LAY COUNSELOR EDUCATOR

Position status:  Full-time 
Location: Ad Dahi – Al Hudaidah (The project is located in the government Hodaidah operating within the surrounding districts). 
Contract duration:  1 Year contract with 6 months probation period. 
    
Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, humanitarian, non-governmental organisation providing assistance to people in need as a result of natural and man-made disasters, irrespective of race, religion, ideology or politics.

Main Purpose

Perform safe, consistent and culturally appropriate basic counseling and/or educational activities to patients and caregivers who attend to the ITFC and Ad Dahi Hospital, following MSF protocols and procedures, in order to improve the health condition of the patient.

Accountabilities

• Actively promote the availability of MH MSF services 
• Carry out, individually or in group, basic counseling to patients and their caregivers applying core counseling skills focused on emotional support, coping and problem solving.
• Deliver psychostimulation activities for infants and young children promoting caregiver-child interaction and development.
• Facilitate play therapy and recreational activities for hospitalized children and adolescents and/or their caregivers.
• Offer psychoeducation sessions to caregivers and relevant staff as part of routine activities.
• Refer patients when necessary to other specialists or external actors in order to provide the best available support 
• Keep files and statistics updated about the counseling and/or educational activities 
• Ensuring that all patient information is kept confidential and to request for informed consent.

MSF Section/Context Specific Accountabilities

• Conduct hospital round, perform quick assessment of MH needs of hospitalized patients and their caregivers in daily basis, identify patients with specific MH needs and offer basic counselling individual/family sessions or PFA, accordingly.
• Provide group awareness sessions to patients and caregivers, regarding general MH and more specific MH difficulties, according to the population’s needs
• Plan and implement with the MHS psychostimulation activities for infants and young children with malnutrition and children at developmental risk due to chronic illness or prolonged hospitalization.
• Promote caregiver-child interaction and emotional bonding and conduct play therapy sessions adapting the activities to the physical space, following the IPC measures and the advice from the medical team regarding the child´s medical condition.
• Facilitate recreational and group activities for children and adolescents and/or caregivers.
• Ensure MH services are being offered to the beneficiaries (patients, caregiver) in all the MSF medical services, and discharged patients with mental health needs receive the necessary follow up psychoeducation sessions, to ensure continuity of care.
• Ensure proper use, maintenance and organization of psychosocial activity materials, including toys and games; maintain a basic inventory and usage tracking to support timely requests.
• Document the counselling and psychoeducation sessions, psychostimulation and recreational activities, filling the MH forms properly and on time.
• Actively participate in weekly supervision and case discussions with MHS and other team members.
• Identify personal learning needs and seek guidance appropriately.
• Collaborate closely with paediatricians, nutrition team, clinicians, nursing staff and HP team to integrate psychosocial care into medical services and share relevant psychosocial observations to support holistic patient care.
• Facilitate referrals for children or caregivers with severe distress for the psychologist and/or psychiatrist after discussing the case with the MHS.

Requirements

Education    

• Essential degree bachelor’s in psychology or psychocounseling.
• Recommended Authorizes a psychologist License of practice. 

Experience    

• Essential 2 years’ experience minimum in basic counseling
• Desirable previous experience with MSF or other NGOs in developing countries

Languages: Essential, local language native commandment; English would be an asset.

Competencies    

• Basic counseling and child-centered psychosocial skills
• Ability to work with children, adolescents and caregivers
• Team collaboration in clinical settings
• Behavioural Flexibility
• Commitment to MSF Principles 
• Stress Management
• Cultural sensitivity and ethical practice