Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Consultant (National), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 12 months (Open for Malaysians Only)
Contract
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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
For every child, hope
Together with the Malaysian government and others who are truly passionate about child rights, UNICEF works in Malaysia to ensure every child has the opportunity to grow healthy and happy; live safely; and achieve their full potential.
With the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the 12th Malaysia plan as our guides, we endeavor to change minds, change policies, and in turn change the lives of all children in Malaysia.
https://www.unicef.org/malaysia/
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in Malaysia
Adolescents in Malaysia face a substantial burden of poor mental health and psychosocial well-being. The 2022 National Health Morbidity Survey (NHMS) revealed one in four adolescent battles depression, one in eight harbors suicidal thoughts, and one in ten has attempted suicide, ranking it as the third leading cause of adolescent fatalities in the country. A focused study in low-cost housing areas showed that out of 212 high-risk individuals, only 17 sought helps, highlighting the profound societal stigmas and misconceptions about mental health that deter help-seeking behaviors.
In response, the Malaysian government established the National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health (NCEMH) in October 2022, under the Ministry of Health. This initiative aims to serve as a hub for coordinating mental health promotion and prevention efforts across public, private, and NGO sectors. It marks a renewed commitment to enhancing mental health initiatives through policy refinement, resource allocation, partnership cultivation, research undertakings, and service expansion.
Complementing these governmental efforts, UNICEF, in collaboration with WHO Malaysia, has launched the Joint Programme on Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-being and Development of Children and Adolescents. This programme focuses on strengthening leadership in mental health advocacy, enhancing service delivery, promoting mental health, and bolstering research and evidence. It is aligned with the strategic directions of the National Strategic Health Plan for Mental Health 2020-2025, aiming to close service gaps, educate the public, and reduce stigma, thereby fostering a healthier future for Malaysia's youth.
How can you make a difference? As a consultant under the guidance of the Lead on Adolescent Participation and Development, Disability and Gender Prorgamming and the MHPSS Programme Officer, you will play a critical role in supporting the implementation of the WHO-UNICEF MHPSS Joint Programme. Your responsibilities will include:
- Collaborating with WHO to conduct a mapping exercise of MHPSS services for adolescents in Malaysia, aiming to identify service gaps and opportunities for enhancement.
- Supporting in the development of a Social Behavioral Change (SBC) strategy specifically tailored for MHPSS to effectively address and manage mental health issues among adolescents.
- Supporting the adaptation, implementation, and rollout of the Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) Tools, ensuring these resources are customized to meet the local context and needs.
Scope of Work:
1. MHPSS Services Mapping Exercise:
- Undertake the mapping exercise for MHPSS services for children and adolescents in Malaysia in collaboration with WHO and other partners
- Attend all related meetings and workshops organized by WHO and implementing partners for inception and consultation sessions.
- Provide technical support in the development and writing of the mapping report.
2. Adaptation and Rollout of Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) Tools:
- Conduct stakeholder mapping and identify potential partners for the adaptation and rollout of HAT tools in Malaysia, including regions of Sabah and Sarawak.
- Provide technical guidance during the adaptation process of HAT tools to ensure they meet local needs.
- Oversee the rollout of HAT tools, identify bottlenecks in the implementation process, and provide solutions to address these challenges.
3. Production of MHPSS Communications Materials for Advocacy and Visibility:
- Create content such as blog posts, written articles, reflection pieces, and stories that highlight issues and developments in adolescent MHPSS.
4. DevelopThematic Briefs and Investment Cases in MHPSS:
- Develop a thematic brief on adolescent MHPSS, highlighting key issues, challenges, and opportunities.
- Assist in preparing an investment case to advocate for increased funding and resources for adolescent MHPSS initiatives.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- An advance (Masters) degree in Mental Health or Social Science field including Social Work, Public Health, Psychology, Psychiatry.
- At least five (5) years of progressively responsible professional work experience with MHPSS programming for children and adolescents and their caregivers.
- Experience in working with youth/adolescents.
- Good knowledge and understanding of child safeguarding measures and established international standards on mental health and psychosocial support for children in humanitarian and/or development settings.
- Prior experience managing complext multi-partner programmes and excellent collaboration skills and the ability to build and maintain partnerships and support with a diverse range of stakeholders.
- Fluency and excellent analytical writting and verbal communication skills English and Bahasa Malaysia.
- Able to translate theoretic concepts into easy to digest documents, brief notes and concept notes.
- Be able to work independently as well as with a team in an international, multicultural and interdisciplinary environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization
- Ability to work within tight deadlines
- Desirable computer skills (MS Windows, MS Office applications, SharePoints and Infographics)
- Familiar with Do No Harm principle and UN ethical principles
- Experience in Results Based Management is an asset.
- Open to Malaysian Nationals only.
- Experience in working with a UN agency is desirable; prior experience in UNICEF is an asset
- Experience in other country contexts and an understanding of development challenges from field perspective is desirable.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.
The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.
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Source:
unicef.org
