Mental Health and Psycho-social Support Counsellor

The MHPSS Counsellor is responsible for designing and implementation of all emergency and recovery Health-related activities at the local level using participatory and community-based approaches. S/he is also responsible to provide surge technical support and guidance at the local level to Wereda health office experts and other staff working in the area of MHPSS. S/he is also responsible for compiling progress reports and documentation and sharing best practices and lessons learned in livelihoods.

Accountabilities

Objective 1: Promote mental health and appropriate psychosocial supports among beneficiaries, stakeholders and communities

Key accountabilities:

• Implement and facilitate awareness-raising sessions at centers and community levels, based on a guidebook; particularly on child development, mothering practices, mother and child interactions, and breastfeeding practices
• Participate in elaborating key messages and adapting them according to the context and the target population
• Be able to describe MHPSS project and objectives in a clear, understandable and culturally adapted manner
• Supervise daily the proper transmission of project information and key messages by beneficiaries to the community, by supporting them on awareness-raising methods, a sense of responsibility, and motivation
• Promote the full range of care practices including aspects of hygiene practice and infant & young child feeding practices (IYCF)

Objective 2: Organize and conduct mental health and psychosocial support with the beneficiaries

Key accountabilities:

• Conduct group discussions and support groups with the beneficiaries on mental health, care practices and psychosocial issues, by using recommended guidelines and tools
• Conduct simulation activities (therapeutic play sessions and others) for mothers and children according to beneficiaries needs
• Contribute to developing interactive teaching methods (like role-playing etc.) for group facilitation, in order to have an impact on behavior change
• Stimulate group dynamic by favoring exchanges and participation among beneficiaries in group sessions on a particular theme
• Be able of receiving and restraining expressions of strong emotions
• Be able to observe, evaluate and analyze the content of a group session with an evaluation grid
• Evaluate the beneficiaries’ knowledge and skills before and after the group sessions

Objective 3: Ensure center-based and community-based individual psychosocial follow-up for beneficiaries

Key accountabilities:

• Conduct individual support and counselling activities for the beneficiaries, according to an adapted action plan, and based on MHCP psychosocial approach of care practices
• Ensure the follow-up and support of beneficiaries at the household level, involving when necessary the family members
• Be able to assess individual MHPSS skills and practices of the beneficiaries, by using recommended tools, scales, and questionnaires
• Be able to adequately refer beneficiaries to existing available resources in case of need
• Contribute actively to MHPSS group supervision and case management sessions, by helping to identify beneficiaries’ difficulties and action plan for the follow-up

Objective 4: Contribute to capacity building for community key persons, stakeholders and local partners

Key accountabilities:

• Participate in the development of standards and IEC material and training methods, for PIE and for the training of trainers
• Conduct training skills for beneficiaries and training for community key persons and members on specific topics, using MHPSS guidelines and participation learning techniques
• Provide regular technical support to trained stakeholders and community key persons, about quality service delivery, by identifying on-the-job needs and supervising skills progression
• Provide regular supervision to HEWs & HWs (and HDA supervisors if required) using MHCP tools.
• Working with HEWS/HWS, organize regular planned bi-monthly HDA meetings to provide support, learning, and evaluation of their community activity.

Objective 5: Participate in program monitoring by collecting and analysing information on field activities and beneficiaries’ MHPSS needs

Key accountabilities:

• Contribute to needs and resources assessments, and be able to identify the most vulnerable groups in need of MHCP support
• Collect information during the program activities on the beneficiaries’ MHPSS needs, by using specific reporting tools and including this information systematically in each activity report
• Maintain detailed and up to date program records, and ensure the confidentiality of beneficiaries  information
• Prepare (in collaboration with line manager) and implement work plan
• Collaborate with PIE other sectors for all activities, reporting, and meeting

Job Requirements

Essential

• Health/psychological/social diploma and other relevant fields of study
• Minimum over 3 years relevant experience and with this at least 1.5 years relevant experience in an international NGO or similar organization Knowledge of policy and practice in the field of emergency nutrition intervention, MHPSS, IYCF, and health.
• Experience in developing and monitoring budgets.
• Computer literate in word processing and excel packages.
• An understanding of child rights and their protection and fulfilment in the development context.
• Excellent  verbal and written communication skills; both in English & Amharic 

How to Apply

The closing date for the application is June 08, 2021. Qualified candidates should submit the application form found with this link https://ahaduvacancy.com/Uploads/Attachments/Plan_Application_Form.docx through www.ahaduvacancy.com

This position is only open to Ethiopian Nationals, who must be eligible to live and work in Ethiopia.  

More information about Plan International can be found on http://plan-international.org  

References will be taken and background and anti-terrorism checks will be carried out in conformity with Plans Child Protection Policy. Plan operates an equal opportunities policy and actively encourages diversity, welcoming applications from all persons meeting the skills and experience required.

As an international child centered community development organization, Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realization of children's rights including their right to protection from violence and abuse. That means we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we as an organization, do everything we can to keep children safe. We must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply.