Counselor Educator - Sokoto at Medecins Sans Frontieres

Main Objective and Responsibility of the Position

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

Accountabilities

• Assess patient physical capacities, using different procedures (e.g. functional capacity tests) in order to set up treatment objectives with the patient and therefore improve patient's health and wellbeing.
• Elaborate and implement physiotherapy programmes, including physiotherapy exercises, manipulations, massages, education, utilization of physiotherapy devices and orthopedic equipment, educating and advising patients and their careers on how to prevent and/or improve conditions, in order to accelerate and improve activity results.
• Train patients and caretakers on how to avoid injury in order to create preventive behaviors.
• Actively monitor and report physiotherapy activities (correctly filling in patient files, forms, statistics, and reports) and analyse these statistics in order to improve quality service, preserving patient’s data traceability.
• Take care of physiotherapy equipment, managing the stock, making orders according to activity and cleaning up the equipment, in order to ensure its continuous availability and quality of service.
• Report to the technical referent any problem arising in the service, especially the loss/ robbery/damage of medical equipment or medicines in order to implement the appropriate measures.

MSF Section / Context Specific Accountabilities

• Ensure individual and/or group counselling and psychosocial support (awareness, psychoeducation) to the patients and caregivers at Noma Children Hospital (Noma patients) and Specialist Hospital (ITFC unit patients and caregivers, if set by the project) and other MSF Sokoto 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 PFA, 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
• Develop action plans to address patients’ physical, emotional, psychological, social, protection, and financial needs and provide follow up to ensure provision of needed services.
• Give survivors information (psychoeducation) and help them identify their needs and options (coping mechanisms).
• Participate in the setting, implementation and reporting of psychosocial activities and other group interventions with specific target population (Noma patients, noma caregivers, ITFC patients, ITFC caregivers, others).
• Seek out patients that have defaulted while on supportive management in collaboration with the outreach team.
• Participate fully during patients’ review for surgical intervention and multi-disciplinary team ward round.
• Collaboration with MOH and MSF medical team in the management of patient and other related hospital activities.
• Work in close collaboration with the other team members - health promotion (HP) team, medical team and other actors regarding community awareness raising about Noma and the importance of MHPSS component on ITFC interventions, stigma, health consequences, comprehensive medical support, including psychosocial needs and importance to access to care and assisting with sensitization of new staff on the importance of Mental Health in Sokoto MSF interventions.
• When possible, ensure the awareness raising activities in the community in conjunction with the HP team so that they can understand about the involvement of MH in Noma stigma, body image, self-steem and promote initiatives to get the support.
• Conduct focus group discussion with family members, community members and neighbours in the field or in the health care.
• Work in collaboration with the medical team (doctors, nurses and other actors) to ensure comprehensive support for the Noma patients and caregivers and Specialists Hospital ITFC unit patients and caregivers (based on MSF MHPSS intervention plan).
• Assist with initiation of culturally sensitive community support programs in collaboration with the outreach team.
• Take an active role in trainings/interventions and support others when necessary in doing sensitization for MSF staff or external partners about MHPSS.

Requirements (Qualifications / Experience / Knowledge)
To apply for this role applicants MUST meet the following criteria:

Education:

• University Degree in Counselling Psychology, Clinical Psychology, General Psychology, Gender Studies, Social Work, Guidance and Counselling or other similar degree/diploma. (Psychology background will be given priority). Certificate of training in SGBV desirable.

Experience:

• 12 months of relevant experience essential. Experience with NGO desirable.
• Previous experience working with children and families.
• A caring and warm manner and ability to work with children who are physically and emotionally in pain.
• Demonstrable experience in training community groups and/or psychoeducation.
• Good computer skills (Ms Excel, Word, Internet).
• Willingness and ability to train other medical staff in psychosocial support.

Languages:

• Fluent in Hausa and English (both spoken and written)

Knowledge:

• Essential computer literacy (word, excel)

Competencies:

• Results oriented, teamwork, flexibility, commitment, service oriented, stress management.

Others:

• Able to work in a multidisciplinary team.
• Good organizational skills and able to prioritize tasks.
• Able to handle information with discretion and confidentiality.
• Creativity, musical and/or artistic skills.