health Promotion team, medical team, and other actors regarding community awareness raising about SV and IPV, health consequences, comprehensive medical support, including psychosocial needs and the importance to access to care and assisting with sensitization of new staff on SGBV.
• Ensure the awareness-raising activities in the community in conjunction with the HP team so that they can understand the SGBV problems and take initiatives to get support.
• Conduct focus group discussions with family members, community members, and neighbors in the field or in the health care/SGBV center.
• Work in collaboration with the medical team (doctors, nurses, and other actors) to ensure comprehensive support for the SGBV beneficiaries.
• Identify the needs of the survivor and or patients to refer in case of special need to other available actors.
• Safe identification using the selective screening tool, assuring privacy and confidentiality, with an adequate response to survivors and provision of care for those being identified as SV or IPV survivors.
• Provide HIV counseling sessions when needed.
• Perform their duties observing the MSF policies and in compliance with relevant SOPs of the department and immediately reporting to the supervisor whenever compliance is or cannot be met.

Data and Reporting:

• Ensure regular reports on activities, assessments, follow-up and other related documents to ensure the quality and reporting of the project activities.
• Maintain and ensure strict confidentiality of the SGBV beneficiary’s data, report and everything as well MSF documents.

Supervision/meetings:

• Receive weekly supervision for each case from supervisor/MHAM/MTL and share challenges with supervisor in a timely manner.
• Attend group and individual clinical supervision with the MHAM/MH supervisor
• Attend in the project meeting on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis and share the update of activities.
• Any other responsibilities assigned by the supervisor based on need.

Requirements

• Education: Counseling, Social Work, Psychology or other similar Degree / Diploma.
• Experience: 1 year experience essential. Experience with NGO desirable.
• Languages: Essential: mission language and local working languages
• Competencies: Results, Teamwork, Flexibility, Commitment, Service orientation.