Counselor Educator at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)

Medecins Sans Frontieres is a private, international organisation. The organisation is made up mainly of doctors and health sector workers and is also open to all other professions which might help in achieving its aims. Medecins Sans Frontieres provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict. They do so irrespective of race, religion, creed or political convictions.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Counselor Educator

Location: Maiduguri, Borno (IDP Camps).
Employment Type: Contract

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• For this Post a Female is needed to work on the SGBV women cases.
• Identify the psychosocial, socio-economic and administrative needs for patients
• Actively promote the availability of counselling services and carry out, individual or in group counseling, basic psycho educational sessions, to patients, their families (when needed), in order to alleviate their psychosocial difficulties within the project scope.
• Refer patients to other specialists or other institutions for further assistance, when necessary in order to propose the best support available.
• Participate in the creation of any material needed for counseling activities and look after it,
• Keep files and statistics of daily activities and participate in team meetings to share experiences and discuss special cases with other counselors, preserving confidentiality
• Inform line manager of any problem of any kind arising during the day-to-day activities.
• Take active part in trainings, supervisions/intervisions and support the activities manager when necessary in doing sensitization for MSF staff or external partners about mental health /psychosocial issues.
• Discuss difficulties and problems in counselling with supervisor.
• The Counselor educator in collaboration with the PMR is responsible for the overall planning and providing psychosocial support for MSF beneficiaries:
  • Provide individual or group psychosocial support such as counseling and support groups to all patients and relatives admitted in Fori.
  • Pre- and post- screening counseling for TB/HIV is mandatory.
  • Provide capacity building to the team on identifying and handling patients with psychosocial issues.
  • Support and refer confirmed HIV cases to CHEMONIX for treatment. Follow-up cases in a regular basis.
• Provide individualized, holistic, and comprehensive case management to patients and relatives diagnosed and confirmed TB/HIV and other MH cases. This includes the following: psychosocial status assessment, goal setting, long-term care plan and adherence to medications, progress monitoring and referrals if needed:
  • Conduct family assessments for all patients admitted to Fori
  • Provide psychosocial support to cases referred for admission to Fori by other implementing partners.
  • Closely monitor and document psychological progress of cases
  • Produce and maintain accurate clinical records of the beneficiaries. Maintain confidentiality.
  • Conduct regular case analysis within the project with the support from the line manager and MH technical responsible.
  • Plan and provide ongoing psychosocial support to parents or guardians.
  • Liaise with technical personnel in the project and refer severe cases to NPH in Maiduguri whenever necessary.
• Develop reports and coordinates feedback meetings with the team and medical department.
• Follow all discharged patients and continue to provide regular psychosocial support to patients and caretakers.
• Ensure that data collected is shared with the PMR and the medical team, so it is effectively managed and used for program planning:
  • Liaise with data manager to develop tools for capturing needed information
• Submit monthly report to PMR

For the first 3 months:

• To adhere to all mental health ethical standards including: do no harm, serving the best interest of the beneficiary, confidentiality, informed consent, and respect for beneficiaries choices
• Provide 1st and follow up MH sessions to all patients presenting signs of mental illnesses in the IDP camps.
• To identify beneficiaries who need Psychological First Aid (PFA) and provide PFA.
• To provide psycho-education about normalization of reactions, grief, coping mechanisms etc.
• Provide psychosocial support to family/guardian of those with mental illness or survivors of rape.
• In collaboration with the Mobile clinic MD follow up the management of the patients referred to various secondary / tertiary institutions i.e. Neuro Psychiatric hospital.
• Liaise with the outreach health promotion team and medical team.
• Set up an open relationship of trust, respect, acceptance and confidentiality with your patients and colleagues.
• Organize cultural appropriate recreational and creative activities for children.
• To collect and maintain data on all psychosocial and counseling activities on a weekly / monthy
• To address the protection needs of patients by offering vulnerable patients referral to protection partners under the supervision of MHAM
• Being able to work in difficult working conditions (outreach), with minimal resources.

Minimum Required Skills and Qualifications
Educational Qualification and Experience:

• University degree or diploma in Psychology, Counselling or any relevant Social Science field is an advantage
• Minimum of 2 years previous experience in a similar relevant position is required.
• Solid knowledge of human relations, social sciences and interpersonal relations is required.

• Previous experience with MSF or another NGO will be highly beneficial.

Language:

• Fluency in English is essential. Fluency in Hausa and / or Kanuri language is essential.

Application Closing Date
27th January, 2021. (End of business day)