ROLE OF PURPOSE:
The purpose of the MHPSS Adviser is to promote access to children and families affected by the conflict in Syria to a high quality and well-planned MHPSS program in line with international standards and the latest research. This builds on the growing and well-documented acceptance of the critical needs of the MHPSS in Syria, as well as the lack of available national and domestic services, NGO responses, referrals and documentation of this ever-growing challenge. Specifically, the goal of the Syrian MHPSS Adviser is to continue to lead in the development and delivery of the Syrian Response Office MHPSS programs for children, adolescents, young people and caregivers and to provide a high level of feedback and reporting.
SCOPE SCOPE:
The main purpose of this role is to provide strong technical leadership to the SCI Syria Syrian Office in response to Mental health & Psychosocial Support. The aim is to enhance the quality of MH-PSS work presented by SCI and partners, to bring about rapid and lasting change in the lives of children. The focus of the role will be on technical capacity building, program quality assurance in MH-PSS interventions and ensuring that MH-PSS is integrated across all sectors in a professional manner.
Reports to the PDQ Director
Size:
Employees report directly to this post: No direct reports but technical support and coordination of relevant staff in the country
Other stakeholders: SRO CP TA, SRO Edu TA, Ops staff at AOs, MEEE MH-PSS TA.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Technical Assistance at Country Offices:
• Ensuring that MHPSS services have adequate resources and expertise to build capacity, monitor, ensure quality, take evidence and learn, and further improve their capacity to provide quality interventions and MHPSS-based interventions.
• Be the focus of the SC Syria Program to respond to MH-PSS-related activities and represent the SCI to the appropriate teams and stakeholders, including relevant sponsor meetings as required.
• Overseeing and supporting field staff in project areas in the planning, implementation and monitoring of MH-PSS activities.
• Arrange regular meetings with MH-PSS-focused areas at each intervention, providing technical oversight of caseworkers, community facilitators providing 1-1 counseling to beneficiaries.
• Guide the ongoing assessment of MH-PSS needs for children, adolescents and young people and ensure that this is reflected in the strategies and recommendations of the Syrian Response Program.
• Support regular participatory activities with various groups of children, youth and youth to identify issues affecting children in their communities, and help groups formulate appropriate responses;
• Identifying training needs for MH-PSS teams and assisting in the development of training modules, MH-PSS implementation tools and awareness activities for staff, volunteers, key community members and partner staff on a variety of topics;
• Lead the promotion of the MH-PSS program for women and girls, including children with liver failure
• Establishing safe ways to address the needs of vulnerable children at each level;
• Coordinating the construction of children, youth and youth and family assessments with appropriate tools and monitoring of their management.
• Professional management and support of project staff in providing basic psychological support to children through material review and approval, training, and site inspection and consultation periods.
• Ensure that PSS activities (such as the Child and Youth Empowerment Program) are conducted in accordance with SC and international standards.
• Help Save Children in creating and writing a repetitive mental and psychological model
• Help Keep Children on developing and releasing MHPSS Monitoring & Evaluation tools,
Collaborating with other Technical Advisors (Health, Healthy Eating, Education, FSL, Child Protection)
Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability:
• Work with the MEAL TA and MEAL teams at the access levels to develop M&Es and tracking systems for all grants, to contribute to the development of additional M&E tools where necessary to monitor project progress
• With the MEAL team, ensure appropriate, timely and accurate data collection at all levels of the PSS against the agreed indicators to enable internal and external reporting
Human Resource Management, Counseling, and Development:
• Support in ensuring the right personnel within the operational part of the project team, within budget constraints.
• Leading the capacity building program in consultation with line managers and other TAs to enhance the capacity of MH-PSS staff
Safe Monitoring:
• Ensuring full compliance with child protection policy at the sector level and especially for SC staff.
• Respond to all Child Protection Policy concerns raised or identified appropriately and effectively.
• Encourage and simplify the quality assurance of MHPSS tools and methods in conjunction with the CPI.
REQUIREMENTS AND KNOWLEDGE:
Important:
• Education goes to a Masters Level in the field of mental health, such as psychology, psychotherapy or other appropriate field.
• Valuable knowledge and experience from the MHPSS field, including child trauma, resilience and recovery, child development, working with parents and caregivers.
• Good knowledge and experience in the use of key tools and methods, including the IASC Mental Health Guidelines and Emergency Mental Support Support.
• Significant experiences working in emergency response, long-term problems or weak state situations (experience from the MEE region is a great benefit)
• Powerful experience with learning exercises, including test management and assessment
• Proven ability to provide technical support, train and train staff, including remote support
• Ability to write clear and effective assessments and project reports
• Excellent connection and impactful skil