Psychosocial Support (PSS) Specialist

BACKGROUND

The IRC has been implementing specific programs to promote and protect the rights of women and girls affected by gender based violence in Sierra Leone since 2001. Currently the WPE / GBV program works in Freetown and the Eastern Region of Sierra Leone in three districts, Kono, Kenema and Kailahun. The Ebola outbreak that began in Guinea in December 2013, spreading most significantly to Liberia and Sierra Leone, continues to have a huge impact on women and girls. As in all emergencies, the Ebola crisis has exacerbated the already existing inequalities and vulnerabilities of women and girls to violence, and the demands of the crisis have devastated the support services and systems that previously helped to mitigate risk and provided women and girls with some levels of protection from GBV. Ebola has had a huge negative psychosocial impact and on women’s experience of gendered violence. Women and girls have faced increased social insecurity, where restrictions on movement and on meeting in groups, and the fear of others, have disrupted the protective social networks that women and girls had through their participation in groups and associations, alongside the collapse of safe space options, leaving them more isolated, unable to get away from perpetrators, unsupported and exposed to increased violence. While there is increased opportunity for movement as the crisis abates, the damage to trust, the psycho-social consequences, grief and stigma mean that the social networks that still exist are fragile.

PURPOSE

In response to these specific needs, the IRC will establish, develop and run PSS women-only groups and activities, where women find PSS support for healing and positive well-being, for women to reflect on the impact Ebola has had on their social groups and lives, share and process their experiences, and pave a path forward collectively. The IRC will mobilize and work with its local partners - grassroots Women’s Action Groups (WAGs), networks and community-based organizations, and provide such opportunities for women, to come together, to (re)build solidarity and strengthen mutual support. These groups and activities aim to provide safe spaces, a sense of belonging, enhance women’s safety and security, and also provide a route to disclosure with appropriate support and follow up.

SCOPE OF WORK

The PSS Specialist, working closely with the WPE Coordinator, and in collaboration with the IRC WPE team, will lead in the development, start-up and implementation of PSS groups and activities for women (including those affected by Ebola and/or GBV). The specialist will be responsible for strengthening the quality of all PSS component and will provide technical support, guidance and over sight to the IRC WPE team and partners on PSS. Specifically, they will provide PSS capacity building through training, practice mentoring and “learning by doing” approaches to the IRC WPE team and partners to strengthen their understanding and practice on providing PSS for women, and for adolescent girls, enabling them to demonstrate best practice around PSS and GBV; The specialist will provide co-facilitation support of initial PSS sessions with the team and partners; and will support the IRC WPE team and partners to take the lead in the girls programming.

KEY TASKS:

• Working with the WPE Coordinator, lead in the development of a basic facilitator resource that will inform and guide (not highly structured or create a rigid curriculum) for the women-only PSS groups and activities, that includes addressing the impact of Ebola and GBV, for staff and partners to use and refer to in their on-going practice
• Provide capacity building (including training and practice mentoring) for the IRC WPE team and partners on PSS and providing PSS, including addressing the impact of Ebola and GBV on women and girls, facilitating PSS groups and providing mobile PSS and basic counselling; enable staff and partners to develop a strong understanding and technical competency for PSS and practicing it; provide specific support to those identified as PSS group facilitators to strengthen supportive facilitation skills, holding group boundaries, and creating and nurturing a healing and trusting space for women
• Provide technical guidance, support and oversight on the start-up and initial implementation phases of the PSS groups and activities across the three districts; co-facilitate with, and mentor, the staff and partner facilitators as the PSS groups are on-going; support the team and partners in taking the lead in, and ownership of, the programme more independently . PSS groups will include – sessions for IRC partners, the WAGs and VSLA groups; for women in the communities including those affected by Ebola and Ebola survivors provided by IRC WPE staff and WAG members.
• Assist in the development of a participatory monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for the PSS initiative.
• Working closing with the WPE Coordinator, an Adolescent Girls Specialist and the WPE Managers, ensure a quality PSS approach is integrated across all relevant programming areas

Requirements

• Advanced University degree in social sciences, humanities, social/youth work, gender, or other relevant field
• 2 + years’ experience in humanitarian, development or similar organizations with direct experience working on PSS programming; working directly on providing PSS to women, and experience that includes supporting women survivors of gendered violence is strongly preferred
• Strong experience and skills in creating resources, facilitating practical workshops, providing capacity development on PSS to others through a variety of methods – technical support and guidance, training, practice mentoring, “learning by doing” approaches; additional experience on this in GBV stronger preferred
• Clear understanding of how power, inequality, violence, oppression and humanitarian crises (including Ebola) impact upon the lives of women and those working with them
• Strong ability to respect differences of culture, opinion and lived experiences while upholding survivor-centered, feminist, rights-based principles and women’s protection and empowerment
• Good knowledge of and experience in using established international standards and guidelines, specifically the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings; and the IASC Guidelines on GBV interventions in Humanitarian Settings
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, mobilise, energise, and inspire individuals and teams
• Highly organized and self-motivated, able to work efficiently independently, as well as working collaborative with others
• Excellent interpersonal skills, positive and professional attitude; Strengths in listening, empathy, flexibility, and creativity
• Fluency in English Language - essential

TRAVEL

The consultant will work in close collaboration with the WPE Coordinator based in Freetown, but will have extensive and frequent travel to the Eastern Regions (Kenema, Kono, Kailahun district) where the PSS groups and activities will take place, and work directly with the teams, partners and scope of work there.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.