Psychologist (Counsellor)

I. Position Information

Position title

Psychologist (Counsellor)

Duty station

Rusizi Western Province, Rwanda with travel to Bukavu, DRC

Classification

Consultant

Type of Appointment

6 months with possible extension

Estimated Start Date

As soon as possible

Reference Code

CON 2021/04 – RW

II. Context:

Under the direct supervision of the IBM Program Manager in close coordination with the Project Officers in Kigali and Bukavu, the candidate will support and assist in the daily implementation of the activities under the IBM project and portfolio with particular focus on psychosocial support to cross-border traders and porters at border posts, marketplaces, and neighbourhoods of Rusizi and Bukavu.

III. Core Functions / Responsibilities:

•  Provide individual and group counselling sessions to cross-border traders and porters at border posts, marketplaces and neighborhoods of Rusizi and Bukavu, as well as counselling and focused psychosocial services to their children, family members, close relatives, and friends in the bordering communities.
• Identify severe mental health cases that require specialized interventions and refer them to local health posts, hospitals, mental health institutions and/or specialists in coordination with the Project Officers in Kigali and Bukavu, including provision of transportation and admission if needed.
• Organize a system of referral in an out-patient mode, ensuring compliance with medical treatments and constant follow-up of beneficiaries referred to local health posts, hospitals, mental health institutions and specialists, including support to families and caretakers.
•   Coordinate with the Project Officers in Kigali and Bukavu, and other members of IOM Social Cohesion Mobile Team, the integration of mental health cases in community-based activities along the full spectrum of psychosocial support initiatives at the border posts, marketplaces, and neighborhoods of the bordering communities.
•  Provide training sessions to customs authorities and police officers, provincial and district authorities, cooperative leaders and trade associations members, NGO’s staff, community focal points and volunteers on psychosocial support and social cohesion topics related to women’s welfare and cross-border trade (PFA, psychosocial wellbeing, family psychoeducation, anger management, life-skills and leadership
• Provide technical guidance and supervision to community focal points and volunteers in the concerned communities, ensuring that program’s activities are effectively communicated and carried on in participatory and inclusive ways.
• Ensure that confidentiality and the right to privacy is strictly maintained with regard to sensitive information on beneficiaries and their families, and that case management files (both hard and soft copies) are maintained, regularly updated and protected.
• Develop awareness messages/campaigns related to women’s welfare and cross-border trade (community-based approaches, psychosocial wellbeing, anger management, family psychoeducation, life-skills and leadership) to be disseminated at border posts, marketplaces, cooperatives, trade associations, health posts and hospitals, provincial and district councils in the bordering communities of Rusizi and Bukavu.
• Facilitate MHPSS/Social Cohesion needs assessments, surveys, action-research in the concerned communities of the project to enhance access to community-based psychosocial services and social cohesion initiatives for the most vulnerable sectors of cross-border traders and porters in Rusizi and Bukavu.
• Report on the psychosocial activities/sessions conducted to Project Officers through clear and concise reports on monthly basis, as well as fill the program’s monitoring forms and update mission’s online database in accordance with structured reporting requirements.
• Assist Project Officers and IBM Program Manager in the technical management of the program at field and local level, and any other duty that might be assigned by the IBM Program Manager.

IV. Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology or Educational Psychology. Major in clinical or counselling psychology preferable.
• Post-graduate studies in Psychology and/or Psychosocial Support in emergency settings is an advantage.

Experience

• Previous experiences in counselling and protection activities in related areas of intervention is an advantage.
• Experience in communicating and working with a wide range of people, including people of culturally diverse backgrounds.

V. Languages

Required (specify the required knowledge)

Advantageous

•  Fluency in English and French is a requirement

• Working knowledge of Kinyarwanda and Kiswahili is a distinctive asset.

VI. Competencies

Values – all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these three values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity respects and promotes individual and cultural
• differences; encourages diversity and inclusion wherever possible.
•  Integrity and transparency: maintain high ethical standards and acts in a manner
• consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed

manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.

• Core Competencies – behavioural indicators level 2
• Teamwork: develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner; is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own action and delegated work.

Communication: encourages and contributes to clear and open communication; explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

Notes

•  The appointment is subject to funding confirmation.
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.