ASSISTANT MENTAL HEALTH
Ref No: JRS Assistant Mental Health
Job Title: Assistant Program Coordinator Mental Health
Location: Kakuma, Kenya
Closing Date: June 10th 2011
Incorporation date: July 15th 2011
Position open to
• Kenyan nationals
• Candidates available for 1-year commitment
• This is unaccompanied post with regular Rest and Recuperation leaves every 10 weeks.
Organizational Context:
Jesuit Refugee Service is an international humanitarian organization, with a mission to accompany, serve and defend the rights of
refugees and forcibly displaced people. JRS has a priority to work wherever the needs of displaced people are urgent and unattended
by others, and offers a human service to refugees and the communities through a wide range of rehabilitation and relief activities most
of which centre around formal and informal education needs.
Description
The mental health department’s aims at improving the psychosocial well-being of intellectually and developmentally challenged
persons and their families through increasing insight, creating awareness and improving effectiveness of the
care givers by providing
psychosocial services, special needs education, rehabilitation and habilitation, services, trainings and outreach programs.
Key Responsibilities
• In consultation with program coordinator is actively involved in training of the day-care program staff and inspires and
encourages them to work with clients and maintain the JRS mission and vision.
• Ensures that the mental health assistants develop their counselling skills and basic mental health therapies such as art therapies,
cognitive therapies etc
• In liaison with program coordinator ensures adequate, ongoing support and rehabilitation of the intellectually and
developmentally challenged persons in the camp through day-care and community care.
• With consultation with the coordinator contributes in the development of mobilization and awareness strategy to educate the
community on mental health related information.
• Assists the mental health care assistants develop individualized programs for the clients and monitor their work plans.
• Oversees the implementation of innovative and individualized programs of activity for the mental health clients in the centre and
community.
• With guidance of the program coordinator carries out regular assessments of the day care clients and advises on changing care
needs of each client.
• Assists the program coordinator in training and in-service training for the day-care support staff, parents, community leaders and
clients’ carers.
• Works closely with families by designing and overseeing the implementation of capacity building programs that will help them
easily integrated the challenged person or child.
Qualifications:
• Bachelors required in Special Education or clinical psychology or related field
• 2 years of professional experience in the field of special education, working with persons living with learning and
developmental challenges
• Demonstrated experience and commitment to working with marginalized communities.
• Experience in managing people/team
• Ability to work sensitively with refugee population of different ethnic background
• Experience with teaching adults in multicultural environment or willingness to learn
• Excellent communication skills in English (written and oral)
• Flexibility, resilience to stress and ability to adapt to working in remote area with adverse climatic and environmental conditions
How to apply:
Please send your Cover Letter and CV that should include contacts for three referees to kenya.applications@jrs.net