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Job Title:  Part-time Counselling Assistants (Two Positions)

Organisation: Mental Health Uganda (MHU)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About Organisation:

Mental Health Uganda (MHU) is a local Non-Governmental Organization established by people with a lived experience of mental health problems. It exists to create a unified voice that influences the provision of required services and opportunities, in favour of people with and survivors of mental health problems in Uganda.

About Project:

Since 2020, MHU has implemented Phase I of the project “Amplifying the Voices of Young People with Mental Health Issues in Uganda”. The project seeks to address the problem of accessibility to mental health care in Uganda, particularly for youth (15-35 years) by, among other things, facilitating a national helpline where people with, or caretakers of people with, mental health issues receive counselling and/or guidance on where to find appropriate help. Phase II of the project will commence in January 2025. The project is a national response but will focus on 7 districts i.e. Arua, Gulu, Lira, Soroti Kampala/Wakiso, Mbarara and Kanungu.

Job Summary:   The Counselling Assistant will serve as the point of entry to the MHU toll-free mental health phone counselling and referral services, during weekends. The Counselling Assistants will work as a back-up team for the weekdays’ Counsellors. As such, they will record and refer complex cases to the Counsellors at the commencement of the new week.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Project Implementation

• Provide counseling or Psychological First Aid (PFA) and other short term therapeutic services for especially young people (15-35) with mental health issues
• Provide appropriate referrals to all individuals who need extra and specialized care and support
• Provide accurate information to all individuals, presenting all possible alternatives within the spectrum of care and allowing beneficiaries to make informed choices
• Maintain proper and updated records (data) on all people accessing the phone call in facility, using the given guidelines
• Participate in specific research exercises to inform the project from time to time

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Participate in organizing and facilitating project reviews with project key stakeholders
• Document the best practices implemented and success stories for sharing and learning

Reporting, Resource Management and Documentation

• Prepare and submit timely plans and reports as required
• Support preparation and dissemination of information related to mental health issues, relevant to the project component.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The applicant should preferably hold a bachelor’s degree in development studies, Gender and Development Studies, Social Work and Social Administration, Social Sciences, Community Psychology and or any other related studies
• Experience in providing mental health counselling
• Ability to speak multiple languages is an added advantage
• Computer literacy.

How to Apply:

Interested individuals should send a motivation letter and CV as one PDF document/file (of maximum 8 pages for the Project Coordinator and 6 pages for all other positions) via email to info@mentalhealthuganda.org – subject line is the job title e.g. “Project Coordinator”. Do not send academic documents – heavy files containing academic documents or submitted as images and or late applications will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The CV must also include the details of 2 suitable referees who can comment on the candidate’s ability. MHU is an equal opportunities employer. However, women and Persons with Disabilities are highly encouraged to apply especially those with a lived experience of mental health problems.

Deadline: 29th December 2024 by 11:00pm

Note

• MHU promotes zero tolerance for discrimination/harassment based on gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, religious beliefs etc. All staff and volunteers shall adhere to strict guidelines in order to facilitate “silent” inclusion. They will also adhere to MHU’s safeguarding provisions – a set of procedures and practices designed to ensure that no harm comes to project beneficiaries as a result of contact with MHU’s programs, operations or individuals.
• The number and profiles of these positions is subject to the availability of funding.

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