Job Description

Title: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Specialist

Company Name: DanChurch Aid, Bangladesh office

Vacancy: Not specific

Job Location: Cox's Bazar

Employment Status: Full-time

Educational Requirements:
∎ Graduate/postgraduate degree in clinical/counselling/ psychology.

Experience Requirements:
∎ At least 5 year(s)

Job Context:
∎ Contract period: Up to 31 December 2023 (with possibility of extension)
∎ Line Manager: Project Coordinator
∎ Staff Manages: MHPSS Counsellor (4)
∎ Location: Rohingya Refugee Program, Cox`s Bazar, Bangladesh
∎ DanChurchAid (DCA) is a Danish humanitarian, non-government and non-profit organisation working in Bangladesh since 1971. DCA is a faith-based, non-missionary organization. We work for the poor, vulnerable and socially excluded communities and believe in life before death. The DCA Bangladesh invites applications from qualified and competent Bangladeshi candidates for the position of Communication Officer for Rohingya Response Programme.
∎ Overall purposes of the role:The MHPSS Specialist is responsible for the provision of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services to adolescents and youth (both boys and girls) in targeted camps and host communities. S/he will also be deeply involved in the development and oversee the implementation of relevant MHPSS activities, and provide technical assistance to other staff, partners, and target populations in relation to MHPSS programming activities. S/he supports the supervision of the MHPSS Counsellors to ensure the timely and quality provision of services and implementation of activities and facilitate the coordination and knowledge-sharing among the counsellors. S/he will work under the supervision of the Project Coordinator and engage in monitoring and participate in efforts to document and disseminate learning.

Job Responsibilities:
∎ The MHPSS Specialist will be responsible to:
∎ Conduct assessments and evaluations to determine the nature and extent of problems of A&Y and propose interventions with a focus on MHPSS.
∎ Conduct training needs assessment to identify knowledge gaps and design appropriate training focusing on MHPSS.
∎ Provide training on MHPSS topics as appropriate, depending on identified needs (e.g. key aspects of psychological first aid and relevant aspects of IASC guidelines) to MHPSS counsellors, Girl Shine staff, Youth Mentors, and staff from other organizations where needed.
∎ Support MHPSS counsellors to identify the persons with specific psychosocial needs, provide them with necessary support, such as developing treatment plans that help them to identify their problems and formulate solutions.
∎ Supervise and provide technical guidance to psychoeducational activities and peer-to-peer support activities implemented by Youth Mentors
∎ Facilitate coordination and knowledge-sharing among MHPSS counsellors and other relevant staff to improve MHPSS service delivery.
∎ Service Delivery:
∎ Set up an ethical and confidential services and formalize inclusion of different MHPSS services (e.g. psychological first aid, stress counselling, solution-focused therapy, trauma-focused psychotherapy, etc) and customize it to local context
∎ Provide MHPSS services (group and individual) to adolescents and youth to improve their mental health and psychosocial condition.
∎ Practice duty of care by ensuring the mental health and well-being of the MHPSS counsellors, Youth Mentors and other staff of A&Y Centres.
∎ Provide PFA for other community members, particularly caregivers, as needed.
∎ Refer adolescents, youth and other persons of concerns to appropriate referral institutions for specialized MHPSS or any other support (if needed)
∎ Document client data accurately in the intake forms and ensure they are under lock and key and ensure that the MH-related Data Tool is accurately updated on a regular basis.
∎ Coordination:
∎ Coordinate with MHPSS counsellors and other members of the team in the integration of mental health considerations in community-based activities along the full spectrum of the intervention pyramid.
∎ Set up an ethical and confidential service and formalize the inclusion of different MHPSS services (e.g. psychological first aid, stress counselling, solution focused therapy, trauma focused psychotherapy, etc) and customize it to local context.
∎ Work in close collaboration with the other sectoral actors to ensure ongoing needs of adolescents and youth, especially on MHPSS, are being met in prevention- and response-related activities.
∎ Provide technical assistance to adolescent and youth groups on MHPSS needs, guided by best practices, current research, and empirical evidence, and using an intersectional approach.
∎ Coordinate with the MHPSS working group and other MHPSS actors on the inclusion of people with mental disorders in other activities promoted by the teams.
∎ Maintain appropriate records/database of assessments and any clinical/casework undertaken and collect and collate statistics for analysis.
∎ Promote coordination with the Girl Shine project staff and the GBV team to ensure project integration.
∎ Develop project work plans while conducting the necessary needs assessment and other consultative initiatives to provide psychosocial support for clients to define action plans and develop therapeutic processes and ensure all work with clients is confidential and that ethical practices are observed.
∎ Ensure participation in MHPSS Cox's Bazar-level coordination mechanisms, such as the MHPSS Working Group, Adolescent and Child MHPSS task team, etc.
∎ Participate in all relevant meetings in the camps. Work with other organizations to promote MHPSS support and strengthen referral mechanisms.
∎ Use established protocols to refer clients in need of treatment, and link clients to specialized MHPSS sessions.
∎ Collect key data and prepare reports on progress made, together with observations, challenges faced, and lessons learned, while maintaining the principle of confidentiality.
∎ Additional Tasks
∎ Map existing support provisions at the microlevel and design together with the supervisor initiative to reinforce the capacity of MHPSS counsellors and Youth mentors.
∎ To proactively assess and analyze the context and propose interventions.
∎ Support emergency responses after critical incidents (fire incidents, cyclones, etc.), if requested.
∎ Prepare Monthly reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing treatment and results data and trends based on MHPSS tools.
∎ To perform other duties as required and agreed with the Project Coordinator and MHPSS Officer.

Additional Requirements:
∎ At least 5 years of previous experience in a similar position or in clinical psychological and psychotherapeutic interventions in emergencies & in particular working with people at heightened risk.
∎ Sound technical understanding of child protection principles, community-based and rights-based approaches, and trauma-informed care.
∎ Experience in providing MHPSS to adolescents and youth.
∎ Prior supervisory or management experience is highly preferred.
∎ Additional training in MHPSS, PFA, counselling skills, and evidence-based MHPSS interventions highly preferred.
∎ Fluency in the Chittagongian language is highly preferred.
∎ Have good interpersonal skills including written, and oral communication skills.
∎ Integrity and Transparency: Maintain high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
∎ Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge, and innovate.
∎ Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent, and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
∎ Inclusion and respect for Diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences; specifically, the ability to work with people from different cultural settings; encourages diversity and inclusion wherever possible.
∎ Responsible, committed, and professional to ethical issues.

Job Source: Bdjobs.com Online Job Posting.

Application Deadline: 28 Aug 2023

Company Information:
∎ 21 Aug 2023
∎ DanChurch Aid, Bangladesh office
∎ Business : DanChurchAid (DCA) is a faith-based, non-missionary organization. We work for the poor, vulnerable and socially excluded communities and believe in life before death. Our everyday work with development and relief aid strives to help the oppressed, neglected and marginalized groups in our focus countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa to strengthen their possibilities of a life in dignity. In Bangladesh, we are involved in several thematic areas with our work focusing on resilient livelihoods/economic empowerment and humanitarian relief and DRR.

Category: NGO/Development