MHPSS Officer

Brief description of the organization

Yazda is a non-governmental, non-profit organization established in 2014 in response to the genocide committed by the self-declared Islamic State (“IS”) against the Yazidis and other communities in Iraq and Syria. Since its inception, Yazda has worked with local and international partners to provide Yazidi survivors, IDPs, and refugees with humanitarian, accountability, and advocacy services in their post-genocide recovery. Yazda has been working in Iraq since October 2014 and operates out of the main offices in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and out of the Sinoni office in Sinjar in Nineveh Province. Yazda is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States and is registered in Erbil, Baghdad, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, and Australia.

:المسؤوليات الرئيسية

– تحت الإدارة المباشرة لمدير المشروع وإشراف مسؤول حماية المراقبة، سيكون موظف الصحة العقلية والدعم النفسي والاجتماعي مسؤولاً عن المهام المتعلقة بمجال الصحة العقلية والدعم النفسي الاجتماعي وتوفير رعاية الصحة العقلية والدعم النفسي الاجتماعي للمستفيدين

Main Responsibilities:

• Under the line management of the Project manager and supervision of the PMO, the MHPSS Officer will be responsible for tasks related to the field of MHPSS and providing MHPSS care to the beneficiaries.

• Conduct psychosocial assessments, counselling, and develop treatment plans for individuals experiencing distress, trauma, or any other MHPSS challenges.

• Coordinate with local partners and ensure that MHPSS services are delivered effectively to those in need.

• Support the delivery of direct psychosocial support services interventions for the targeted groups of survivors referred from GDSA.

• Facilitate awareness sessions to raise awareness about mental health and psychosocial topics within the communities.

• Facilitate psychoeducational and therapeutic group sessions for individuals facing mental health challenges

• Develop personalized individual treatment plans and goals in collaboration with beneficiaries, incorporating therapeutic interventions.

• Provide confidential and client-centered individual and group therapy sessions to address psychological and emotional issues such as trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, etc.

• Conduct Trauma-Focused Approach: Trauma-informed and evidence-based individual therapy for survivors of ISIS enslavement, using techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Narrative Therapy to address trauma-related symptoms.

• Learn survivor’s safety planning techniques to manage triggers and prevent re-traumatization

• Conduct a family therapy approach, and provide family therapy sessions to improve communication, understanding, and support within family units affected by mental health challenges or trauma.

• Monitor and evaluate beneficiaries’ progress regularly, adjusting treatment plans as needed to ensure effective outcomes.

• Guide group discussions on topics such as stress management, resilience-building, interpersonal relationships, and conflict resolution.

• Provide a variety of social and recreational activities, including art-based activities, music therapy to provide an outlet for self-expression and emotional release, trauma-informed yoga.

• Represent Yazda in MHPSS Coordination meetings with implementing partners and attend Health-related forums, workshops, conferences.

• Ensure that all documents are recorded and maintained confidentially at all time.

• Draft weekly reports, and work plans and participate in other tasks assigned by the line manager.

• Compile the information to weekly report to the Project manager and prepare the weekly work plans and weekly movements plan submitted to the Project Manager.

• Gather all the information of cases and fill the database.

• Perform other activities requested by the Project manager.