Main Purpose
- Lead the PSCU support for locally recruited staff working in the region.
- Provide psychological support to locally recruited and on needs basis international staff while in the field) OCA staff according to MSF principles and protocols in order to improve the patients’ mental health
- Develop a network of counsellors within OCA missions and in the region
Objective
- Act as Point of reference for staff mental health related issues in the East Africa region
- Provides psychological and mental health support to locally recruited staff
- Develops a strategical vision for the East Africa support network towards a future goal of expanding services to other MSF entities
- Operates a staff support 24/7 helpline
- Crisis and critical incident management
- Provides PSCUs at HQs in Europe with data analysis and recommendations
Accountabilities
The Psycho Social Care Unit (PSCU) East Africa region in Nairobi is part of the developing Regional staff health Care support service in MSF EA. In a first phase the unit will primarily provide psychosocial support for locally recruited OCA staff in the region.
This role will be responsible for providing or organising local psychosocial, mental health care support to countries in the Eastern African region and any other countries beyond on needs basis (Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somali, Somali land, Kenya, CAR) to MSF staff of OCA.
The psycho-social care coordinator provides support to MSF operations in the following fields:
Direct service provision
- Carry regular field visits to promote the activities and while on field mission perform direct consultations or provide group sessions to all staff in East Africa OCA and other missions
- Conducts stress management and psychosocial first aid trainings to staff in the field upon request of missions
- Carry field visits in case of critical incident under the responsibility of the Psycho-social Unit
- Provide psychological support on request at distance to the national staff by teams/online or phone call
- Operates a national staff support 24/7 helpline
- Give recommendations to the Operational Support Team and field about the psychological support after field visits
- Increase the understanding of staff psychological vulnerabilities, identification of staff stress & management to coordinators
- Provides technical support and training for the external consultants & the regional psychologists
Ensure client confidentiality within the service
Management
Manage the network of regional psychologists
Strategical aspect
- Point of reference for psychosocial national staff care for MSF in the East Africa region
- Develop under the supervision of the Amsterdam Staff Health Unit Coordinator a regional and local strategy to improve support to the staff (external consultant, others NGOs, etc)
- Identifies, maintains and manages a network of external East Africa based mental health professionals to deliver national staff care support in MSF East Africa based MSF missions
International staff services
- Supports mental health/ psychological related MEDEVACS and follow-up
- Psychological, mental health support during critical incidents including SILT presence/ FFP role
Monitoring & reporting
- Prepares monthly statistics to Staff health Unit’s in OC’s/Amsterdam
- Data analysis and reporting in collaboration with the staff health unit in OC’s.
Future orientation
- Coordinates and implements staff health support missions to national staff of MSF missions upon request of OCs
- Briefs and debriefs International staff of the recruitment pools in the East Africa region
Requirements
Education
- Essential degree or diploma in Clinical Psychology
- Labour and organisational psychological, desirable
- Knowledge of work related mental healht psychological problems (psycho-trauma, burn out etc.)
Experience
- 5 years experience minimum as a clinical sychologist
- Previous experience with MSF or other NGO’s in developing countries.
Languages
- English Language, essential.
- Local language, desirable. Swahili can an asset
