After more than 40 years of conflict, Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises, characterised by both urgent and chronic needs. In 2021, the conflict intensified with violence that heavily affected the Afghan population. The IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) takeover on August 15th 2021 was a major turning point for the country, with increasing humanitarian challenges.
Job Summary
- The main duties of the PSS provider include conducting group and individual psycho-social support, psychological first aid, stress management, and relaxation activities to promote mental well-being for survivors of war trauma, torture, gender-based violence (GBV), and natural disasters. They also provide psycho-social support to pregnant and lactating mothers, caregivers of malnourished children, and individuals with psychological distress and psychosocial disabilities within the cultural context. This involves offering awareness, psychoeducation, and individual consultations based on screening and admission criteria. The PSS provider follows program guidelines for admitting and discharging beneficiaries from PSS interventions, shares activity data with supervisors and database officers, and engages in sensitization, problem-solving, and mediation with community groups and leaders on mental well-being issues related to war, economic crises, trauma, and GBV. Additionally, collaborate with other sectors for integrated service delivery, and assist in organizing workshops and training sessions for community health workers and stakeholders to enhance MHPSS services
- Objective 1: Psycho-Social Support Responsibilities:
- Sensitize, problem-solve, dialogue, and mediate with the wider population on issues related to war, economic crises, torture, trauma, and GBV.
- Conduct community awareness sessions on psychological distress and available mechanisms of psychosocial support.
- Provide group and individual psychosocial support to mothers and caregivers of malnourished children at the health facility, and TFU level.
- Refer patients to specialized services as per area-wise service mapping when necessary.
- Promote individual and familial self-sufficiency and resilience.
- Preserve beneficiaries' safety, confidentiality, and independence.
- Follow PU-AMI Code of Conduct, humanitarian and IASC MHPSS principles while delivering PSS services to wider groups of communities in crises.
- Ensure safety, dignity, and confidentiality across project activities for the beneficiaries and other actors being served by the program.
- Priorities appropriate selection of beneficiaries following project guidelines and promote and protect mental health and psychological well-being of all concerned.
- Report project-specific challenges and difficulties timely and amicably to project supervisors, and find mutual solutions in the larger interest of the project.
- Attend project team meetings, progress review sessions, supervision sessions, and orientation and refresher trainings as planned by the project team.
- Objective 2: Data Collection and Reporting:
- Conduct screening and assessment of psychological distress among beneficiaries.
- Utilize PU-AMI data collection tools proficiently to collect, screen, and assess data accurately and submit reports in a timely manner.
- Collaborate closely with PSS Supervisor and database staff to ensure quality reporting.
- Perform data entry of collected information from the field/health facility level.
- Craft individualized progress reports to share relevant data with stakeholders.
- Fill necessary documents to ensure quality reporting.
- Provide monthly-based reporting and ensure confidentiality in data protection.
- Ensure provision of ad-hoc base reports for some specific issues such as security, challenges against the work progress and so on.
- Maintain project data and beneficiary information confidential and keep the data-records in locked cabinets at the respective work-stations.
- Discuss data related challenges and difficulties (including project activities) with Project Supervisor and PSS Supervisor during their field visits and/or supervision sessions and find amicable solutions in consultation with MHPSS Coordinator.
The PSS Provider - ( 8 Vacancies ) will have responsibilities that include:
- Provide psycho-social support and psychological first aid to survivors who have experienced war trauma, torture, gender-based violence (GBV), and natural disasters.
- Work closely with the health facility staff to ensure internal referral.
- Follow the instructions of the director and PSS supervisor for on-the-job training.
- Attend timely stimulation sessions.
- Objective 4: Professional Development and Self-Care:
- Engage in self-care practices through supervision, debriefings, on-the-job training, and shared sessions.
- Attend all PSS/PFA-related trainings facilitated by PU-AMI.
- Participate in weekly MHPSS supervision/on-the-job training meetings.
- Follow up on MHPSS cases as needed and develop action plans for beneficiaries' progress.
- Additional Responsibilities:
- Assist with any other related activities as required by the expatriate MHPSS Coordinator or Deputy MHPSS Coordinator.
- Undertake any official tasks assigned by the managers of MHPSS departments and other relevant program departments to improve project activities.
- Objective 5: Accountability:
- Provide awareness raising on feedback and complaints mechanisms and channels available to every patients/beneficiary;
- Timely inform line managers on channels unavailability or damage at HFs level (IEC material, speakers, etc.);
- Adhere to PU-AMI organizational policies (incl. CoC, Child protection policy, anti-fraud and anti-corruption policy, PSEA policy) and report any policy violations, suspicions, or allegations through the whistle-blower mechanism.
Job Requirment
- Bachelor's degree in counseling, psychology, Certified diploma in psychosocial counseling by MoPH; psychologists with a background in health and nutrition in the NGO/INGO context will be preferred.
- Minimum of two years of experience providing group and individual support session, or therapy to individuals, and groups, with complex trauma histories.
- Familiarity with the local context, language, culture, and stakeholders is essential; individuals from the relevant province will be preferred.
- Ability to speak, read, and write in local languages is preferred, especially Pashto and Dari.
- Ability to travel independently across project sites and locations within and between provinces.
- Ability to work committedly for humanitarian causes and principles.
- Ability to work in multicultural, multidisciplinary teams is essential
Submission Guideline
- To apply for this vacancy, please use the following link:
- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdtNI8bS5uUZsLItb8N5XvJbKDQ7dRFHMN_X22Ofob0DVT8_w/viewform
- If the link above does not work by clicking on it, please copy and paste it in the browser address bar.
- Make sure to press submit at the end of the application.
- Please note:
- You are allowed to apply only before the closing date
- Only the candidates who meet the mandatory qualifications/requirements will be considered for the longlist
- A maximum of 15 best candidates from the ones who meet the mandatory qualifications/requirements (longlist) will be invited for a technical test (shortlist)
- If you are not invited for a technical test within a month’s period of time, please consider that your application was not considered for this vacancy
- Female candidates will be awarded with extra score during the final selection
- Validated copies of academic certificates/diplomas will be requested only if called for an interview.
- Kind regards,
The PU-AMI HR Team
Country
Afghanistan
City
Kunar
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