Volunteer Social Workers at HIAS Refugee Trust of Kenya

Reporting to: Head of Field Office

Job Summary: 

HIAS seeks to recruit a Volunteer Social worker who will assist in provision of social interventions and assistance to the most at risk and vulnerable refugee clients and children.

The social workers will be required to conduct through assessments and case management including follow up to ensure clients and children are receiving the services allocate. They will be required to track the impact of the assistance provided to clients and children.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Case work and management

• Assist in identification of refugees in need of social support  (food , clothing, transport) by conducting social assessment, reviewing available assessment data on food and nutrition and If necessary, initiate home visits/ further assessment on key social factors relevant to food and nutritional support services in line with national and International standards and guiding principles by UNHCR, IASC, SPHERE Project WHO among others  and report to the Counseling Psychologist
• Assist in the social assessments and keep track of socio-environmental risks faced by refugees to ensure mitigation of risks, identify, assess and compile assessment reports for PLWD, ELDERLY, WAR, SHH, GBV, SGBP and SVT, prepare GBVIMS and UNVFVT memos.
• Assist in outreach and community dialogue activities on issues related to Sexual Gender Based Violence and other persons with specific needs
• Assist in conducting referrals of vulnerable refugees to partner agencies and follow up with clients to facilitate access to external services.
• Prepare summaries for presentation in psychosocial panel, effect subsequent panel decisions and enter data into data base, give feedback to refugees
• Monitor to ensure social assistance is reaching out to vulnerable refugees
• Provide basic counseling and or psycho-education to refugees
• Open files for all clients (soft and hard) and ensure that case management is in line with HIAS SOPs and other sector standards

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

Reporting

• Provide weekly and monthly reports and data to counseling psychologist and other technical officers highlighting individual performance, progress against targets  and client needs as instructed by the counselling psychologist
• Prepare a success story quarterly for purposes of web updates and fundraising

Program development and Management

• Attend regular staff meetings, trainings and other meetings as required and ensure regular personal development and supervision
• Assist in the organization and facilitation of capacity building and staff development activities e.g. workshops, trainings, or information dissemination on issues relates to persons with specific needs

Perform other related duties as assigned

Qualification Required

• A University Degree in Social Work, Community Development, Gender and Development Studies
• At least 2 years working experience in the field of Social Work.
• Experience in working with an NGO that deals with refugees will be an added advantage.

Skills & Competencies

• Knowledge in UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, prevention and responses to sexual abuse
• Experience in capacity building including facilitation of community based training and awareness raising
• Good knowledge of Nairobi and its environs
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Knowledge of Computer Applications
• Working experience with refugees an added advantage.
• Ability to work in a demanding and high pressured environment