Back Psychosocial Counselor (Bokhtar and Kushoniyon)

Project Context and Scope
IOM mission in Tajikistan is carrying out efforts to support of the Government of Tajikistan in the framework of its Comprehensive Action Plan for Afghanistan and Neighboring Countries (CAP) and the Regional Refugee Response Plan for Afghanistan (RRP). Under the project “Improving migration governance and access to services for displaced Afghans in Pakistan and Central Asia” (the Project), IOM is committed to make efforts to enhance social cohesion and access to services for both Tajik and Afghan communities. 

IOM is supporting migrants and host communities through community- and household-level social cohesion interventions, aiming to reinforcing access to services for all and increase peaceful coexistence between and within communities. IOM wants to support Afghan migrants and Tajik communities to improve livelihoods, with a focus on women and youth skills. IOM aims at doing so both through development opportunities and income generation activities to improve economic opportunities and quality of life for project beneficiaries and community members. 

Under the project, IOM is committed to enhancing social cohesion, access to services, and livelihoods for both Tajik and Afghan communities. The hiring of a Counselor aims to achieve this by addressing mental health and psychosocial needs, fostering unity, improving service access, supporting livelihoods, promoting peaceful coexistence, and reducing stigma within the communities. Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing
Improving migration governance and access to services for displaced Afghans in Pakistan and Central Asia Tasks to be performed under this contract

• Provide individual and group counselling to the affected population in need.
• Coordinate with the team leader and other members of the team the integration of mental health and psychosocial support considerations in community-based activities along the full spectrum of the intervention pyramid.
• In collaboration with the educator, design psychoeducation sessions for the communities based on identified and emerging needs.
• In collaboration with the artist, supervise artistic mediation activities for vulnerable cases.
• Provide training sessions in Psychosocial First Aid (PFA) and basic counselling skills to humanitarian actors, community focal points, volunteers, and other team members.
• Identify and refer people with severe mental disorders, in coordination with the referral team, if existing.
• Coordinate with the referral team and other team members the inclusion of people with mental disorders in other activities promoted by the groups.
• Develop awareness messages/campaigns related to mental health and psychosocial support to be disseminated to communities. Coordinate with other members of the teams the most productive ways to convey those messages.
• Organize support and discussion groups and forums.
• Facilitate MHPSS needs assessments, surveys and research in the concerned communities of the project to enhance access to community-based psychosocial services and specialised mental health care for refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), migrants and returnees.
• Map existing support provisions at the microlevel and design, together with the supervisor, initiatives to reinforce their capacity.
• Report daily activities. Performance indicators for the evaluation of results
  • Individual and Group Counselling Sessions:
  • Conduct individual counselling sessions for beneficiaries in need.
  • Facilitate group counselling sessions for affected populations.
  • Integration of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS):
  • Collaborate with the team leader and fellow team members to integrate MHPSS considerations into community-based activities across the intervention pyramid.
  • Psychoeducation Session Design:
  • Work in conjunction with the educator to design psychoeducation sessions tailored to the identified and emerging needs of the communities.
  • Supervision of Artistic Mediation Activities:
  • Supervise artistic mediation activities, especially for vulnerable cases, in collaboration with the artist.
  • Training Sessions:
  • Conduct training sessions in Psychosocial First Aid (PFA) and basic counselling skills for humanitarian actors, community focal points, volunteers, and team members.
  • Identification and Referral:
  • Identify individuals with severe mental disorders and coordinate their referral with the referral team, if available.
  • Inclusion in Other Activities:
  • Coordinate with the referral team and other team members to ensure the inclusion of people with mental disorders in other project activities.
  • Awareness Messages/Campaigns:
  • Develop mental health and psychosocial support awareness messages/campaigns.
  • Collaborate with other team members to determine the most effective methods for disseminating these messages within the communities.
  • Support and Discussion Groups:
  • Organize and facilitate support and discussion groups and forums for community members.
  • Needs Assessments and Research:
  • Facilitate MHPSS needs assessments, surveys, and research in project communities.
  • Enhance access to community-based psychosocial services and specialized mental health care for refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), migrants, and returnees based on the findings.
  • Support Provision Mapping and Capacity Building:
  • Map existing support provisions at the micro-level.
  • Collaborate with the supervisor to design initiatives that reinforce the capacity of support provisions.
  • Daily Activity Reports:
  • Submit daily activity reports summarizing the counselling sessions, training, awareness campaigns, support groups, and any other relevant activities undertaken. Education
  • Degree in clinical psychology, counselling psychology, educational psychology, counselling social work, pastoral counselling, or a closely related field. Advanced degrees or certifications in these areas would be advantageous. Experience
  • Previous experience in counselling and protection activities in related areas of intervention, especially within humanitarian or mental health projects, is highly advantageous. Candidates with a proven track record in providing psychosocial support and counselling services are preferred.
  • Strong experience and demonstrated ability to effectively communicate and work with a wide range of people, including individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds. Cultural sensitivity and the ability to adapt counselling approaches to diverse populations are essential.
  • Profound knowledge of psychosocial support principles, mental health care, and counselling techniques.
  • Familiarity with trauma-informed care and approaches to address the unique needs of refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), migrants, and returnees.
  • Certification or training in Psychosocial First Aid (PFA) and counselling skills is an asset.
  • Experience in supervising and mentoring others, especially in the context of artistic mediation activities. Skills
  • Strong problem-solving skills to identify mental health and psychosocial needs in the community and develop appropriate interventions and initiatives.
  • Proficiency in conducting MHPSS needs assessments, surveys, and research, as well as utilizing the findings to enhance community-based psychosocial services.
  • Ability to develop and disseminate mental health and psychosocial support awareness messages/campaigns and advocate for the importance of these services within the community.
  • In collaboration with MHPSS team members implementation referral work for beneficiaries to existing services. 

    Skills in service mapping and updating thereof. Languages

  • Fluency in Tajik and Russian. Proficiency in relevant languages spoken by the community or beneficiaries is an asset. IOM’s official languages are English, French and Spanish. Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.   Travel required
  • xxx Add in details xxx Required Competencies   IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.   Values - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these three values:
  • Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.