Psycho-social Specialist at SOS Children's Villages Rwanda

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Position Title: Psycho-social Specialist

Vacant positions: 1 person

Type of contract: Fixed Term

Working location: Byumba Location

Supervisor: Alternative Care Coordinator

Nationality: Rwandan

Deadline: 05^th  August, 2024

Background of the organization

Established in 1949, SOS Children's Villages is a dynamic social development international organization working globally to meet the needs and protect the interests and rights of vulnerable children. In Rwanda SOS Children’s Villages is an affiliate of SOS Children’s Villages International which is a federation of over 130 SOS Children’s Villages associations world-wide. We build families for neglected, abandoned or orphaned children, we help them shape their own futures and we share in the development of their communities. In order to further satisfy this responsibility, SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda is seeking for a competent Psycho-social Specialist.

The position holder will provide psychosocial support services to vulnerable children from street situation for their rehabilitation and social integration within their society. He/she will provide psychosocial orientation and counselling to the children mostly affected with trauma and have met hardships and disorientations. He/she will also provide services to parents of the children where necessary. 

Job Description

• Screen children, young people and adolescents and gather their history through the use of psychological assessments tools/psychometrics tools
• Identify psychological, emotional, behavioral, or organizational issues and diagnose disorders among needy children, young people and staff under Alternative care program.
• Assess and treat cognitive, emotional, and functional difficulties, and help children and young people to overcome barriers to participation in life activities.
• Develop an intervention (treatment) plan to ensure the health and success of screened children/young people& adolescents and identify ways to change their behaviors and alleviate both emotional & behavioral disorders in their lives. (Identify behavioural or emotional patterns)
• Organize and conduct community counselling/psycho-education sessions for community parents/caregivers in VSLAs working with Family Strengthening Program (FSP) at location level.
• Coordinate case management sessions with other staff and help clients (children, young people and adolescents as well as subjected staff) to address both mental & psychosocial related issues
• Provide referrals when necessary for additional care, evaluation, or treatment
• Educate patients and their family members on mental disorders and treatment options.
• Ensure that all MHPSS services at location level are completed according to relevant ethical and professional standards of care
• Organize clinical supervision/or peer group supervision sessions with SOS Mothers & Aunts, youth leaders and others in need
• Empathize with a wide range of people/staff/partners to deliver comprehensive care and advice to carers
• Provide professional individual and family psychotherapy to all-needy people (children, young people as well as staff with various emotional and/or behavioral disorders.
• Developing, administering and monitoring appropriate treatment therapies and strategies to needy people under alternative care program.
• Participate in the documentation of program impact stories

Skills and attributes

• A Bachelor’s degree in clinical psychology or other related academic fields. A Master’s degree will be an added advantage
• At least 3-5 year’s working experience as a clinical psychologist or related field,
• Knowledgeable and qualified Clinical Psychologist with/counsellor with a proven track record of success in conducting comprehensive psychological evaluations,
• Having worked as a clinical nurse with relevant experience in the field of psychotherapy will be an added advantage
• Knowledge in the field of child right & protection &child safeguarding

Required Competencies

In addition to education and licensing requirements, individuals need certain characteristics called soft skills to succeed in this field including:

• Interpersonal skills: Because this career is about studying and helping individuals, s/he will need to have strong interpersonal skills, meaning that you will need to relate well to people.
• Communication skills: Professionals whose work involves talking and listening to clients must have excellent verbal communication and active listening skills as well as questioning skills
• Patience: Treatment takes a lot of time. Therefore, s/he will need a lot of patience to see treatment through to its conclusion.
• Trustworthiness: A psychologist must be trustworthy, as they are expected to keep patient information confidential.
• Empathy: s/he must have the ability to understand and identify with another person'sexperiences to help them understand the cause of their feelings.
• Critical thinking skills: A psychologist must have strong critical thinking skills to determine an accurate diagnosis and develop a proper treatment plan. 
• Strong working knowledge of diagnostic techniques and a variety of evidence-based treatment modalities with highly professional attitude
• Ability to cope with emotion demanding situation
• Ability to work both on your own and with others

How to Apply:

If you believe you are the right candidate for the above position, please send your detailed application including application letter, CV with three traceable refferrees and copies of education qualification) to sos.recruitment@sos-rwanda.org and properly fill the application form found via the following LINK not later than the 05^th August, 2024. at 5:00 pm Kigali time.

N.B: Please mention in the subject of your e-mail the name of the position applied for.

Female Candidates are encouraged to apply and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

“SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda/ International holds strict child safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conducts of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered. Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring decisions will give due emphasize to assessing candidates value congruence and thorough background checks, police clearance reference check processes”.

Done at Kigali on 29^th July, 2024

Jean Bosco KWIZERA

National Director