Position Title: Psychosocial Counsellor (National Position) – RefuSHE

ORGANISATION PROFILE

RefuSHE protects, nurtures, educates, and empowers young refugee women and girls in East Africa through a unique holistic model that provides protection, shelter, education, case management, counseling, childcare, vocational training, and legal support. RefuSHE’s holistic programming meets the imminent needs of unaccompanied, separated, and orphaned refugee girls, young women, and their children.

Founded in 2008, RefuSHE is a registered non-governmental organization with headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya and a 501(c)3 charitable organization with offices in Chicago, USA. It is the first and only organization dedicated to refugee girls in East Africa. Over the past fifteen years, RefuSHE has grown to become a leading institution and global thought-leader in the field of refugee protection.

Position Title: Psychosocial Counsellor (National Position)

Department: Mental Health

Supervisor: Mental Health Manager

Position Summary

The RefuSHE Mental Health Department is responsible for upholding and promoting evidence-based healing services for refugee girls and young women so that they can rebuild their lives and thrive. We are seeking a proactive, passionate Psychosocial Counsellor with a passion for promoting the benefits of mental health services to colleagues, beneficiaries, and beyond, and who is well-versed in the requirements of donor-funded mental health programming.

The Psychosocial Counsellor will be responsible for leading individual and group counselling sessions for RefuSHE program participants on campus and in various communities in Nairobi, as well as co-facilitating psychoeducation trainings to RefuSHE staff, program participants, and community members on mental health topics. They must be proficient in conducting assessments and data collection, and comfortable with reporting data internally and to funders. In addition, they must be comfortable with tele-counselling, and have suggestions on how to improve tele-counselling services.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Participate in the development of professional, effective, and appropriate psychosocial programming, including direct individual and group counselling support, and expanded mental health services.

2. Provide professional and confidential one-on-one and group counselling services to individuals with personal and social challenges such as conflict, parenting, sexual and gender based violence, death/grief, and post- traumatic stress disorder.

3. Lead mental health awareness raising and/or sensitization campaigns among refugee populations in the community and on the RefuSHE campus.

4. Co-facilitate trainings on mental health and psychoeducation for RefuSHE staff, including teachers, program managers, and leadership.

5. Participate in and contribute to the development and roll-out of a mental health training curriculum for urban refugee populations.

6. Provide tele-counselling services to community members and support the development of e-counselling techniques and tools.

7. Compile monthly and quarterly counselling reports on the referred cases, including analysis of behavioral trends and patterns and identified solutions.

8.Lead psychological assessments for clients, assist with data collection on psychosocial activities, and maintain records and databases with the utmost integrity and confidentiality.

9.Undertake referrals internally and to partner organizations as appropriate.

10. Participate in routine departmental work plan reviews and assist with preparing relevant reports to management and funders on RefuSHE’s psychosocial activities.

11. Perform any other lawful duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Personal attributes

• Enthusiastic and fun-loving with a passion for working with girl mothers, and their children.
• Ability to respond to overwhelming and difficult situations calmly, and to be patient with participants who have difficulty expressing themselves.
• Active listening and intentional, age-appropriate communication.
• High physical stamina and perseverance.
• Decision making, critical thinking, evaluation, and problem solving.
• Ability to provide affection, security, emotional support, and comfort.
• Ability to remain flexible in a dynamic environment and work well in a team.
• Creativity: Able to think of new and innovative ways to engage participants.
• Instructional skills: Able to communicate difficult concepts to participants in an understandable way.

Qualifications

ESSENTIAL

• Diploma in Counselling Studies from a recognized university or Diploma in Social work and Community Development (KNEC).
• Registered member of Kenya Counselling and Psychological Association (KCPA).
• A minimum of 3 years relevant experience.
• Excellent command of English and Kiswahili.
• Confident user of MS Office software.

DESIRABLE

• Bachelor’s degree in Counseling Psychology.
• Prior experience working in a nonprofit setting.
• Knowledge of safeguarding and other child protection issues