Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Worker (4 Positions)

Background:

Whether people migrate voluntarily, or forced by vulnerable situations such as poverty, or are displaced due to a conflict or a natural disaster, migration entails major adaptations. During migration, people must redefine personal, interpersonal, socioeconomic, cultural and geographic boundaries. This implies a redefinition of the individual, family, group and collective identities, roles and value systems and may be a source of stress for the individual, the family and the communities involved. Providing psychosocial support to migrant populations in educational, cultural, community, religious and primary health settings reduces vulnerabilities, and prevents their stagnation.

Since 1998, IOM - the United Nations Migration Agency - provides Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people as well as to host communities in more than sixty countries, covering three main strategic objectives:

1. Building the capacities of professionals, national institutions, international agencies, civil society organizations, etc.;
2. Develop a network of MHPSS experts;
3. Provide Psychosocial Support (PSS) services to migrant and crisis-affected populations.

IOM Lebanon provide structured and unstructured community-based and specialized psychosocial support activities, aiming at providing a sustainable approach to psychosocial care as well as at promoting dialogue and social cohesion between migrants and host community. Activities will include a) cultural community-based events, like conferences, exhibitions, readings, film screening b) unstructured activities, like clubs and peer groups c) community-generated activities, like hosting youth groups, art troupes, etc. d) structured workshops, including discussion groups, art therapies, etc. e) individual and group counselling.

Since 2013, about 40.000 vulnerable people were served by IOM in Lebanon, among them Lebanese IDPs, Iraqi refugees, Syrian refugees, Palestinian refugees, Lebanese returnees, vulnerable Lebanese nationals.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of IOM PSS Field Assistant and the overall supervision of the IOM PSS National officer, the selected candidates will be part of a multidisciplinary PSS team. The selected candidates, will be in charge of the following tasks:

1. Map existing needs and contribute to psychosocial needs assessments.

1. Assist, develop and conduct age-appropriate recreational, community-based and focused psychosocial support activities for vulnerable individuals and groups from the migrants, displaced and the hosting communities. This includes:

• Mobilize creative resources available within the communities and support the organization and implementation in the Centres of community-generated activities, such as like peer-groups, art troupes, exhibitions, workshops, cultural activities, etc.;
• Design and organize community-based recreational, creative, cultural and sports activities including clubs, workshops, community storytelling, readings, film screening, etc.;
• Organize and conduct psychosocial awareness and non-formal education sessions such as literacy, life skills, parenting skills, psychological and emotional matters, stress reactions, positive coping strategies, etc.;
• Support and empower community members to become agent of change within their communities and to disseminate key awareness messages on psychosocial wellbeing, health, education, protection, human rights, etc.;
• Promote the creation of self-help and support groups in which community members can share and discuss common concerns or questions;
• Provide focused individual and group PSS activities, including social theatre workshops, art-based activities, creative writing, etc.
• Ensure MHPSS presence in all IOM activities (screening, distribution, health activities …) as well as MHPSS support to migrants in Isolation centres.

1. Ensure safe identification and referral of cases that require specific interventions;
2. Attend and participate to training and capacity building activities organized by IOM and by other national and internationally partners;
3. Ensure that the activities are done in a clean, safe, quiet and comfortable environment;
4. Adopt a non-discriminatory as well as age and gender-sensitive appropriate approach with all people participating to the activities;
5. Ensure that participants are aware of IOM accountability/complaint mechanisms;
6. Perform any other relevant duty as may be assigned.

Administrative tasks

1. Develop a weekly and monthly schedule of activities.
2. Collect attendance of participants in the activities, and fill in weekly reports on the sessions conducted, case referral and follow up, visits, etc. as required;
3. Develop individual and group progress report and maintain a filing system of participants respecting confidentiality;
4. Collect and document feedback on the implementation of the activities including challenges and lessons learnt;
5. Plan and identify materials and any kind of support required in the interventions on monthly basis;
6. Respect and abide to IOM internal code of conduct;
7. Perform any other relevant duty as may be assigned.

Desirable qualifications:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Education, Fine Arts and any other field relevant to each of the three positions;
  Post-graduate studies in psychosocial animation, in post-emergency settings, psychosocial support and dialogue, theatre or cultural animation, etc.
• Previous experiences in psychosocial support activities in emergencies.

Language

• Thorough knowledge of Arabic and English (oral and written) is required. 

Required competencies:  

• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills;  
• Ability to draft clearly and concisely;
• Dynamism and initiative;
• Demonstrated gender awareness and gender sensitivity;  
• Knowledge of psychosocial guidelines and approaches related to emergency settings (MHPSS IASC guidelines, PFA guidelines, etc.);
• Familiarity with validated psychosocial support methodologies and tools in Lebanon;
• Ability to work effectively and harmoniously with colleagues from varied cultures and professional backgrounds;  
• Ability to work under pressure;
• Ability to effectively assess psychosocial needs and support persons in crisis;
• Ability to identify and mobilize resources in the person/family/community;
• Personal commitment, efficiency, flexibility and drive for results;  
• Proficiency in MS Office applications, including Word and Excel.

The successful candidates shall demonstrate the following core behavioural IOM competencies:

• Accountability;       
• Creativity and Initiative;
• Client Orientation; 
• Communication;     
• Continuous Learning          
• Planning and Organizing;
• Professionalism;     
• Teamwork;
• Technological Awareness.