Child Protechion/Mental Health & Psychosocial Support Officer - ECHO Project at Terre des hommes (TDH)

General description of the position:

• Reporting to the MHPSS Supervisor, the main purpose of this position is to carry out an array of age and gender-appropriate psychosocial support activities for the most vulnerable and at-risk children, adolescents and caregivers concerning their culture and contextual sensitivities.
• The activities will be well-integrated into the North-eastern Nigerian protection system and humanitarian coordination practices and guidelines.
• The activities will be carried out in Monguno, MMC, JERE, and Banki LGAs of Borno State areas according to the evolving needs of the project.

Key Responsibilities:

Psychosocial Support

• Conduct specific child-focused activities for psychosocial well-being and building resilience for the most vulnerable and at-risk children and adolescents by ensuring a variety of activities that include active games, sports, expressive/creative activities, life skills, and educational activities.
• Mobilize adolescent boys and girls to launch empowering activities that suit their interests, promote their psychosocial well-being and create an opportunity for their direct social engagement at the community level.
• Conduct emotional group support sessions for caregivers.
• Work with the Community Development Officer to conduct awareness sessions on child protection issues and issues affecting the protection and well-being of children.
• Provide basic counselling sessions to support children and their caregivers to better cope with difficulties, and distress and enhance their resilience.
• Identify vulnerable children and adults in a need of protection or support and conduct referral to the case management team and/or education team as appropriate.
• Establish and maintain positive and efficient relations with target beneficiaries, community members, humanitarian actors and all the other key stakeholders for the successful delivery of PSS interventions.
• Ensure availability of the PSS materials and safe storage and maintenance of the PSS materials.
• Prepare weekly activity schedule, keep record of newly registered beneficiaries, fill beneficiaries daily's attendance lists, and other reports as required by the line manager and ensure accuracy and timely submission.
• Under the guidance of the MHPSS Supervisor, conduct participatory monitoring activities to
• collect beneficiaries' feedback and opinions on the quality and satisfaction of activities.
• Provide supervision, mentorship and guidance to PSS volunteers.
• Perform any other job-related duties as requested by the line manager.

Child Protection

• Promote inclusion and equal access for every child, paying particular attention to the most vulnerable and at-risk children.
• Identify potential cases of children victims and/or at heightened risk of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect and any other child protection concern or threat and report to the Case Worker.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding information and data of beneficiaries at all times.
• Ensure Tdh Child Safeguarding Policy and Child Protection Minimum Standards are mainstreamed through all the programmatic activities.
• Report serious cases of abuse committed against children to the CPEIE Project Manager and/or Tdh CFRM. Strict confidentiality must be respected.

Coordination & Representation

• Coordinates with other Tdh sectors to ensure implementation of standardized activities and with other departments (programme and support) of Tdh Nigeria as necessary
• Represent Tdh project in fora and meetings held at site level in her/his field of expertise.

Other

• Fully comply with the Tdh Code of Conduct and ensure the Child Safeguarding Policy is upheld at all times.
• Ensure adherence to Tdh standards and quality requirements in all the project activities.
• Adhere to and ensure the team under her/his responsibility follows Tdh administrative and logistical regulations and procedures.
• The tasks and responsibilities defined in this job description are not exhaustive and can evolve depending on the project's needs.

Educational Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling, or a related field.
• Training/Certifications in Psychosocial Support (PSS), Child Protection, or Mental Health in humanitarian settings preferred.

Skills and Competencies:

• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of PSS principles and child protection.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Ability to work with diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Counseling Skills: Proficiency in basic counseling techniques.
• Facilitation: Competence in organizing age-appropriate and gender-sensitive activities.
• Communication: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Coordination: Strong organizational skills for coordination with sectors and stakeholders.
• Monitoring and Reporting: Ability to conduct monitoring activities and prepare reports.
• Confidentiality: Commitment to maintaining beneficiary confidentiality.
• Problem-solving: Proactive in identifying challenges and proposing solutions.

Experience Requirements:

• Professional Experience: 2-3 years in PSS or child protection roles within NGOs or humanitarian settings.
• Field Experience: Experience in North-eastern Nigeria or similar contexts preferred.
• Team Supervision: Experience in supervising and mentoring team members.
• Community Engagement: Experience in mobilizing and engaging communities.

Additional Requirements:

• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English and Hausa/Kanuri preferred

Security and Compliance:

• Ensure adherence to Tdh Security Regulations and promptly report any incidents or risks.
• Fully comply with Tdh’s Global Code of Conduct, including safeguarding policies, anti-fraud/corruption policies, and those related to the prevention of financing criminal activities. Systematically report any breaches through the whistle-blowing framework.
• Promote awareness within the Foundation regarding abuse, violence, and related rights, respecting the rights and dignity of children, community members, and staff.
• Commit to Tdh’s risk-management policies, including the Child Safeguarding Policy, Policy on Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Directive on Staff Misconduct, Safety and Security Policy, and Anti-Fraud/Corruption policies.
• Develop a culture of open and informed leadership to reduce the risk of abuse and harm in our work with children and communities.