Psychosocial Support Officer at CARE

 The purpose of this post is to provide day to day management and psychosocial support and related activities in Ngala field office.  In particular, the person is responsible for addressing mental health needs of GBV survivors and women and girls coming to the safe spaces. In collaboration with the GBV Officer, S/he will oversee the provision of training and supervision of the GBV Community Volunteers, to support psychological first aid at the community level and ensure effective case management. S/he will work and liaise closely with the GBV Officer, partner’s GBV Assistants on documentation of program activities as per the donor requirements.

Responsibilities

Case Management & Psychosocial Support

• Provide support for comprehensive case management and psychosocial counseling to GBV survivors focused on the survivor centered approaches.
• 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/tablets and ensure the information is safely and ethically kept by case workers.
• Ensure that the GBVIMS+ system is accurately updated on a regular basis.
• Participate in the interpretation of the analyzed data on trends and work with the larger GBVSS team to disseminate information to all relevant stakeholders.
• Participate in the development of the case management monitoring tools and systems and ensure that all staffs 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 support interventions at the field level.
• Oversee the selection, vetting, approval, distribution and follow up for Multipurpose Cash Assistance beneficiaries.

Field level Coordination and Networking

• Maintain and strengthen existing networks through other service providers at the field/community level, to ensure that survivors receive quality services and support at all levels of response.
• Actively participate in scheduled meetings such as the Case Conferences, inter-agency camp coordination 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 GBV prevention team to ensure ongoing psychosocial needs of vulnerable women, men, boys and girls are being met in the prevention related activities

• In collaboration with other partners, design psychosocial interventions within the community focusing on the psychosocial needs of adult women and adolescents to be provided in the safe spaces.
• Participate in conducting trainings for partners on relevant organizational development areas and support peer learning between CARE and other partner agencies.

Community Engagement and Outreach

• Conduct sensitization, dialogue and awareness sessions with the wider population about issues of trauma and GBV.
• Facilitate formation of support groups for survivors of GBV and other vulnerable groups in the WGSS and beyond.
• 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 GBV officer and GBV assistants, in dissemination of relevant psychosocial awareness information during the Community GBV prevention forums and meetings.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Assist in preparing daily, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports, progress notes, and treatment plans on time
• Use appropriate data collection tools as shared by the M&E team to provide data on certain areas of need
• Work closely with the case workers and psychosocial assistants to ensure quality reporting  
• Assist in the designing, planning, implementing and facilitating of external trainings 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

Staff Supervision

• Provide supervision to the Psychosocial Assistants and ensure effective provision of Psycho-social services.
• Engage in quality self-care through supervision, debriefings, and other shared sessions.
• Conduct regular formal and on-job training and mentorship to Psychosocial Assistants and Case workers on areas related to Case Management, Counselling and other related topics to enhance professionalism.
• Conduct regular case conference meetings with the Case workers both at individual and group levels for complex cases.
• Organize for external capacity building forums on GBV Case Management and Therapeutic Counselling techniques

Re quired experience and technical competencies:

• 3 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 set deadlines.
• 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 an emergency context is highly desirable

Education: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Social Work or other Social Science related field.
• Fluent in written and spoken English, Hausa, Kanuri

Work Conditions:

• The position is 100% based in Ngala LGA. There may be minimum travels to Maiduguri for trainings and meetings as requested by the Project manager. 100% of time to be spent in project locations mainly doing actual activity implementation at the Women and Girls Safe spaces, liaising with and coordinating activities with local implementing partners, community structures, Local Government Authorities, other humanitarian actors and stakeholders within the area of operations.
• It is essential that Psychosocial Officer maintains active presence in the field to ensure proper technical support, implementation and supervision and monitoring of GBV psychosocial activities as well as technical support for local implementing partner.
• CARE will provide a Guest house at the field where the position is based.