Social Worker at HIAS Refugee Trust of Kenya

Program: Legal Protection

Grade: 5**

Vacancy Number HRTK/SW-CP/10/2020

Reporting to: BID (Best Interest Determination) Specialist**

Duration: 10 Months contract with possibility of renewal subject to availability of funding and performance**

Introduction

HIAS is an international nonprofit organization with a vision for a world in which refugees, displaced persons and asylum seekers find welcome, safety and freedom. HIAS operation in Kenya was established in 2002 with the mission to serve the most vulnerable refugees through protection, resilience, economic inclusion and provision of durable solutions.

Organizationally, HIAS is guided by its Refugee Rights Framework. This rights-based approach, based on international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law and practice, provides a programming framework for HIAS’ focus on refugee protection. This framework prioritizes programming impact that ensures forcibly displaced people realize their potential and become contributors to society, with this impact being achieved through the realization of legal and civil rights and social and economic rights including through 1) the right to protection from harm, violence and discrimination, 2) the right to recovery from the shock of displacement, and 3) the right to economic self-sufficiency and inclusion.

HIAS seeks to recruit a Social Worker who will assist in the provision of social interventions and assistance to the most at risk and vulnerable refugee clients and children. The Social Worker will be required to conduct through assessments and case management including follow up to ensure clients and children are receiving appropriate services. The Social Worker will be expected to track the impact of the assistance provided to clients and children.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

· Identify refugee children who are unaccompanied and separated children, survivors of sexual and gender based violence or any other form of trauma

• Identification of refugee children in need of social support such as financial assistance, medical assistance, birth registration, legal protection and family tracing
• Carry out social assessments and keep track of socio-environmental risks faced by refugee children to ensure mitigation of risks
• Prepare Best Interest Determination and Best Interest Assessments reports for refugee children

· Identify children who require psychosocial support and link them with the counsellors for timely support

· Make regular home visits to assess the needs and progress of children under the UNHCR Child Protection Project within Nairobi

· Assist in outreach and community dialogue activities on issues related to child abuse and children with special needs

· Make referrals to partner agencies on behalf of vulnerable refugee children and follow up with clients to facilitate access to external services

· Prepare summaries for presentations in the internal HIAS Psychosocial Panel, enter data into the case management data base and give feedback to refugees

• Monitor impacts of social assistance for vulnerable refugees and children
• Open files for all clients (soft and hard) and ensure that case management is in line with HIAS SOPs and other sector standards
• Mobilize and organize target communities in the respective site office coverage area to form community structures that will be responsible for spearheading child protection activities in line with the approved project description and work plan
• Organize and train established community structures on all child protection acts, covenants and charters/agreements, local, national and international
• Carry out weekly and monthly identification of potential foster parents, assess and train those who meet the criteria in readiness for assigning of foster children
• Conducting awareness and sensitization campaigns in the communities
• Assess and analyze community sensitive interventions 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
• Conduct a mapping exercise for all sector agencies and link with them for collaboration and support in provision of child protection services – these will include Area Advisory Councils
• Provide weekly and monthly reports to the Child Protection Officer and other technical officers highlighting individual performance, progress against targets and client needs as instructed by the Child Protection Officer
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

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

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent writing skills
• Fluency in English is Mandatory
• Knowledge of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Prevention of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (PSEA)
• 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 pressure environment
• Knowledge of accountability to affected populations is an added advantage