Counsellor Educator at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)

Main purpose

Perform counselling and/or education sessions to patients, following different medical and mental health MSF protocols and procedures, in order to improve their psychosocial wellbeing.

Accountabilities

• Identify the psychosocial, socio-economic and administrative needs for patients.
• Actively promote the availability of counselling services and carry out individual or group counseling, basic psycho-educational sessions to patients and their families (when needed) to alleviate their psychosocial difficulties within the project scope.
• Refer patients to other specialists or institutions for further assistance when necessary to propose the best support available.
• Participate in the creation of any material needed for counseling activities and maintain it.
• Keep files and statistics of daily activities and participate in team meetings to share experiences and discuss special cases with other counselors, preserving confidentiality.
• Inform line manager of any problem arising during day-to-day activities.
• Take an active part in trainings, supervisions/intervisions, and support the activities manager when necessary in doing sensitization for MSF staff or external partners about mental health/psychosocial issues.
• Discuss difficulties and problems in counselling with supervisor.

MSF Section/Context Specific Accountabilities

• The Mental Health Department is located within the 100-bed capacity Dagahaley Hospital that serves a catchment population of approximately 92,000, including the refugee population in Dagahaley and other camps, the local non-refugee population, Garissa county, neighboring Wajir South and Wajir counties, and Somali nationals accessing the camp for medical reasons from across the border.
• The counselor educators form the frontline of the primary health intervention for patients with psychological, psychosocial, and mental health conditions in both in-patient and out-patient settings.
• The counselor educator will provide counselling and psychoeducation services including, but not limited to, individual therapy, group therapy, play therapy, and family therapy in both in-patient and out-patient settings.
• The counselor educator has a responsibility in the community for mental health promotion, sensitization, and empowering community health workers to identify cases and refer them to hospital for further care.
• The counselor educator has an active role in community sensitization and awareness, specifically tailored to address misperceptions about mental health, substance abuse, and stigmatization of perceived mental health patients.
• The counselor educator will work closely with the social worker by referring cases that require referrals/linkages to external resources for psychosocial, socio-economic, and protection support.
• The counselor educator also has a responsibility in the community for mental health promotion, sensitization, and empowering community health workers to identify cases and refer them to hospital for further care.

Requirements

Education

• Essential: Psychology Degree/Diploma.
• Registered and licensed by MOH’s Kenya Counsellors and Psychologist Board.
• Registration by Kenya Counsellors and Psychologist Association (KCPA) or Kenya Psychologist Association (KPA).

Experience

• 1 year experience essential.
• Experience with NGO desirable.

Languages

• Fluency in English and Somali is essential.
• Fluency in Swahili is desirable.

Competencies

• Results-oriented, teamwork, flexibility, commitment, service.