Psychosocial Officer- Kakuma

Division:

Programs/ Psychosocial support

Line Manager:

Child Protection Supervisor

Functional Link:

Child Protection Supervisor

Workplace

Kalobeyei

Overarching responsibilities “Main goals”

Reporting to his/her immediate supervisor, the Psychosocial Officer provides psychosocial support to the refugee children and families in Kalobeyei and Kakuma Refugee Camps and six surrounding host community villages, monitor the activities in the three child friendly centers and provide technical support to Child protection volunteers.

Specific Responsibilities/Context of “tasks”

More specifically he/she has the following responsibilities:

Aim: To ensure all psychosocial activities are done in Kakuma camps and Kalobeyei.

Responsibility:

·       To provide psychosocial support to selected cases of high risk or cases in need of specialized psychosocial support or mental health interventions.

·       Participate in need assessments and project evaluations aiming at contributing to the development of the child protection programme strategy for the refugee community project in Kakuma Refugee Complex and in six villages of Kalobeyei, Kakuma refugee camps and host communities.

·       To support in the development of intervention criteria for the psychosocial cases and design appropriate technical responses to psychosocial and mental health cases.

·       Provide training and supervising the CP team and community-based structures on the management of children and families with basic psychosocial and mental concerns.

·       Train CP team members on the child friendly interviews techniques and implementation of psychosocial assessment.

·       Under the supervision of the Psychosocial Senior Officer, coordinate with the Case Management and Empowerment Senior Officers on assistance response to cases of children in need of psychosocial interventions.

Responsibility: Conduct Mobile monthly CFS and monitor the CFS and Mobile CFSs in Kakuma and Kalobeyei

Aim: Conduct mobile monthly CFS. Ensure effective and efficient implementation of CFS activities in Kakuma and Kalobeyei in collaboration with Child protection partners.

Activities:

       ·         Ensure monthly mobile CFSs are conducted in the three camps and host villages.

       ·         Train and monitors lay counselors and CFSs Child protection volunteers on the mobile CFSs activities.

       ·         Ensure children who can’t access the centres are reached through various PSS interventions.

       ·         Ensure the centre activities are conducted appropriately, and they are safe and child friendly.

       ·         Provide technical support to the centre supervisors.

       ·         Monitor children’s activities in the safe play spaces.

       ·         Plan the leave schedule for the center supervisors, lay counselors and CFSs Child Protection Volunteers.

       ·         Ensure that children living with disabilities are incorporated into centre activities.

Responsibility: Activities at the Child Friendly Spaces.

Aim: Conduct situational analysis on what the center requires.

Activities:

       ·         Conduct and assessment on host community and refugee camps CFSs and Girls safe play areas while ensuring the CFSs are safe and well equipped with play materials.

       ·         Plan with the logistic team on what the centre needs.

       ·         Train the community members who are willing to volunteer on basic counselling skills and Psychosocial First Aid (PFA).

       ·         Ensure all the activities are carried out in the center and they are safe for children.

Responsibility: Provide psychosocial support to the eight neighboring villages of Kakuma and Kalobeyei in Turkana.

Aim: Ensure children in the eight villages receive psychosocial services.

Activities:

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•  Provide group and individual therapy.
  
•  Identify and screen children with psychosocial distress.
  
•  Work in close collaboration with other departments.
  
•  Provide mobile CFSs in collaboration with the Child Protection Volunteers.
  
•  Liaise with the Sub-County Children’s Officer to support high risk cases that need protection interventions.
  

Responsibility: Report writing

Activities:

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•  Develop unit reports.
  
•  Work closely with the MEAL Officer and Assistants for efficient documentation of psychosocial work.
  
•  Develop referrals for high risk cases and ensure regular follow up of the cases.
  
•  Participate and represent Tdh in relevant working group meeting at the camp level.
  
•  He/she will conduct his or her duties in respect of the Charter of Terre des hommes and the Tdh Child Protection Safeguarding Policy.
  
•   Terre des hommes expects that its staff professional conduct reflects proper behaviour in accordance with local culture and traditions. He/she assures the moral protection of the name of Terre des hommes and defends in all circumstances the interests of the movement.
  
•   Tdh intervenes without any affiliation for politics, religion or financial profit. He/she will direct his or her activities and engagements without preoccupation of political, racial or religious affiliation.
  

Abuse Prevention Policy - Operational Risk Management

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• Commit to respect Tdh Risk Management Policies including Child Safeguarding Policy, Safety and Security Policy and Anti-Fraud/Corruption Policy, Code of Conduct, Whistle Blowing Policy.
  
