Associate Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Officer

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

Description of taskUnder the direct supervision of the Programme Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Ensure MHPSS activities for the refugee population by UNHCR and partners are executed in line with internal UNHCR guidance and according to international and interagency standards.

• Ensure the MHPSS team applies UNHCR’s policies, standards and procedures constantly and coherently.

• Establish MHPSS coordination mechanisms with all relevant partners.

• Ensure a system for capacity building and supportive supervision for MHPSS by UNHCR staff and partners.
• Ensure that mental health data are integrated in the Health Information System (HIS) and that reports for MHPSS activities by partners and UNHCR staff will be systematically assembled and assessed.
• Conduct assessment missions and implement evaluation activities around MHPSS.

• Support the development and implementation of an MHPSS strategic plan within the AoR with cross sectoral links.

• Support the programming exercise to draw proposals and budgets related to MHPSS within the AoR.

• Provide technical assistance to UNHCR and implementing partners within in development, integration and mainstreaming of appropriate and cost-effective MHPSS activities.
• Promote inter-sectoral coordination outside and within UNHCR in all matters related to MHPSS programmes and improve coordination among partners.
• Work closely with UNHCR programme, field, health and protection staff to identify priority MHPSS issues, identify gaps and overlaps in programming, address unmet needs, and orient existing activities to address priority issues.

• Ensure that national and internationally accepted and relevant standards and policies around MHPSS are applied and adapted in close coordination with the host country and relevant UN agencies and partners.

• Foster capacity building around MHPSS for UNHCR staff, partner staff and refugee workers, e.g. community health workers, peer educators, peer counsellors, refugee outreach volunteers.

• Develop training plans for MHPSS, organise and act as resource person in workshops and training both in-service and on the job (coaching).
• In collaboration with Ministry of Health and Jesuit Refugee Services, build basic psychosocial skills among all essential workers responding to COVID-19 in all Dzaleka Refugee Camp.
• Promote the continuation of comprehensive clinical care in humanitarian settings adapted to COVID-19 context

• Promote programme evaluation and applied research around MHPSS interventions to enable identification of gaps in service provision and to promote evidence-based programming.

• Promote strong linkages around MHPSS within units for public health, nutrition, community based-protection, child protection, SGBV, education and others.

• Promote the use of community-based approaches, including clear involvement of persons of concern (PoC) in MHPSS programmes.
• Work with others in UNHCR to advocate for access of refugees and other PoC to local MHPSS services and lobby for inclusion of refugees and other PoC as a specific group in government policies related to MHPSS.
• Ensure regular update and share information within UNHCR as well as with relevant government, UN and NGO counterparts and donors.

• Intervene with implementing partners on MHPSS issues and enforce compliance with, and integrity of, MHPSS programming within the AoR.

• Represent MHPSS aspects of UNHCRs efforts in coordination meetings in and outside UNHCR, and delegate coordination responsibilities to other team members where required.

• Advise on selection of implementing partners for MHPSS

• Perform other related duties as required.

  Qualifications/Requirements

  Required degree level: Bachelor degree or equivalent

  Education - Additional Comments: Clinical Psychology; *Psychiatry; *Clinical Social Work; Public Health; Mental Health; Psychotherapy; or other relevant field.

  Required experience: 36 Months

  Experience remark:- Work experience in the relevant field, of which at least 3 years of professional experience in the humanitarian or refugee field. Extensive knowledge of public mental health and MHPSS models of promotion/prevention and treatment. Experiences and knowledge in the psychological and psychosocial response to victims of sexual violence and torture. Experience in integrated health responses, providing mental health services integrated with primary or secondary health services. Strong understanding of and working experience with refugee protection (such as community-based protection, child protection and SGBV prevention and response). Knowledgeable of the latest developments and techniques in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support. Experience with planning, executing and evaluating capacity building around MHPSS (training, workshops). Work experience with technical tools in around: 1) mental health integration in primary health care (such as the mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide for Clinical Management of Mental, Neurological and Substance use Conditions in Humanitarian Emergencies, WHO/UNHCR, 2015), 2) Scalable psychological interventions (brief evidence based psychotherapies, such as Problem Management Plus, Interpersonal Therapy for Depression) ), 3) community-based psychosocial work. Ability to promote good working relationships among colleagues, supervisors, and the persons s/he supervises.

  Desirable

  Experience with MHPSS coordination in humanitarian settings.

  Language skills:- English(Mandatory), Level - Fluent

  Area of expertise: Protection of refugees, asylum seekers and IDPs, Mental health

  Area of expertise details:Experience with MHPSS coordination in humanitarian settings.

  Driving license: No

  Competencies values:Adaptability and Flexibility, Building Trust, Commitment and Motivation, Communication, Creativity, Empowering Others, Ethics and Values, Integrity, Judgement and Decision-making, Knowledge Sharing, Leadership, Managing Performance, Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity, Technological Awareness, Working in Teams

  Application procedure:Prerequisites

This assignment is funded by the Government of Japan, therefore only Japanese nationals are eligible to apply.

This is a UN Volunteer assignment and eligible candidates must be 25 years of age or older.

Selection process

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The selection will be done by the UN Host Entity at the level of the country of assignment, via competency-based interviews held via skype or telephone.

The selected candidate of this assignment is expected to participate in a series of trainings conducted by UNV during assignment period. Details of the trainings will be shared by the donor after the selection.

How to apply

Please apply via the link below. You can then either log in if you already have an account or register via ‘Candidate Signup’.

You may apply to a maximum of three assignments per advertisement and indicate your order of preference in the ‘Additional Remarks’ section of your profile.

Application deadline: 23 August 2020