Pre- and Post-Natal Support Group Facilitator-Consultant

Job Description

Background:

Over 70,000 people from Afghanistan were evacuated to the U.S. in August of 2021. After staying at military base Safe Havens, these individuals and families were relocated to communities around the nation. Because of the difficulty of finding housing in many communities, as a stopgap measure many new arrivals were temporarily housed in congregant settings while sustainable housing options were being pursued. While more than two-thirds of IRC clients have secured permanent housing, many remain in temporary housing.

Scope of Work:

Managing health needs, particularly maternal and child health, can be difficult for clients as they balance competing priorities while navigating new complex systems such as the US healthcare system. Language, cultural, transportation, and childcare are just a few of the barriers clients may face while trying to support their health and well-being in a new country. Pregnant women and new mothers may find it challenging to access prenatal care and postpartum support for the previously stated reasons. In addition, newly arrived Afghan women may be hesitant to discuss their pregnancy and post-partum questions with their assigned caseworkers, some of whom are male. To address these barriers, IRC is seeking a Pre/Post-Natal Support Group Facilitator to contribute to the design of a virtual support group series for pregnant and lactating Afghan women and their partners as applicable; and to then implement this support group series with clients living across the US. The project will occur over four-month period of time (June 2022 through September 2022).

The facilitator will work under IRC’s Technical Advisor for Health Promotion and collaborate closely with the Intensive Case Management’s (ICM) Senior Program Officer and team. The facilitator is expected to engage ICM IRC staff at local offices who are working with eligible clients and Afghan clients who are enrolled in the ICM program, as well as liaise with other stakeholders. The facilitator will work 100% remotely.

Deliverables:

During the performance period, the P****re/Post-Natal Support Group Facilitator is expected to deliver:

● Contribute to a written summary of findings from a rapid needs assessment. The rapid needs assessment will evaluate what topics should be covered throughout the series based on staff insights. The facilitator will also work with clients during the first few session series to assess what topics they would want covered and to design the series to be responsive to those needs.

● Prepare for all logistics and organization for 8 support groups through close consultation with ICM IRC staff. This includes preparing logistics for each session, preparing for each session, troubleshooting digital literacy concerns, developing a safe space protocol and scheduling and coordinating with an interpreter if needed.

● Facilitate 8 support groups in either Pashto and/or Dari, or with the assistance of an interpreter.

● Regular check ins with the Health Promotion TA to provide updates and discuss emerging issues.

● Refer clients as needed to proper follow up support by reporting needs back to their case managers (with clients’ permission) and write summary reports of the discussion from each group session.

● In an exit interview, share details on lessons learned from the support session group experience, including guidance around how it was set up and managed; logistics; challenges and how they were mitigated; discussion topics and implications for IRC to consider if moving forward with more groups or implementing with other client populations. Share promising practices that resulted from the support session group experience, along with materials that were developed during the sessions.

Qualifications

Timeline:

● June Project Start Date

● July Monthly Sessions begin?

● Sept. Sessions end and exit interview

Requirements:

Education:

● Health professional (e.g., Community Health Worker, RN, MPH, or MSW student. (Strong community health outreach experience may substitute for degree)

Preferred Skills and Experience:

● Strong understanding of key issues and topics in maternal and child health.

● Demonstrated experience in developing health support group curricula, particularly virtual support groups.

● Knowledge of navigating localized health care systems/departments.

● Experience working with refugees, immigrants and migrants.

● Understanding of how to adjust materials so that they are culturally appropriate and most meaningful to the audience.

● Expert communication skills (written and verbal).

● Pro-active self-starter that is able to develop and complete work plans independently in a complex, dynamic environment.

● Fluency in Dari/Pashto preferred.

Application and Bidding Procedure:

Interested applicants should send their resume and a cover letter explaining their interest in the position and qualifications.