Job Position: Social Worker (LGBTIQ)

HIAS is an international non-profit organization that stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety, and opportunity. HIAS’ operation in Kenya was established in 2002 with the mission to serve the most vulnerable refugees through community-based protection including psychosocial support, resilience building and the provision of durable solutions.

Organizationally, HIAS is guided by its Refugee Rights Framework. This rights-based approach, based on international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law and practice, provides a programming framework for HIAS’ focus on refugee protection. This framework prioritizes programming impact that ensures forcibly displaced people realize their potential and become contributors to society, with this impact being achieved through the realization of legal and civil rights and social and economic rights including through 1) the right to protection from harm, violence and discrimination, 2) the right to recovery from the shock of displacement, and 3) the right to economic self-sufficiency and inclusion.

The overall goal of HIAS’ global GBV Prevention and Response programming is for forcibly displaced refugee women, girls, sexual and gender minorities to pursue their potential and to access their human and legal rights, free from violence and oppression. This means HIAS GBV programming works to ensure;

1. Forcibly displaced women, girls, sexual and gender minorities face a reduced risk of GBV,
2. Survivors of sexual and physical violence have access to coordinated psychosocial, health, and legal services,
3. Family, community, and institutions support refugee women, girls, sexual and gender minorities in accessing and using their rights.

HIAS uses a survivor-centered, community-based approach. Our programs consider the voices and needs of survivors and prioritize their leadership in program design and implementation. HIAS works with communities’ natural systems in order to optimize support for survivors, building partnerships to promote and protect the rights of survivors, women, girls, sexual and gender minorities. This approach enables HIAS to meet the safety, psychosocial, economic, and justice needs of survivors; facilitate their access to appropriate care; and empower communities to lead efforts that challenge beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that perpetuate or condone violence against women, girls, sexual and gender minorities in the community.

HIAS seeks to recruit a Social Worker who will be expected to contribute towards meeting the project’s overall goal, which is to assist in promoting and enhancing the rights of refugees through efficient case management. He or she will assist in provision of social interventions and assistance to the most at risk and vulnerable LGBTIQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer) refugee clients and children. The social worker will be required to conduct thorough assessments and case management including follow up to ensure clients and children are receiving the services allocated.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Case work and management

• Facilitate individual case management for sexual and gender minority clients.
• Assist in the organization and facilitation of the reception of new arrivals; e.g. intake forms, briefing and information dissemination
• Conduct case assessments of LGBTIQ refugees and keep track of socio-environmental risks faced by sexual and gender minority refugees;
• Implement and monitor merit based social assistance informed by vulnerability assessments in individual cases in accordance with HIAS’ Standard Operating Procedures with timely updates to the psychosocial panel;
• Determine beneficiaries’’ progress and work on an exit strategy that allows them to earn a livelihood and to provide for themselves and their dependents/significant others.
• Increase knowledge and exposure of the Kenyan sexual and gender minority’s movement to the problems of sexual and gender minority refugees, thus awakening their concern for a broader approach in their advocacy and future programming.
• Assist in facilitating external referrals, appointments and follow-ups
• Facilitate access to local support networks within the Kenyan sexual and gender minority community
• Coordinate and network with other LGBTI local organization to strengthen GBV service uptake and response.
• Ensure regular updates in the gender-based violence information management system (GBVIMS)

Community outreach and community activities

• Assist in conducting awareness and sensitization campaigns in the communities
• Assist in assessing, identifying and analyzing community sensitive intervention geared towards building resilience and self-reliance
• Conduct support groups, committee meetings and participate in community forums
• Establish and maintain networks with existing community structures and other partners for referral and networking purposes
• Conduct mapping exercise for all sector agencies and link with them for collaboration and support in provision of required services

Reporting

• Update clients’ information into the data entry sheet and provide a periodic analysis of the data.
• Prepare periodic reports on client’s progress and prepare a final report of all the activities;
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Qualifications Required

• A University Degree in Social Work, Community Development, Gender and Development Studies or any other Social Sciences course
• At least 1-2 years working experience in the field of Social Work.
• Experience in working with LGBTIQ NGOs or LGBTIQ refugees will be an added advantage.

Skills and Competencies

• Good knowledge of prevention and response to Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV)
• Experience in capacity building including facilitation of diversity and inclusion, community based training and awareness raising
• Good knowledge of Nairobi and its environs
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Knowledge of Computer Applications
• Ability to work in a demanding and high pressured environment
• Persons who identify as LGBTIQ are encouraged to apply.
• Knowledge of Accountability to Affected Populations is an added advantage