• Commit to ensure the best implementation possible of the Tdh Risk Management Policies.
  
• Commit to inform supervisors and to deal with any cases, allegations, or possibility of transgression, even potential, of the Tdh Risk Management Policies.
  

Skills

This function requires possession of fundamental personal, social and leadership skills (CPSLs), technical and methodological skills (CTMs) and Managerial and strategic skills (CMSs)

In particular:

·       Good facilitation skills.

·       Problem solving skills.

·       Competency in computer applications and packages.

·       Skills in involving children in various PSS activities.

·       Respect for diverse cultural backgrounds

As well as the following specific “trade” skills

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• A collaborative attitude with colleagues in- and outside the team
  
• Management of time and priorities; meeting deadlines
  
• Experience in drafting project proposals and managing subsidies, fund-raising and a good knowledge of financial partners
  
• Good knowledge and experience of the project management cycle and M&E
  
• Excellent interpersonal qualities: integrity, a capacity to judge, diplomacy
  
• Proactive, creative and out-of-the-box thinking
  

Required conditions

Training/Qualifications

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• Minimum bachelor’s degree in psychology, Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology from a recognized university, clinical experience is a plus.
  

Experience

·         Experience in use of community-based approaches for the management of psychosocial and mental health issues.

·         Experience in application of innovative/creative and evidence based psychosocial and mental health issues.

·         Minimum of three years’ experience with prominence in psychosocial and mental health assignments.

·         Experience in case management including management of case conferences.

·         A good understanding of MHPSS framework and guidelines.

·         Project reporting and evaluation experience.

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• Staff supervision experience.
  

Languages                                  

Fluency in English and Kiswahili. Knowledge of Turkana culture, language and traditions is a plus

IT know-how

 Competency in computer applications and packages with Good IT knowledge (Microsoft Office, Internet).

General Code of of Conduct and Tdh’s Risk Management Policies

Commits to complying with the General Code of Conduct and systematically reports any breach of the Code through the Tdh warning procedure: raises the awareness within the Foundation on violence and abuse and the rights that derive from them regarding children, community members and our own employees.

Commits to complying with the Risk Management Policies, including: Safeguard policies (the policy of Safeguarding Children, the Policy of Protecting against Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, the Guideline on Abusive Behavior at Work), the Safety/Security Policy and Anti-Fraud/Corruption Policies and the Prevention of Funding Criminal Acivities.

Commits to reducing the risk of abuse by developing an open and informed culture of management within the organization and in our work with children and the communities where we work.

Tdh’s organizational values

Our organizational values guide us in our operational and strategic choices and are the foundation of all decisions made by us. Those five values are incorporated into each process connected to the staff. All collaborators are assessed according to the organization’s values.

PARTICIPATION AND EMPOWERMENT

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• We promote and enhance participation and empowerment.
  
• We create the space for active participation and embrace inputs from others.
  
• We are sensitive about others’ needs to influence.
  
• We share and delegate power and responsibilities.
  

PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION

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• We trust the capacities of our key actors as primary responders and agents of change. We build on their strengths and on their needs.
  
• We champion co-creation and value complementarity.
  
• We appreciate other points of view and seek collectively for pragmatic and innovative solutions.
  
• We manifest humility, respect, fairness and see others as equal partners.
  

INNOVATION AND LEARNING

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• We promote a culture of innovation.
  
• We value curiosity, welcome new initiatives, and foster creativity.
  
• We embrace voluntary learning and are ready for trial and error.
  
• We foster knowledge sharing, learning and strive for sustainability.
  

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

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• We celebrate Diversity and Inclusion of people.
  
• We genuinely commit to diversity and inclusion and see it as a wealth in all our activities.
  
• We understand the cultural contexts and value differences.
  
• We are truly committed to an equal treatment.
  

LEADERSHIP AND EXCELLENCE

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• We thrive to offer our best, we think ahead, and are ready and willing to go the extra mile for the well-being of children.
  
• We provide quality programming and support. We are accountable and transparent. We use power responsibly.
  
• We position ourselves through our expertise and savoir-faire.
  
• We advocate for the rights of children whenever possible and seek actively opportunities to do so.
  

Application modalities:

Interested candidates who meet the criteria above are encouraged to send their applications letter and detailed CVs to KEN.recruitment@tdh.ch Candidates are required to indicate the position title and location on the subject line of the email when applying.

Kindly note only applications sent to this email address will be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

This position will be recruited on a rolling basis. The closing date for the application of this position is 30 April 2026.

Tdh’s recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protect children’s rights, which includes the prevention of all forms of child abuse.

Tdh is an equal opportunity employer