Social Worker at Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS)

Job Purpose:

This is a position based in Kakuma Refugee Camp. The holder will be under the direct supervision of the JRS Counselling Coordinator and takes responsibility for conducting recruitment, interviews, referrals and follow-up of persons with specific needs including the vulnerable within the community.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop interview tools including interviewing of clients to understand client’s situations, needs and strengths.
• Develop a database for all persons with specific needs within Kakuma refugee camp and ensure confidentiality of beneficiaries is maintained all the time.
• In cases of abuse or neglect, he/she will liaise with law enforcement agencies and other partners to address the issue.
• Help vulnerable clients get better by recommending adjustment to their health care, lifestyle or housing.
• Assess clients referred directly to him/ her, and refer them to appropriate agencies.
• Provide psychological first aid to clients when necessary, though the community counselors will carry out most counseling.
• Ensure that clients’ records are kept up to date and that the principle of confidentiality is adhered to.
• Meet regularly with the program coordinators and report progress and challenges of persons with specific needs.
• Identify and develop an understanding of client’s problems by creating an action plan.
• Refer persons with specific needs to service providing agencies make follow up on the referral and evaluate the impact of the intervention offered.
• Collaborate with Counseling Coordinator in conducting needs assessment.
• Collaborate with Counseling Coordinator on outreach to partner agencies and identification of training needs of focal persons and specific groups within Kakuma.
• Collaborate closely with JRS Counseling Coordinator on developing new training modules and assist with facilitating the weekly in-service training.
• Be actively involved in advocacy on behalf of refugees.
• Undertake any other duty and responsibility that may be assigned to him/her.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree/Diploma in a related field e.g. psychology, counseling, social work or related field and at least two years practical working experience in community service.
• Ability to work in environment of relief emergency operation.
• Experience in working in the field of social work.
• Demonstrated experience and commitment to working with marginalized communities.
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking and planning skills.
• Excellent analytical and reporting skills.
• Good knowledge of MS word/Office.
• Ability to build effective partnership and collaborate with other team members.
• Ability to work sensitively with refugee population of different ethnic background.

Personal Qualities:

• Patience, perseverance and ability to work in a stressful environment
• Proactive and self-motivated
• Be able to demonstrate compassion and motivation to accompany and serve beneficiaries to the last stage
• Be able to endure basic living and working conditions for a duration of time
• Be able to take initiatives and work without supervision
• Be open minded, have self-respect , respect the beneficiaries and the community with whom JRS works
• Adhere to the internal rules especially time for work, JRS Staff Code of Conduct and security rules.

Conditions

Contract is for one year, renewable with an initial probationary period of three months. The contract has Health benefits (staff only) and a retirement plan.

The JRS remuneration policy is aligned with the JRS ethos to offer effective and professional services and at the same time express solidarity with the people served. The salary is calculated with the use of a post-adjustment multiplier and takes into account years of relevant experience and degree of responsibility of the role.

Salary range: Ksh. 40,000 –50,000 /month