MHPSS counsellor

ROLE PURPOSE

The MHPSS Counsellor is responsible for support designing and implementation of all emergency and recovery Health related activities specially MHPSS at local level using participatory and community-based approaches. S/he is also responsible to provide surge technical support and guidance at local level to Woreda health office experts and other staff working in the area of MHPSS. S/he is also responsible for compiling progress reports and documentation and sharing of best practices and lessons learnt in MHPSS, SGBV and nutrition.

 Accountabilities and MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

Planning and Implementation of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Activities (30%)

• Ensure correct identification and recruitment of peoples with minor to sever mental problem to individual and group therapy based the established screening criteria 
• Ensure correct identification of cases with GBV and disability provide appropriate psychosocial support
• Proved basic stress management and PFA to affected IDP and host community
• Follow-up and track client attendance and participation and document client and project progress to asses MHPSS efficacy
• Document and share learning from counseling, integration with other health/nutrition activity
• Coordinator with MHNT and other MHPSS counselors
• Implement and facilitate awareness-raising sessions at centres and community levels, based on a guidebook; particularly on child development, mothering practices, mother and child interactions and breastfeeding practices
• Ensure IYCF and hygiene sanitation key messages are integrated in MHPSS activity
• Use established protocols to refer clients in need of clinical treatment
• Maintain confidentiality in all matters relating to group participants, consistent with organizational policies and laws
• Collect key client data and prepare reports on progress made, together with observations, challenges faced, and lessons learned
• Work closely with project technical staff in ensuring coordination and integration across all activities

Objective: - Technical Support and Capacity Building (30%)

• Jointly develop monthly, weekly work plan with other MHNT staffs
• Develop and maintain close working relationship with partners responsible for MNCH-N, DRM, MHPSS TWG in their designated area
• Provides support for health and nutrition trainings, workshops, and meetings conducted at zonal/woreda/Kebele level
• Conduct training need assessment to identify relevant community members (Women affair, CSW, HAD, HEW, HWs) knowledge gap and design appropriate training accordingly
• Assist project staffs MHNT and others to include MHPSS key messages in their activity
• Train staffs, CSW, volunteers on mental health impact on nutrition and child development
• Ensure community level referral linkage and collaboration
• Strengthen referral linkage of critical cases between PHCUs and Hospitals

Objective: - Monitoring and Supervision (20%)

• Maintain up-to-date data related to nutrition and MHPSS activities and deliver to H &N coordinator
• Ensure close working relationship with the MHNT and establish coordination and integration of the health and nutrition and the MHPSS activities.
• Facilitate/Conduct joint, supportive supervision with MHNT and CO level health and nutrition thematic specialist on the activities.
• Facilitates and encourages regular review meeting and review schedules at all woreda levels and help the different institutions have it institutionalized commitment;
• Together with other health and nutrition team sets project quality standards and action steps and monitor the performance accordingly; 
• Prepare a monthly program and program support plan that helps to visit field activities and provide formal and informal feedback to the program staff in terms of recommendations for improved performance;
• Conducts regular mentoring to community health workers and health extension workers and develop their group and individual counselling skills.

Objective: - Ensuring on time reporting, data quality and learning documentation (20%)

• Prepare and submit weekly, monthly, quarterly high-quality reports
• Establishes and maintains documentation system for all program activities including, minutes of technical meetings
• Document project learning, success stories, case studies, and learning briefs 
• Ensure improved data collection and reporting systems during supportive supervision or monitoring field visits to each project operational areas

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI)

• Understand and put into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC).
• Ensure that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in day to day work.
• Ensure that Plan Ethiopia contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

 Plan International’s Values in Practice

We are open and accountable

We create a climate of trust inside and outside the organisation by being open, honest and transparent. We hold ourselves and others to account for the decisions we make and for our impact on others, while doing what we say we will do.

 We strive for lasting impact

We strive to achieve significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls. We challenge ourselves to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative.

 We work well together

We succeed by working effectively with others, inside and outside the organisation, including our sponsors and donors. We actively support our colleagues, helping them to achieve their goals. We come together to create and implement solutions in our teams, across Plan International, with children, girls, young people, communities and our partners.

We are inclusive and empowering

We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge inequality in our programmes and our workplace. We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

• Education BSc/BA degree or equivalent
• 3 (three) years of relevant professional experience in a similar position

Qualifications/Experience Desirable:

• In depth knowledge and experience of mental health and psychosocial programming in the   humanitarian context essential.

• Familiarity with IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings
• Training experience required on mhGAP & Proven counselling skill
• Strong organizational and supervisory, Strong writing and reporting skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work within different cultural environments and Cross-cultural Awareness
• Ability to work within a team structure, flexible, and can cope with stressful workloads and working with limited resources

Languages Required

• Excellent English verbal and written skills.
•  Knowledge of local language mandatory