CITY: Ulanbaatar
Purpose
In response to these specific needs, Global Communities will establish a Community center in Qah (NWS), to provide PSS support to the identified or referred cases. A PSS team comprised of PSS Coordinator, PSS Case Management Officer, PSS Counselors and PSS Community Workers will be responsible for the implementation of PSS activities including case management, individual and group counselling, structured PSS sessions, establishment of peer support groups of elderly and PwSNs, awareness raising, recreational and skill development activities, information dissemination etc. Additionally, the staff of CP and GBV centers will work closely with the PSS team in order to support the children and women in need of PSS.
Accordingly, the Global Communities is seeking a Consultant with a strong background in research, design and implementation of PSS interventions for GBV prevention and response in a conflict affected areas. More specifically, the consultant will identify areas for adaptations, recommendations and lessons learned to ensure the curricula/methods still respond to the needs of women and girls and children after seven years of conflict and displacement.
Scope of Work
The PSS and Case Management Consultant will work closely with the Protection Manager and in collaboration with the protection team in NWS, will provide technical support in strengthening Global Communities’ institutional capacity and implementing country protection strategy with particular focus on PSS and case management interventions in NWS.
The consultant will conduct a thorough review of existing focused Psychosocial Support (PSS) curricula/methods for women and girls and children which are being used in static and mobile settings, and will provide recommendations, adaptations and lesson learned to ensure that the curricula/methods still respond to the needs of women and children. The Consultant will be responsible for strengthening the quality of all PSS component and will provide technical support, guidance and over sight to the GC’s protection team on PSS and case management. Specifically, he/she will provide PSS capacity building through training, practice mentoring and interactive approaches to strengthen GC’s protection team’s understanding and practice on providing PSS and case management for women/girls and children, enabling them to demonstrate best practice around PSS and GBV. He/she will be responsible for development of PSS toolkit, SOPs and handbook etc. for the PSS community workers.
The duration of the consultancy will be 90 working days (within the period of Nov - Jan 2021).
Responsibilities
This position will entail the following:
* Adapt harmonized, context-appropriate PSS and case management models and tools to support individual client care for survivors
* Develop guidance/handbook on case management response for caseworkers. The objective of the guidance is to provide skills and strategies to case workers so they can safely provide support to the vulnerable children and adolescents, and their families, throughout the case management process from identification to case closure.
* Undertake a short desk review and analyze available information and data related to GBV, PSS and child protection issues, as well as existing, national legislation, policies and practices regarding child protection and case management in Syria.
* Map existing PSS and Case Management service providers in Idleb governorate in Syria, assess case management system and conduct a skills analysis of case workers for PSS, CP and GBV case management (including knowledge, attitude and communication skills)
* Develop recommendations to the project team on appropriate, culturally sensitive messaging for different target groups in the target location on GC’s work to facilitate community acceptance.
* Design training modules on Case Management and Psychosocial Support
* Develop a training curriculum on PSS Response for Case Workers. The objective of which is to build case workers skills to safely identify and refer cases to specialized PSS services when required and to provide basic PSS counselling to survivors and their families impaired by distress during their individual case management interviews and follow up visits.
* Based on the assessment and existing good practices, the Consultant will lead on the development of an approach to improve the GC’s PSS and Protection programme in Syria
* Conduct a presentation to the Case Management Working Group and share recommendations for the implementation of PSS support as part of case management and any other recommendations related to the support of survivors and their families impaired by distress.
* Technical assistance in integrating referral systems/mechanisms to address the issues of the most vulnerable women and children with respective services.
* Collect relevant data and information on the current psychosocial interventions and how they are responding to the needs of the population; assess the tools and resources used on their cultural appropriateness.
* Review the plan for organizational capacity building on PSS and case management with induction, on-going training and mentoring. This will include developing the methodology, training modules and training plan (in person, online, appropriate training venues etc.);
* Support in mainstreaming and providing psychological first aid training for all frontline responders in Northwest Syria;
Expected Deliverables
* Consultancy work-plan and timeline, in coordination with Protection Manager
* Desk review of GC’s existing tools and resources, Child Protection (CP) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) sub-clusters guidance, and other international evidence-based references on PSS and case management.
* Inception report on findings of Desk Review and Mapping of service providers and case management, including recommendations for each targeted area
* Guidance/Handbook on case management, based on the Global Case Management Task Force guidelines, Syria CPSC, including SOPs on referral mechanisms;
* Community Engagement in PSS, Child Protection and GBV interventions: Mobilization, structures, behavior change
* Tools to support local level PSS and case management model and referral system including, but not limited to risk assessment checklist, safety planning form and tools for service assurance.
* Two trainings (5 days training) on PSS and CP Case Management
* Final Report
The job description is not intended to be exhaustive and it is likely that duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances and after consultation with the post holder.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
* Prior training and direct programming experience in PSS issues and CFS, including a good understanding of the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings, Guiding Principles of Case Management, SHPERE Standards etc.
* Substantial experience in development of training materials and facilitating training workshops
* Solid understanding and grounded experience of GBV and CP responses in emergencies
* Sound knowledge of existing global guidance on PSS and case management tools and methodologies
* Excellent written communication skills
* Ability to meet deadlines, work with a minimum of supervision, and deliver quality products is essential.
* Demonstrated experience of working in the Middle East and in the Syria crisis is highly desirable
* Excellent interpersonal skills
Qualifications
Academic qualifications:
* Master’s degree from an accredited academic institution, preferably in social sciences, political science, development, international relations, human rights, gender studies or related field
Experience:
* A minimum of 5-7 years of relevant professional work in PSS and case management, with a particular focus on displaced communities. Previous relevant working experience in Middle East would be an asset
Language:
* Fluency and excellent writing skills in English. Arabic language skills preferred.
Overview
Global Communities is an International non-profit organization that works closely with communities worldwide to bring about sustainable changes that improve the lives and livelihoods of the vulnerable. Global Communities has an operational base in Gaziantep, Southern Turkey, and works with local Syrian and Turkish NGO partners to implement programming in Northern Syria.
Global Communities is implementing Protection prevention and response program in Northwest Syria since 2016, through mobile and static approaches. Some of the protection services include, case management, psychosocial support, women empowerment, child protection, skill development, awareness raising, information dissemination etc. Currently, GC is working through 3 Child Friendly Spaces, 1 Youth Empowerment Center, 4 Women and Girls safe Spaces and a Community Center in Idleb, Northwest Syria, in addition to the outreach teams.
Years of displacement and conflict, devastated support structure, existing inequalities and vulnerabilities, increased gender based violence, social insecurity etc. had a huge negative psychological impact on the Syrian IDP, particularly women and children. The Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated the crisis due to restriction of movement, fear of spread of virus, closure of safe spaces, disruption of services etc. leaving them unsupported and exposed to violence. Though there is significant ease in the movement, as the spread abates, organizations have resumed in-person activities and people are getting vaccinated. However, the trauma and psychological distress they went through left a mark on their lives that need support to heal.
