Gender Based Violence Psychosocial Counselor, Hagadera

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Kenya serves vulnerable populations in the Turkana region and refugees in the Kakuma, Dadaab camps and in the Eastleigh, Nairobi.

The IRC implements programs in the areas of comprehensive primary health care, nutrition, protection, peace building, sanitation and hygiene and HIV/AIDS and prevention and response to gender based violence issues.

Applications are invited for the position of:

Gender Based Violence Psychosocial Counselor, Hagadera

The GBV Psychosocial Counselor will provide technical support and leadership required for the successful implementation of all psychosocial activities, including the provision of direct counseling and case management.

The GBV Psychosocial Counselor will be responsible for training and supervising GBV Community Workers to respond to cases of GBV in the camp and ensure effective case management. This includes providing ongoing training and mentorship for community workers and utilizing monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure high quality services.

Responsibilities:

• Monitor and supervise case management, including capacity building through training, mentorship and on-the-job support for community workers. Training topics may include active listening and effective communication, action and safety planning, basic concepts, and other related topics.
• Participate in the development of professional, effective and appropriate GBV psychosocial programming, including direct individual and group counseling support in HRC.
• Provide professional and confidential services to survivors of GBV, grounded in the IRC’s holistic, survivor-centered case management approach.
• Assist in the development and provision of psychosocial activities at the IRC’s Women’s Community Centers based on participatory community assessments.
• Supervise and provide training, mentorship, and other technical support to community workers directly involved with the psychosocial component of the IRC’s GBV programme.
• Strengthen and maintain networks with community leaders and groups, service providers and camp management to ensure that survivors receive compassionate support from the community and to encourage greater communication, collaboration and coordination among partners (protection, health, legal, and psychosocial sectors).
• Conducting response-related trainings key community stakeholders to promote quality service provision.
• Collect and collate data about GBV and monitor trends and emerging issues.
• Assist with developing adequate project monitoring systems and help to ensure that GBV community workers utilize these systems correctly and consistently.
• Assist with preparing all relevant reports regarding the IRC’s psychosocial activities.
• Ensure timely implementation of psychosocial programme activities.
• Provide leadership and guidance regarding psychosocial activities to all community workers to ensure all programme activities meet best practice standards.
• Work in collaboration with Community Mobilization Officer to ensure ongoing needs of women and girls are being met through prevention-related activities.
• Lead awareness-raising and/or sensitization campaigns on the IRC’s psychosocial activities and other GBV services in collaboration with the Community Mobilization Officer.
• Participate in development of monthly outreach plans with community workers, based on case trends and ongoing needs of women and girls, include strategies to reach women and girls who are more isolated/have special needs.
• Fulfill any other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Diploma in counseling and/or psychology. A Social Science or related degree is preferred.
• Minimum 2 years of direct psychosocial/counseling experience with a reputable agency; experience working with survivors of violence preferred.
• Clear understanding of gender, abuse of power, and issues surrounding violence against women.
• Able to maintain confidentiality, medical ethics and respect for clients at all times.
• Experience in participatory techniques and community mobilization
• Able to lead, train, supervise, facilitate and motivate GBV Community Workers in their respective tasks in a professional, respectful and supportive manner.
• Knowledge of and fluency in Somali
• Positive, highly motivated, innovative, with strong organizational and inter-personal skills.
• Able to coordinate multiple tasks while maintaining attention to quality and detail.
• Able to work as part of a team.
• Strong knowledge of computer applications, including MS Word and Excel.
• Willing to work in a hardship area.
• Fluency in English, including writing clear and concise reports.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with organizing, facilitating or conducting any of the following community activities: community discussions, surveys, group activities, etc.
• Experience working in a refugee setting.

To apply please go to http://www.rescue.org/careers and search for NAME OF THE POSITION.

Please apply on or before 16th December, 2011.

IRC is an equal opportunity employer