Intern Counselling Psychologist at HIAS

Duration: 4 Months

Reporting to: Counselling Psychologist

Vacancy Description

The intern/volunteer will assist in the provision of counseling and other psychotherapeutic interventions to vulnerable and at risk refugee clients in emotional and psychological distress including those with mental health challenges impairing their normal functioning.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Program Management
  • Assist in management of operations of the field office
  • Assist in implementing the strategic objectives at the field office and ensure strategic alignment for all activities in the field office
  • Assist in implementing project work plans for the field office
  • Ensure efficient case management, documentation and filing at field level
  • Ensure adherence to HIAS policies, procedures, ethics, professional standards and best practices that bring in operational efficiencies and improve service delivery and client satisfaction
  • Actively participate in regular staff meetings in the field office
• Provide Psychosocial Services
  • Provide individual and group counseling services and other short term therapeutic services to refugees referred to the field office and keep continuous counseling notes
  • Conduct psychological assessments and Mental Status Examinations and prepare and submit the reports to the Counselling Psychologist
  • Ensure appropriate psychosocial assessment and diagnosis of all the psychological cases are in line with the DSM-V and ICD-10, WHO Mental Health Atlas among others
  • Participate in counseling treatment programs and ensure the provision of technical assistance and training for clinical staff in order to establish and maintain appropriate treatment protocols resulting in the increase of the recovery of clients in line with national and international standards and guiding principles by UNHCR, IASC, SPHERE Project WHO among others
  • Assist in provision of social assistance (FA, food, transport, clothes and other material assistance) and ensure adherence to finance SOPs
  • Assist protection officers in organizing and mobilizing for committee meetings, dialogues and other activities.
  • 3.) Reporting
  • Ensure timely, quality and comprehensive reports for official work done
  • Prepare and provide weekly, monthly reports and quarterly reports and data to the Counselling Psychologist
  • Prepare a success story quarterly for purposes of web updates and fundraising
  • Ensure updated personal database
  • Ensure up to date record keeping
• Coordination, Partnership and Networking
  • Participate in crisis intervention
  • Assess refugees in need of psychiatric care, refer for needed services in consultation with the counselling psychologist, monitor progress, and prepare file notes
  • Follow up and monitor all referral cases and ensure timely turnaround of assessment reports and other interventions.
  • Attend sector related forums as required
  • Monitor use of resources for accountability and efficient use of the organizations resources.
  • Attend all relevant internal and external meetings

Required Qualifications

• A degree in counseling psychology from a recognized university
• Have at least one year of training experience

Skills and Competencies

• Knowledge of Computer Applications such as Ms-ACCESS, Ms-EXCEL and Ms-WORD
• Ideal candidate should have a keen awareness and a good knowledge of psychosocial issues and the complexities of working on these issues with a refugee population;
• Strong analytical and report writing skills and proven ability to conduct psychological assessments
• Experience in planning and implementing psychosocial project activities including facilitating individual and group therapy and training.
• Experience working with children and child therapy, with good knowledge of child rights and protection
• Have group facilitation skills and experience
• Good team player with excellent cross-cultural interpersonal skills
• Proactive and able to work under minimal supervision while exercising diplomacy, flexibility and assertiveness
• Ability to confront and discuss sensitive issues with respect and able to uphold high standards of confidentiality
• Experience in trauma counselling, preferably in the NGO sector.
• Knowledge of refugee protection and assistance will be an added advantage