Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare. Médecins Sans Frontiéres 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. www.msf.org
The following vacancy is open to all residents of Nigeria.
Contract Period: Indefinite
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
- Identify the psychosocial, socio-economic and administrative needs for patients
- Actively promote the availability of counseling services and carry out, individual or in group counseling, basic psycho educational sessions, to patients (adults and children), 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 and clinical supervision 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 counseling with supervisor.
MSF Section/Context Specific Accountabilities
- Provide 1st and follow up Mental Health sessions to all patients presenting signs of mental illnesses in the IDP camps and refer to appropriate services.
- Create support groups to support the affected group and more specifically provide Psychological First Aid.
- 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 and sexual violence.
- In collaboration with the Mobile clinic MD and/or Mental Health Activity Manager, follow up patients referred to various NGOs for Psychiatric treatment.
- Liaise with the outreach health promotion team.
- Set up an open relationship of trust, respect, acceptance and confidentiality with your patients and colleagues. Maintaining the importance of consent.
- Organize creative and recreational activities for children as a means of strengthening the health and positive aspects of their personality as opposed to overemphasizing trauma and clinical activities (e.g., sports, singing, dancing, storytelling)
- Being able to work in difficult working conditions (outreach), with minimal resources.
- Place of employment: IDP camps. Occasionally it is possible to work in Nilefa — Keji hospital/Surveilance.
Minimum Required Skills and Qualifications:
Education: Bachelor’s Degree/Diploma in Psychology, Counselling or any relevant social science is essential.
- Experience: Minimum 2-years’ experience in similar relevant position is required.
- Previous experience with MSF/INGO/NGO is highly beneficial.
- Languages: English essential. Local language (Hausa, Kanuri) highly desirable.
- Competencies: Results and Quality Orientated, Teamwork and Cooperation, Behavioural Flexibility, Commitment to MSF Principles, Stress Management, Results.
MSF is an equal opportunity employer, both men and women are encouraged to apply.
Interested candidates should submit their application, including cover letter, resume and copy of relevant certificates Only through email at: [email protected]
Subject: “Application for Mental Health Counsellor Educator (Outreach)”
Deadline: 10th December 2021
Please note only short-listed candidates will be notified and invited for interview; MSF Belgium takes this opportunity to thank all potential candidates for their application.
