Protection Assistant-Social Worker at Danish Refugee Council

Overall purpose of the role:

The Social Worker will provide case management interventions aimed to protect refugee persons with specific needs from situations of abuse, neglect and other forms of maltreatment by ensuring the social, physical, psychological and emotional well-being of these persons within Kalobeyei Settlement. Under the Supervision of the PSN Officer, s/he will assist in the identification of persons of concern, the development case management plans and implementation of such plans. S/he will directly supervise a number of PSN community incentive staff. 

Responsibilities: 

PSN Case management:

• Identify refugee persons with specific needs i.e. persons with disabilities and unaccompanied elderly and conduct assessments on their situation identifying the protection concerns.
• Conduct home visits/ follow up assessments to determine key social factors in the persons of concerns’ home environment and make concrete case plans.
• Conduct assessments to determine whether the current living arrangement is adequate for the PwD or the elderly person is fit to provide care and evaluating whether the person of concern should be temporarily or permanently removed from his living situation and placed in alternative care arrangements.
• Conduct regular follow up visit for persons of concern under alternative care arrangements.
• Conduct referrals of vulnerable PwDs or unaccompanied elderly to partner agencies and follow up to facilitate access to external services not offered by DRC. 
• Monitor to ensure social assistance is reaching vulnerable refugees 
• Conduct support groups for PwDs and Elderly, and their caregivers for their psychosocial well-being.
• Collaborate with national/county social services officers and provide joint in-home visits, safety and risk assessments and progress reports for host community persons with specific needs. 
• Document beneficiary data accurately in the intake forms and ensure they are under lock and key.
• Accurately update the PSN database and tracker on a regular basis for all beneficiaries and interventions conducted at the field level.

Community Engagement and Outreach:

• Conduct sensitization, dialogue and mediation sessions with the wider population about issues of disability and elderly persons for support in identification of vulnerable cases and volunteer caregivers.
• Identify and strengthen Community structures through engaging community leaders, camp management and other stakeholders to ensure that the persons of concern receive adequate support at the community level.
• Supporting in identification and conduct evaluations for prospective volunteer caregivers and maintain up to date database and provide ongoing capacity building
• Attend and instruct planned trainings for parents and foster families within the community
• Support with management of the CFS and child-to-child activities within the CFS

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Assist in preparing daily, monthly, quarterly and annual reports, progress notes, and treatment plans on time 
• Use appropriate data collection tools and submit assessments and reports in a timely and accurate manner    
• Work closely with the refugee staff to ensure quality reporting   
• Assist in the designing, planning, implementing and facilitating of external trainings for numerous target groups
• Ensure Core Humanitarian Standards are mainstreamed in the day to day project implementation 
• Attend relevant training forums relevant to the job 
• Assist with any other related activities as deemed necessary by the supervisor

Staff Management and Development:

• Provide supervision to the community workers and ensure effective provision of Psychosocial services.
• Conduct continuous performance/evaluation for the community working under her/him.
• Conduct regular formal and on-job training and mentorship to community workers on areas related to case management for PwDs and Elderly persons to enhance professionalism.
• Conduct regular case conference meetings with the community workers both at individual and group levels.
• Organize for external capacity building forums on disability and elderly persons needs
• Ensure staff timesheets are done and submitted to HR on time on a monthly basis.

Experience and technical competencies:  

• At least 2 years of experience working in Social work with refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and/or other vulnerable persons; with at least 1 – year experience working with refugees in a camp setting 
• Must have technical expertise in case management and psychosocial support to persons with disability and elderly persons.
• Should be resilient and able to handle high levels of stress and emotionally volatile or difficult situations.
• Experience in establishing and working with community structures including community leaders
• Experience and proven ability to work as part of a team 
• Excellent analytical and writing skills; cultural sensitivity and respect for diversity
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective and working relations with local partners and other stakeholders
• Experience and willingness to work in the field and proficient in the use of computer/email/internet  

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or other social sciences. 
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Swahili

DRC’s Core competencies: 

• Striving for excellence: you focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
• Collaborating: you involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
• Taking the lead: you take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: you act in line with our vision and values.

Conditions:  
Contract duration: 10 months. Salary and conditions will be in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council terms of employment for National staff.
Availability: March 2022
Duty station: Kakuma (does not qualify for accommodation)
Key stakeholders:                                                                                   
Internal: Kakuma Protection Team, DRC Kakuma Staff
External: Implementing Partners, Local government authorities, UNHCR and Other NGOs, Donors