PSS Officer at Borno Women Development Initiative (BOWDI)

Under the management of the Senior protection officer, the PSS officer will coordinate with the community volunteers and the management in responding to the psychosocial needs of the crisis affected population in BOWDI locations of intervention by working with the community volunteers to facilitate community-based activities, advocacy and sensitization effort that prevent, mitigate, and respond to risk for safety and wellbeing of affected population

The PSS Officer will work as part of the GBV Team and will be responsible for providing psychosocial services, including individual and group-based activities.

• Provide age-appropriate case management to survivors of SGBV, including assessment of client needs; basic crisis counselling; supporting clients in developing a plan to address their individual needs and safely implementing this plan; support to clients in pursuing services from other service providers as per clients’ wishes.
• Provide overall psychosocial support target individuals.
• Provide essential information on available services and support survivors to access PSS services.
• Carry out community outreach and awareness raising on available PSS services.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders including community leaders and other humanitarian partners and service providers.
• Document activities and client details in an accurate and timely manner using standardized tools and forms.
• Adhere to the GBV guiding principles throughout all GBV case management and psychosocial interventions. This includes ensuring confidentiality of survivors, and respect for their wishes and decisions.

TASKS AND MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Program quality and implementation.
• Assesses and plans response mechanism that meet the needs of affected population.
• Provides technical support and supervision for the implementation of PSS activities in-line with current best practices to the community volunteers.
• Conducts individual assessments for the diagnosis of possible psychological disorders and the identification of a therapeutic intervention plan for people identified.
• Conducts capacity building training on psychosocial support services and other safe guarding action for community volunteers.
• Facilitates procurement and distribution of PSS materials.
• Close cases when the objectives in the PSS intervention plan have been met and no further needs have been identified.
• Coordinate the community sensitization activities.
• Provides continuous psycho-social support via regular follow-up meetings, establishing a relationship built on trust and respecting confidentiality protocols.
• Contributes to regular reporting, programme, and proposal development, providing insight and analysis on PSS issues, challenges, gaps and best practices.
• Leads on distribution and ensure the distribution activity is in line with the best practice.

PLANNING AND COORDINATION

• Coordinates with relevant partners and develop psychosocial strategies and referral services to meet different needs of the affected population
• Coordinates with other partners to facilitate advocacy activities to improve the condition of affected population
• Monitors and ensures that the monthly FGDs are facilitated in coordination with community volunteers
• Represents BOWDI in community meeting as required and maintain positive relationship with community leaders, local community structure and groups at various levels
• Contributes/coordinates regular service mapping, updates to the service directory and support the development of referral systems with different service providers and the local NGO/CSO partner;
• Supports positive team dynamics and a healthy work environment where case workers feel comfortable and supported in sharing experiences, challenges, and feelings

REPORTING AND ADMINISTRATIVE

• Documents all general protection activities as per BOWDI and donor reporting regulations and transmit these on a weekly basis for compilation.
• Supports the planning, implementation and reporting on all protection activities via weekly workplans, schedules and people management;
• Contributes to facilitation of procurement of program supplies
• Ensures timely payment of community volunteers by provide necessary support documents on timely
• Oversees the proper and safe filing and archiving of PSS client files and activity reports files to maintain data confidentiality as per BOWDI and international standards

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITY

• Flags PSS and security issues and contribute to the identification of appropriate responses
• Identifies and assists in the analysis of PSS trends in the overall caseload;
• Strengthens existing community-based PSS and peer support group activities, where such exist and help to develop them where none currently exist
• Participates in external meetings and trainings on PSS issues, as well as case conferences with partners as needed
• Identifies and reports gaps in the availability and quality of PSS service provision in the target areas
• Any other activities specified by the supervisory/managerial team