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Job Title:  Rehabilitation Officer – Speech Language Therapist

Organisation: Humanity & Inclusion (Handicap International Federation)

Duty Station: Terego District Including Omugo and Imvepi Settlements, Uganda

Gross Salary: UGX 2,826,469 – 3,124,682 /=

Length of Contract: 12 months

Start Date: 9th January 2023.

 

About US:

Handicap International Federation (operating under the name Humanity & Inclusion) is an independent and impartial aid and development organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. We work alongside disabled and vulnerable people to help meet their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

 

Organizational Background

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, taking action 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 CHANCE2 Project is a pilot multi-year, multi-sectoral, integrated rehabilitation and psychosocial project to enhance every child’s right to survive and thrive from pre-conception to adolescence. The service is for children at risk of developmental delay and disability due to malnutrition and children with disability at a young age.

 

The intervention will focus on children’s physical (gross and fine motor), cognition, social interaction and emotional regulation, speech, language, and sensory awareness to improve the quality of life of children and reinforce positive parenting. It will also build the capacity of parents, caregivers, and other stakeholders to identify, prevent, and manage children’s health and well-being, following the Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) in achieving children’s optimal development. An integrated team of rehabilitation professionals (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy) and child psychology will deliver the services to the children, the parents and the caregivers.

 

The project will apply the Nexus Approach in serving the refugee populations and host communities in the Terego district through the strong involvement of local and multiple operational partners, community structures, and other stakeholders.

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

The Speech Language Therapist is responsible for the Service Delivery, Community Participation, Documentation and Reporting, Capacity Building and compliance with the organisation’s standards and the country’s regulatory framework.

Service Delivery.

• Participate in preparing and managing the Child Development and Well-Being Centre (CDWBC) activities, satellite clinics, and outreach points within Imvepi and Omugo Extension Settlement in the Terego district.
• Identify, and assess children at risk of developmental delay and disability with a focus on gross and fine motor, language and cognitive needs based on the approved Child Development Assessment Tool – Malawi Development Assessment Tool (MDAT) and other references related to the condition of the child.
• Identify the speech and communication difficulty or disorder of children.
• Assess the cause and nature of the problem, and devise and deliver a suitable treatment Programme, working on a one-to-one basis or in groups, to enable each child to improve as much as possible.
• Develop, analyze, and execute treatment plans – therapeutic and play, according to the priority of needs identified during assessment and follow-up/re-assessment of children.
• Prescribe appropriate assistive devices using locally available materials and resources to facilitate continuous improvement of children and incorporating play in the center and at home.
• Advise carers on implementing the treatment programme and train other professionals in therapy delivery.
• Prepare reports and referral notes and identify referral points suited to the child’s needs.
• Provide support and advice to the child’s parents (and teachers) about their speech, language, and communication therapy care.

Community Participation

• Carry out community outreach activities such as identification, assessment, management of cases, awareness raising and capacity building for partners.
• Support the activities of different community health actors (CBF, VHT, CBRW) and social workers during home visits and follow-ups, and prepare a report as needed.

Documentation and Reporting

• Participate in the multidisciplinary team case review, reporting, and collaborating with the technical specialist in rehabilitation and nurturing care and on case management with the social workers.
• Contribute to the successful implementation of the project activities by upholding quality standards and outcome measures in service delivery, documentation, and communication using validated tools

Capacity Building

• Prepare training materials and provide training to parents, caregivers, and partners in the health facilities and community.
• Support the capacity building of parents’ support groups to provide care, play and be responsive to their children.

Demonstration of ethical, safe, secure and professional practices

• Show professional ethics, respect and promote HI’s mandate and humanitarian principles at all times.
• Respect the Humanity & Inclusion protection of children policy, the protection of beneficiaries from sexual exploitation and abuse policy, the anti-fraud bribery and corruption policy and report to your line manager any non-respect of HI’s policies amongst the teams or partners.
• Report any incident or act that causes any harm to beneficiary or to others.
• Contribute to the definition and/or update of security framework at field level.
• Observe at all times strict commitment to Humanity & Inclusion Security & Safety regulations as per procedures in place at mission level.
• Support information internal dissemination to relevant focal persons at mission level aiming at reinforcing security and safety of Handicap International staff and assets.
• Participate in settlement level security meetings upon the line manager’s request and report relevant information to the appropriate security focal persons.

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.

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.

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Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal applicant must hold a Bachelor of Science in Speech & Language Therapy
• Must possess the necessary certification and valid license(s) to operate as a therapist.
• Certificate in child development and interventions and management
• A double degree in Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy or Child Psychology
• Over 5-years of professional experience in Speech and Language Therapy – paediatric, mental health, geriatric or physical rehabilitation
• Over 3 years of clinical experience in Paediatric Physiotherapy
• At least two years of experience working for an NGO (local/international)
• Experienced working in the community, private or public health facilities as a Speech & Language therapist
• Experienced working in the humanitarian and emergency setting

 

Competencies

• Ability to demonstrate knowledge and skills as a speech & language therapist in day-to-day activities
• Ability to perform a client-centred approach in the assessment, evaluation, management and follow-up of intervention using standard methods and tools for speech & language therapy
• Contribute to comprehensive assessment and management, providing neuromotor, sensory processing, and functional or adaptive skill analyses and management of children
• Contribute, communicate and collaborate effectively with the team and partners on the improvement of care for children and the project
• Engages in professional development and seeks ways to improve professional competencies and capacity using different mediums and proven ability to train and transfer knowledge and skills to other professionals and caregivers
• Thinks critically
• Timeliness
• Professionalism by respecting professional and organizational ethics in dealing with clients, families, colleagues and partner
• Able to manage own practice ensuring quality and safety of work and confidence to work with less supervision.

Knowledge:

• Strong knowledge of speech, language, and communication intervention for very young children and the use of play activities.
• Use of different assessment tools and outcome measurement tools in the management of children.
• Knowledge of community-based rehabilitation approach in the management of children
• UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disability.
• UN Convention on the Rights of Children and Child Protection.
• Knowledge of Early Childhood Development (ECD) Approach and Nurturing Care Framework
• Disability and Inclusion.
• Knowledge of Humanitarian Principles and the Uganda Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework.

Personal Skills:

• Must possess good communication skills in spoken and written English.
• Must have good interpersonal skills.
• Must exhibit high levels of patience and tolerance
• Must possess good analytical and problem-solving abilities in designing treatment programs.
• Must exhibit creativity and innovation in developing management for complex cases.
• Must display flexibility (especially in the case of different children).
• Must be open-minded and able to accept criticisms.
• Must be computer literate.

 

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 25th November 2022 at 11:59pm

 

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

Disclaimer:

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Humanity and Inclusion is an Equal Opportunity Employer, we encourage females and persons  with disabilities to apply to become a part of our organization.
• 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.

 

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