MHPSS Counsellor

World Vision International (WVI) began emergency relief operations in Afghanistan in 2001 by addressing the urgent needs of children and families affected by natural disasters and decades of conflict. More than a decade later, World Vision Afghanistan’s (WVA) programs have expanded to development sectors such as health, nutrition, WASH, child protection, and education, empowering women to engage in civil and social change through interfaith partnership.

WVA targets the most vulnerable in its interventions; including children, women, Internally Displace Persons (IDPs), and returnee refugees, as well as the most impoverished and marginalized families. These priorities have been chosen to contribute to our Goal of: “Improved survival and well-being of Afghan girls and boys, building the foundations for a better future for Afghan children and their communities.” 

Our work is well established in Herat, Badghis, Ghor, and Faryab provinces in the western region of Afghanistan. We work closely with all levels of society including children, parents, teachers, village councils, religious leaders, ministries, provincial departments, and other national and international agencies.

JOB PURPOSE:

The primary role of PSS Counsellors is to provide mental health and psychosocial support services at designated health centres. Their responsibilities include offering psychosocial support and psychological first aid to trauma survivors, assisting individuals affected by natural disasters, conducting psychological trauma assessments, and referring patients to appropriate trauma care. Additionally, they engage in individual counselling and group counselling, promote community awareness,

KEY RESPONSIBILITES:

• Contribute to the development of and reviewing the resource materials on PSS based on the needs of children, youths and adolescents.
• Prepare lesson plans for individual and group counseling sessions.
• Conduct intake and post-session assessments for all PSS beneficiaries.
• Assessing and identification of beneficiaries for psychosocial support.
• Conduct psychosocial counselling sessions to children, adolescents and youths in groups and individually and if needed with their families.
• Follow up with children, youth and adolescents provided with psychosocial counseling and support.
• Ensure timely referral and follow-up of cases in need of further support to other service providers.
• Maintain regular follow up with the project team and provide them with technical support and advice when needed.
• Proactively participate in professional development activities with strong commitment of learning knowledge and skills
• Support outreach workers to identify children and their families to be part of health facility centre
• Maintain daily counselling schedule with Health Shura.
• Provide PSS trainings to staff to support their own well-being, i.e. stress management
• Liaise with outreach workers on health facility follow up in the field
• Follow up standard methods for helping children and their parents
• Draft a case plan based on the identified mental health issue and closely monitor and document the psychological recovery of cases.
• Ensure all cases have clear mental well-being outcomes outlined in the case plan, with progress tracked regularly.
• Produce and maintain accurate clinical records of the beneficiaries.
• Case files and technical reports must be archived in a locked and secure location; access to them should be restricted only to relevant, authorized protection program staff.
• Provide the supervisor with bi-weekly and monthly reports on the activities conducted.
• Any other duties assigned by Project Manager/Health Assistant.

Other

• Adhere to WV Child and Adult Safeguarding policy and standards.
• Adhere to WV accountability standards.
• To be aware and prepared to implement WV Afghanistan Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs plan under the context of (Faryab) interventions.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND EXPERIENCE:

At least 1 year of professional experience working as a PSS/MHPSS Counsellor in BPHS, EPHS, NGO/INGO-supported clinics, or equivalent health programs.

Required Education,raining, license,egistration, and certification.

A degree in fields such as Psychology, Social Work, Mental Health, Counseling, or Public Health with a focus on mental health and psychosocial support

Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications

• Ability to do the triage methods
• Communication skills and knowledge of local communities.
• Language’s empowerment (Dari – Pashto)
• Flexibility for work.

Required travel and/or work environment accommodations

 Ability to travel within the work environment/ districts of Badghis province.

Email / Application Form: wvafg_recruitment@wvi.org