The Ugandan Jobline

Job Title:  Psychosocial Worker (2 Jobs)  

Organisation: Humanity & Inclusion

Duty Station: Nakivale, Uganda

Reports to: REHAB Project Manager

Gross Salary: UGX 2,102,609 – 2,339,088

Length of Contract: 12 months

Start Date: September 2024

About Organisation:

Co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, Humanity & Inclusion (the new name of Handicap International) is a 40-year-old independent and impartial organization working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster.

We work alongside people with disabilities and individuals experiencing extreme hardship, acting and bearing witness to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

HI in Uganda is currently implementing development and humanitarian interventions in six sectors/thematic areas: Livelihood, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), Physical and Functional Rehabilitation, Inclusive Education, Inclusive Health, and Inclusive Humanitarian Action (IHA) to improve access and quality of services to the most vulnerable people including persons with disabilities promoting a more inclusive and harmonious society.

Project Background

The Humanitarian Services for Very Vulnerable Persons aims to improve access to humanitarian services for very vulnerable persons, including Women and Men, Girls and Boys, with disabilities in Nakivale refugee settlement. The project will provide the most vulnerable refugees with physical and functional rehabilitation and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). It will be in Nakivale settlement, located in the Southwest of Uganda, is one of the three settlements including Kyangwali and Rwamanja receiving refugees arriving from the DRC. It is the Second to Ajumani, Kyangwali, 3rd as per UNHCR HH Data of June 2024. UGA – Active Population by Settlement – 30 Jun 2024.pd

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Responsibility 1: Provide mental health and psychosocial care and follow up to beneficiaries

• Identify, through outreach, beneficiaries’ psychosocial needs (disabilities and vulnerabilities) in close relation with the beneficiaries and their caregivers
• Identify all protection risks at individuals and familial level refer all cases requiring specialized mental health care and/or complementary individual psychosocial support to the appropriate service(s) , including the psychologist, in coordination with the MHPSS Specialist.
• Ensure a qualitative follow up of the beneficiaries and document the follow up according to the monitoring plan
• Conduct awareness-raising sessions on MHPSS topics at the community level
• Organize and facilitate informal support sessions, while identifying and referring persons in need of more formal/structured support Organize and lead recreational and social activities promoting recovery and integration of children and persons with disability

Responsibility 2: In collaboration with the Rehabilitation Team, support in organizing (structured/formal) group sessions and when needed

• In collaboration with the team, identify the beneficiaries and the families/caregivers who could benefit from structured/formal support group sessions provided by the psychologist
• According to the needs identified and the internal referral received, organise the different group sessions according to the integrated approach
• With the support and advices of the MHPSS Specialist, define the objectives of the group sessions and the relevant participants
• Conduct the different psychosocial group activities, adapted and appropriate to each one’s specific needs and capacities.
• Animate the group session in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team as needed
• Among the beneficiaries, identify people (peer) who could support the organization of group sessions
• Encourage participation of peers in the group session

Responsibility 3: Report data on group activities, follow-up on individual / family cases and organize the daily and weekly activities

• Ensure a daily quantitative and qualitative reporting through the tools (assessment form, follow up form, discharger and monitoring form, groups report) and system in place
• Organization of the weekly plan within the multidisciplinary team, with the support of project supervisor
• Participate in team meetings
• Any other reports to be made upon line manager request

Responsibility 4: Participate in the analysis and reporting of global issues in the refugee population, with a focus on psychosocial and psychological issues

• In formal and informal meetings with the team, participate to a qualitative analysis of the different kinds of issues, at individual, familial and community level
• Participate to monthly reporting using the tools in place and ensure to inclusion of all-important issues and points of attention
• Contribute to the production of case study, collect testimonies to provide evidence of intervention and input in reporting to the PM and MHPSS Specialist.

Responsibility 5: Emergency preparedness and response

• Contributes to the program’s emergency preparedness actions and, during an emergency, adapts his/her work modality to contribute to HI’s effective humanitarian response.

Responsibility 6: Respect of HI identity, values, rules and policies

• Know, understand, apply and respect HI code of conduct and ethics, HI mandate and values, HI rules and operating procedure, HI policies (child protection policy, policy and mechanism for the
• prevention of and fight against bribery, the protection of beneficiaries from sexual exploitation and abuse policy) and make sure they are known, understood, applied and respected by team
• Know, understand, apply and respect HI security rules and make sure they are known, understood and applied by team.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Education & Experience

• Degree in social work, psychology, or any other related field along with 2-3 years of practical experience in mental health and psychosocial support
• Minimum 3 years of experience working with vulnerable groups with international or national NGOs in area of Psychosocial support.
• Experience in facilitating group sessions
• Experience in developing and implementing psychosocial intervention action plans
• Experience in the context of crisis intervention and emergency settings
• Knowledge of user-centred approach and centre based rehabilitation
• Good understanding of community-based approaches
• Good listening and interpersonal communication skills
• Knowledge of the principles of referrals mechanisms and pathways
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural team
• Ability to work with partners (local and international actors)
• Ability to work under and cope with pressure and stressful environments
• Familiar with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and internet.
• Knowledge of the MHPSS and Disability Sectors in Uganda
• Language fluency in English and any language spoken by refugees is an added advantage

Application Process

• Humanity & Inclusion is an Equal Opportunity Employer, we encourage qualified persons with disabilities and women are highly encouraged to apply.
• HI staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the Code of Conduct. In accordance with these values, HI operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-fraud, bribery, and corruption.
• HI does not solicit funds in exchange for employment opportunities.

How to Apply:

If you feel you meet the requirements, please send an updated CV (3 pages max, including three professional referees current and/or past line managers) with a cover letter to HR department at recruitment@uganda.hi.org indicating the position applied for in the subject line

Deadline: Friday 16th August 2024.

NB: Any efforts to influence the recruitment process will lead to automatic disqualification.

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