Psychosocial Counsellor

Job title: Psychosocial Counsellor (PC)
Location: Palestine
Commitment: 4 days per week
Purpose: To implement a psychosocial programme of activities as part of Bidna Capoeira’s social capoeira programme
Reporting to: Programme Manager, Palestine
 
Salary and Benefits:€13,200 per year, 20 days holiday including public holidays
 
Seeking independent thinkers
“ We’ve hired you to do a job, yes, but more importantly, we’ve hired you to think, to use your judgement and act in the best interest of the organisation at all times. If we never say this again don’t take this as an indication that it’s no longer important or that we’ve changes our priorities” 

OVERVIEW OF BIDNA CAPOEIRA
Bidna Capoeira (BC) is not a capoeira school.  BC is a social organisation that uses the sport and art form of capoeira as a psychosocial tool to help traumatised children and youth, particularly refugees.  BC’s Social Capoeira approach is respectful to all capoeira styles and traditions, and we do not follow any particular school.  Training takes place in conjunction with the input of a psycho social counsellor during the “social roda”.  Our Social Capoeira goals include using principles of capoeira training, such as the development of confidence and self-respect, to produce positive societal impacts, such as decreased levels of violence and aggression, improved mental health, better school performances and increased positive behavioural choices. 
 
Bidna Capoeira was founded in 2007 working with street children in Syria and has been active in the West Bank, Palestine, since 2011.  Up until now our work has been project-based, but this next stage of activity sees medium-term funding secured for the establishment of BC’s first office in Palestine. 
 
For further information please see www.bidnacapoeira.org
 
ROLE OVERVIEW
Bidna Capoeira’s Palestine programme will work to establish a sustainable base for social capoeira intervention in the country. Bidna Capoeira uses a social capoeira approach that uses capoeira to help children living in a conflict area to cope better with the problems resulting from the stresses of their daily lives.  This method includes teaching teamwork, cooperation, and respect.  You will be working with highly disturbed children in a stressful environment. 
The role of the Psychosocial Counsellor is to work with the project team in implementing a suitable programme of psychosocial activities as part of BC’s programme goals and objectives.  These activities include social talks and life skills sessions which will take place with students within the structure of the “social roda”.  You will plan and lead on discussions that could include issues such as health, violence, rights of the Child. You will work closely with the Project Team, in particular the Programme Manager and Head Capoeira Teacher, advising on all background issues relevant to implementing a capoeira programme with vulnerable children including cultural issues.  You will also develop relationships with teachers, parents, children, and other relevant stakeholders.  You will also provide support for the BC team to implement programme activities.
Monitoring and evaluation are fundamental to BC’s programme implementation and development, you will provide supporting material for reports, including case studies and also produce reports on psychosocial activities as part of BC’s M&E.  You will be responsible for developing and managing a referral system for children identified as needing extra support.
You will work four days between Sunday to Thursday, full-time.  Events and ‘Community Outreach Classes’ are also frequently scheduled on evening and weekends.  You will be expected to travel to classes, attend meetings with the community, conduct workshops in different geographical locations throughout the West Bank, including outside of scheduled work times on occasion.
 
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
-Plan and implement psychosocial activities, including social talks, in accordance with BC’s programme goals and objectives
-Advise and provide briefings on the social context of the beneficiary communities
-Coordinate with the Programme Manager and capoeira teachers to plan classes, workshops, and events and as part of community outreach activities
-Develop and manage relationships with parents, teachers, community leaders and other stakeholders
-Coordinate BC’s programme with existing psychosocial support systems for onward referral
-Support in developing BC’s monitoring and evaluation systems
-Conduct interviews with children, parents and teachers
-Identify and refer particularly vulnerable cases
-Support BC Team in implementing activities and advising on beneficiaries
 
 
PERSON SPECIFICATION
ESSENTIAL   
-Counselor with a minimum of three years experience working in Palestine
-Experience working with vulnerable children and communities
-Professional in appearance and conduct
-Able to remain calm in stressful situations, ability to work in politically and culturally complex environment
-Good level of spoken and written English
-Excellent team player
-Passion for and commitment to Bidna Capoeira’s work   

DESIRABLE
-Practical experience of the wider impact of sports, music and play
-Experience of dealing with Child Protection issues
-Practical experience of behaviour modification therapy
 
 
QUALIFICATIONS
-Palestinian or Native Arabic speaker with expertise on life situation in oPT refugee camps
-BA in Psychology/counselling or similar educational background
 
TO APPLY
Please send applications by 31st December to [email protected]
All emails should have the subject ‘Applying for Psycho Social Councillor ’ and include a current CV
(including details of two referees) no more than two pages in length, and a covering letter of no more than one page. 
 
In order to minimise administrative costs, Bidna Capoeira regrets that it can only contact short-listed candidates.
 
Specific Information include with this job description includes”
-Organogram of Palestine Office availabel on http://socialcapoeira.wikispaces.com/Job+Description