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Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) - Technical Officer

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Myanamar

Summary

The International MHPSS-Technical Officer will be responsible for technical oversight of comprehensive MHPSS-focused intervention. The intervention is part of United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) Women and Girls First program and aims to increase the capacity of social workers working in local Women and Girls First Centres, government officials, and staff of (inter)national development partners in Kachin/Rakhine State in compliance with Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s (IASC) Guidelines for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings.

UNFPA’s approach to MHPSS is based on a ‘Model of Stepped Care’, focusing on strengthening local MHPSS-activities such as psycho-education, group support sessions, remedial activities, (referral to) assisted self-care and basic counseling. We furthermore seek to develop a contextualized Integrated ADAPT Therapy (IAT), based on the Adaptation and After Persecution and Trauma model, that integrates existing universal principles with the particularities of the culture, history of trauma/conflict and living context to improve the individual’s capability to adapt to a series of psychosocial changes they have experienced in their lives. The model organizes those disruptions in five core pillars: i) safety/security, ii) interpersonal bonds and networks, iii) justice, iv) identities and roles, and v) existential meaning.

The successful candidate should therefore have experience in IAT treatment processes/strategies, training, on the job supervision and (remote) mentoring, coordination, and building referral links to other formal service providers and informal community supports. The MHPSS-specialist will work closely with UNFPA’s MHPSS-consultant based in Yangon, provide technical support to a MHPSS-officer (VSO National Volunteer, based at same location), train a team of local community workers and staff members of development partners, and support all MHPSS-related activities, including data collection and analysis.

Description

Responsibilities:

  • Provision of MHPSS technical support to MHPSS-officer, community social workers and protection staff as well as UNFPA and UNFPA partner organizations;
  • Lead the local roll-out of the Model of Stepped Care; 
  • Provide (in)direct training, supportive supervision and mentoring and coaching assistance to a team of local community workers and staff members of development partners;
  • Ensure completion and analysis of pre-post knowledge tests and on the job supervision checklists;
  • Provide mental health and psychosocial support services along with local staff as needed;
  • Develop standard operating procedures (SOP) and protocols for Women and Girls First centers on MHPSS-related matters for consistent use across the Women and Girls First Program.
  • Assist in developing and implementing data collection, M&E and quality control measures (e.g. on the job supervision checklists, client satisfaction measurement tools, training reports, etc.) for Women & Girls First centers; 
  • Work with partner organizations and UNFPA teams to conduct regular analysis of MHPSS data collected from field teams in order to note trends and inform programming accordingly;
  • Works in collaboration with UNFPA MHPSS-consultant and community social workers to ensure regular and consistent referrals to relevant health service providers is provided; 

Education
Mater's Degree

  • The qualified candidate will have a master’s degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. clinical or counseling psychology, clinical social work, psychiatry, mental health care, etc.).

More Details on Experience

  • 3+ years’ experience working on MHPSS programs.
  • Familiar with IAT-treatment processes/strategies.

More Details on Skills

  • Training and supervision experience required.
  • Strong organizational and supervisory skills. 
  • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work within different cultural environments. 
  • Ability to work in difficult environment under very basic living conditions (refugee camp setting). 
  • Ability to work within a team structure or in isolation, flexible, and can cope with stressful workloads and working with limited resources.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of sexual and reproductive health issues and/or protection issues in humanitarian settings.
  • A good command of verbal and written English.
  • Ability to work remotely.

 

Desirable Criteria:

  • Experience of working in the challenging context and understanding of Myanmar context
  • Being up-to-date on the current thinking in international development and approaches to poverty
  • Understanding of key considerations in working cross-culturally.

Terms And Conditions

If you’re interested in applying for this role, submit your application, through https://www.vsointernational.org/volunteering/professional/jobs/mental-health-and-psychosocial-support-mhpss-technical-officer-a0md000000c8avyiaf?source=myJobsinKenya  and complete all relevant fields on the online application form.