CP – Paediatric Counselor at Save the Children
Kenya Country Office
Position Code: SCI PEAD COUS DAADB
Team / Programme: Programmes
Location: Dadaab
Grade: 4
Post Type: National
Child Safeguarding: Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people
Role Purpose: The Pediatric counselor is responsible for field level implementation, inter-camp coordination and monitoring and evaluation of psychosocial support activities as well as providing leadership and guidance to Child Protection community workers at the CEWC and lay counselors.
Provides direct counseling services to children identified or refered by SC sectors, community structures and other partners, deliver capacity building training for programme staffs, community structures and staff from partner agencies.
Scope of Role:
Reports to: Child Protection Coordinator
Dimensions: Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since the 1950s, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners.
Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH.
In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the Children combined the programmes of SC UK, SC Canada and SC Finland to create a single operation in Kenya.
In Feb 2014, we completed a second transition, which saw us join forces with the British INGO, Merlin, and merge their health and nutrition programmes with our own.
Save the Children now has an operational presence in Bungoma, Dadaab Refugee Camp, Garissa, Mandera, Turkana and Wajir and we work through partners in many other parts of the country.
We employ nearly 300 staff and will have an operating annual budget in 2016 of approximately US$20 million.
Role description of the Paediatric Counsellor:
Save the Children has received funding from BPRM and UNHCR to provide psychosocial support for vulnerable children in the 3 camps.
This role is expected to significantly enhance the psychosocial well-being of the vulnerable children through ongoing counselling support to not only support their emotional needs but to also build their resilience through the Community Education and Welfare Centres (CEWC) where the children will have a friendly space to learn, play and interact with their fellow peers in the camps.
It is expected that the counsellor will provide the needed guidance to ensure that Save the Children meets this commitment to the children in line with Save the Children’s Theory of Change.
Save the Children will work with the government of Kenya through the Sub County Children’s office, the UNHCR and other stakeholders to facilitate the various interventions.
Staff directly reporting to this post: Lay counselors, CEWC Supervisors & Child Education and Welfare Centers (CEWC) Community workers, together with its support staff.
Key Areas of Accountability:
Programme Delivery
- Facilitate and coordinate provision of professional counselling services for children with protection concerns by conducting play and art therapy, individual and group sessions and work with caregivers to address children concerns
- Provide overall management of the CEWC centers to enhance the safety security and enhance the wellbeing of children in each of the CEWC’s.
- Ensure the CEWC’s are within the recommended safety standards for child to play, learn and grow.
- Conducting relevant training to programme staffs, community structures and staffs from partner agencies.
- Lead in the development of annual detailed implementation plans; monitor performance against work plan deadlines, ensure accurate data collection on performance indicators.
- Lead the implementation of the counselling KPI’s, including training and provision of ongoing counselling support to the targeted beneficiaries.
- Support in the development of capacity enhancement sessions for the staff, conduct and/or supervise trainings for the community structures, CEWC Boards of Management, to ensure programming meets quality standards.
- Plan, organize and implement quality community sensitization forums in partnership with the community workers.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
- Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team for monitoring and evaluation of programme activities including taking corrective action where necessary; preparation of Counselling reports, documentation of lessons learnt.
- Document programme learning and ensuring it contributes to organizational advocacy.
- Maintain an up to date database on counseling clients.
- Ensure timely implementation of budgeted activities in addition to budget tracking and control.
- Conduct/ensure regular follow-up visits to monitor the rehabilitation and reintegration of clients, and document changes identified.
Partnerships and coordination
- Develop partnerships with the CEWC management committees to enhance community participation, ownership and sustainability of programmes by orienting them on the project goals and to solicit their involvement in the implementation of the project especially the running of the CEWC’s.
- Collaborate and coordinate with other aid agencies, governmental institutions and community level structures in order to promote community ownership and sustainability of CEWC initiatives.
- Represent Save the Children in interagency working groups and camp coordination meetings.
Grants Management and Accountability
- Coordinate with finance and awards team to ensure effective budget monitoring for the project in line with donor requirements and contractual obligations, including Grant opening, mid-term and closing meetings
- Oversee project activities budget expenditures and ensure they are allowable and allocable according to SCI and donor regulations; review monthly Budget vs. Actual and expenditure sheets and collaborate with the finance department to ensure accurate expenditures and reporting.
- Ensure timely production of activity/events reports as well as monthly reports as per the agreed timelines.
Skills and Behaviours (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:
- Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
- Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved
Ambition:
- Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
- Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
- Future orientated, thinks strategically
Collaboration:
- Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
- Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
- Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to
Creativity:
- Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
- Willing to take disciplined risks
Integrity:
- Honest, encourages openness and transparency
Qualifications and Experience
- Good communication skills with fluency in written and spoken English and Kiswahili
- Graduate degree in counseling or Psychology, with 6 years’ experience working with children is desirable
- Knowledge of community based child protection approaches, preferably including experience in participatory approaches (PRA/PLA) and child participation methodologies.
- Ability to use a wide range of child counseling methodologies
- Good managerial and IT skills including the use of Word and database software
- Demonstrable ability to adapt to changing programme priorities and emergency priorities that may arise
- Strong self-starter, able to take initiative and adapt to changing circumstances and priorities
- Positive attitude towards community work with emphasis on the ability to learn from communities and support innovative approaches to problem solving
- Registered with the Kenya Counsellors and Psychologist’s Association (KCPA)
- Commitment to Save the Children’s Child Protection Policy.
Desirable:
- Ability to adapt to different cultures
- Experience and skills in management of staff
- Experience in designing and facilitating training sessions and activities for children
- Understanding of the dynamics of the conflict within the East African region.
- Experience of working in an insecure environment
How to Apply
The application period is now open and will close on 5th February 2015 at 05.00pm.
Interested applicants can send in their CV and Cover letter to Kenyadadaabjobs@savethechildren.org, indicating the position Name on the subject line.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Please remember to indicate on the subject line Pediatric Counselor
Please remember to indicate on the subject line Pediatric Counselor
