MHPSS Counselor ALIGHT (Formerly known as American Refugee Committee)

Hello Hello! Alight is recruiting MHPSS Couselor for our program in Uganda to be based at Bubukwanga Transit Centre . You’re interested in joining us? Welcome, we’re happy you’re here!
If you join us, you will find…
A team with deep experience in co-designing solutions that create new value around the world. We know we need to always be better, and we believe in the power and abundance of everyday people, everywhere, to change the world with us.
A culture of radical accountability to our customers –as we help build a meaningful life for and with the displaced, we ask them what they want and then deliver on it.
The MHPSS Counselor will be responsible for promoting recovery among refugee and host community children and young people with psychological distress and mental health challenges in line with Inter-Agency Standard Committee guidelines. Specifically, the incumbent will be responsible for conducting assessment, planning for activity implementation, and monitoring, capacity building of staff and community-based structures on Psychosocial support (PSS) and coordination with other MHPSS partners and colleagues within in provision of quality PSS services for the children, young people and their families while ensuring proper documentation and reporting. Also, he/she will work closely with other sub-sectors like SGBV, legal, community-based services and the community-based structures including Child Friendly Space Facilitators, school clubs and peer to peer support groups’ leaders at the community level to ensure comprehensive and quality PSS is provided to children experiencing psychological distress and mental disorders like depression, stress, trauma, etc.

The MHPSS counselor of ALIGHT provides quality psychological care services to refugees and nationals in individual and group sessions at ALIGHT office premises and in the community on outreaches. The postion operates under the technical supervision of the Senior Clinical psychologist ALIGHT and administratively reports to the Team Leader.

Key Duties & Responsibilities
eneral responsibility
• Ensuring that the mandate and core values of ALIGHT are always represented and protected in the actions of the psychological counselor of ALIGHT internally and externally while on duty as well as off duty.

Day to day Responsibilities:
• Provide comprehensive psychological counseling to refugees and nationals using ALIGHT’S MHPSS service provision guides and manuals.
• Develop activity-based work plan to guide effective and efficient implementation of planned MHPSS activities.

Support in capacity building of staff and community-based structures on MHPSS including PFA to promote quality provision of MHPSS services.

Monitor regular MHPSS activities being conducted by community-based structures like CFS facilitators, peer to peer support groups, girls and women centers, CPCs, para counsellors, and school clubs and provide additional technical support.
• Collaborating closely with other MHPSS partners and ALIGHT sector leads to strengthen referral and timely response.

Ensure MHPSS services are mainstream across ALIGHT protection sub sectors.
• Provide psycho-education sessions for clients, their families and community members on a regular basis and as deemed necessary using evidence-based information.
• Efficiently and effectively conduct follow assessments to clients who have received MHPSS services for impact analysis of services received.
• Carry out awareness raising activities on MHPSS issues young people and adults for appropriate interventions.
• Ensure timely and proper documentation (filing, case studies, etc.), information management and reporting on MHPSS activities is done.
• Participate in assessment activities and coordination meeting to share information on Alight’s MHPSS intervention.

Ensure Alight’s Child Protection and PSEA Policies are observed and demonstrated by the community-based structures working with children in MHPSS activities.

Planning:
• Participate in the development & submission of the annual, Quarterly, monthly, and weekly workplans and reports timely.

Quality Management:
• Provide avenues and channels (formal and informal) that encourage client feedback processes to assess quality of care and service access issues.
• Consistently use and apply the procedures and guiding tools of ALIGHT’s MHPSS services.

Community empowerment and outreaches:
• Develop and implement programs which promote resilience and strengthen positive coping mechanisms within the community, establishment of peer networks, psychosocial support, and social integration.
• Identify and strengthen Community structures through engaging community leaders, camp management and other stakeholders to ensure that the FDSPs receive adequate support at the community level.
• Support the community structures in dissemination of relevant information during the Community sensitization forums and meetings.
• Help establish and strengthen community-based referral pathway among various services for FDSPs and nationals.

Professional care and growth:
• Engage in quality self-care through clinical supervision and debriefings, and other personal self-care activities.
• Actively participate in Continuous Learning Sessions (CLS) within ALIGHT.
Any other duties as assigned by the line supervisor.

Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in Guidance and Counselling, Community Psychology, social work and Social Administration, Adult and Community Education and Development studies. A Diploma in in any MHPSS rellvant course will be an added advantage.

Previous Experience:
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience performing tasks such as sensitizing communities on MHPSS issues, conducting assessments for MHPSS needs, planning and conducting interventions, referrals, documentation, and reporting.
• Previous experience in trauma-based therapies specifically Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative Exposure Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Expressive arts, and Play therapy.
• Knowledge and experience in Gender Based Violence case management is essential.
• Experience working with individuals, families, and groups.
• Prior experience working at the community level, with thorough understanding of how to precisely communicate MHPSS issues at local level with cultural considerations.
• Fluency in Swahili and ability to ride a motorcycle with a valid license (Class A) are added advantage.