Job Summary:
The MHPSS Officer will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and delivering individual and group psychosocial support services to vulnerable individuals and communities, including returnees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), host community members, women, youth and other vulnerable groups. The position will contribute to strengthening psychosocial well-being, social empowerment, community resilience and social cohesion through inclusive, gender-responsive, conflict-sensitive and do-no-harm approaches. The officer will also establish and maintain referral pathways to specialized mental health, protection and gender-based violence (GBV) services, as appropriate.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
· Plan and facilitate individual and group psychosocial support (PSS) sessions using recognized, evidence-informed and do-no-harm approaches appropriate to the needs of targeted beneficiaries.
· Identify psychosocial support needs among returnees, IDPs, host community members, women, youth and other vulnerable individuals through safe, respectful and inclusive engagement.
· Develop and implement psychosocial support activities that promote emotional well-being, positive coping strategies, social connectedness, mutual understanding and community resilience.
· Facilitate social empowerment and community-based activities that encourage interaction, trust-building and peaceful relationships among returnees, IDPs and host community members.
· Establish, document and maintain referral pathways to specialized mental health, protection and GBV services for individuals whose needs exceed the project's mandate.
· Ensure that referrals are conducted safely, confidentially and with appropriate consent, in accordance with established protection and data-protection procedures.
· Integrate Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) awareness and conflict-sensitivity messaging into psychosocial support activities.
· Apply safeguarding, confidentiality, informed-consent, gender-responsive and do-no-harm principles throughout all MHPSS interventions.
· Coordinate with the Project Manager, Social Protection/Community Support Officer, Livelihoods/Economic Participation Officer, social mobilizers and relevant service providers to ensure integrated and complementary support to beneficiaries.
· Maintain accurate and confidential records of PSS sessions, attendance, beneficiary participation, referrals and activity progress, ensuring appropriate protection of personal information.
· Monitor the quality, accessibility and effectiveness of psychosocial support activities and identify implementation challenges and opportunities for improvement.
· Prepare regular activity updates, progress reports, beneficiary statistics and supporting documentation in accordance with project requirements and UNDP reporting standards.
· Contribute to the preparation of work plans, activity schedules, monitoring tools, lessons learned and the final project report.
· Participate in project coordination meetings, relevant capacity-building sessions and other activities required to ensure timely and quality implementation.
To carry out the responsibilities of the role in a way that reflects WHLO’s commitment to protecting children in accordance with the Child Safeguarding Policy.