Special Educator

General Union of Palestinian Woman (GUPW) - Lebanon Branch

GUPW has been working in Lebanon since 1965 and operates programs in seven centers in Palestinian camps and gatherings including 19 Kindergartens and nurseries. GUPW also runs two multidisciplinary Early Childhood Development centers and a physiotherapy center under the UNICEF”” supported program “Strengthening Community-Based Child Protection, Gender Based Violence interventions, and Psychosocial Support in Palestinian Camps and Gatherings in Lebanon” in partnership with “Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)”. The purpose of this job announcement is to select a qualified Special Educator for a vacant post through a competitive process. The center service offered for of all children residing within Ein El Helweh camp and surrounding regardless of nationality.

1. Key tasks and responsibilities of Special Educator

• Follow up children with special needs and learning difficulties from 3 to 18 years old.
• Follow up children upon receiving referral from specialists, doctors, and colleagues at the center, review children medical history and asses their condition and needs using standardized and validated Special Education tools. Assessing children's development and levels to identify possible disorders and different types of learning difficulties.
• Assessing communication environments; and social factors contributing to the emergence, maintenance, and aggravation of the disorders. Creating and monitoring Intervention plan to help reduce or eliminate the aggravating social factors
• Writing assessment reports for each child.
• Develop a treatment plan with specific goals and tasks that will help them meet those goals.
• Coordinate with the rest of multidisciplinary team in the center when the case needed multidisciplinary intervention as needed, to develop intervention plan accordingly through the group meeting with other specialists individually and/or at cases plan group meeting
• Collaborate with all the staff and specialists who are also taking role in the intervention plan of the same child
• Follow up various cases reported with learning disorders
• Oversee and treating various conditions which fall within domain of special education
• Ensure promoting participation of parents in sessions (observation, training and practicing)
• Educate caregivers about how to help care for and accommodate them. This might include training caregivers to apply techniques provided by the therapist as needed between sessions
• Assist in preparing and delivering awareness session for caregivers on child development and other mental health topics
• Provide family orientation after every session and meeting caregivers for guidance or to give them instructions as needed.
• Conduct visits to kindergartens if needed, meeting with teachers or principles if needed to deliver recommendations about a child followed in the service.
• Permanent guidance (giving instructions, and information about the children) for the front-line staff in contact with the child.
• Managing a caseload taking account of priority cases, waiting lists, referral, and discharge of service users.
• Writing and maintaining confidential case notes, reports, and session’s logs
• Assess progress against goals and prepare reports on children progress in writing
• Participate in team meetings with the supervisor and other team members, presenting review, treatment plans, challenges, assessments, and new children’s presentations
• Maintain contact with social workers to update on any changes in schedules or re-organize children`s treatment plan and follow up as needed.
• Work under supervision of the “Listening Center supervisor” responsible for the daily functioning of the center and the follow-up of the overall progress of the project

2. Person specifications

• Candidates must have the appropriate skills and training using proven quality and safety methods which underpins the delivery of a mental health service.
• Bachelor’s degree in special education and at least three years of experience in the domain, specialized in children with special needs and learning difficulties from 3 to 18 years old, experience in Child Protection or MHPSS programs, and any other continuing professional development is an advantage.

3. Other skills:

• Be able to work with general education teachers to ensure proper implementation of the individual intervention plan IEP and confirm that accommodations for the student are being met
• Communication skills:  Be able to effectively relay instructions and communicate verbally and in writing with all stakeholders taking part in childcare, be able to listen to children and caregivers to help meet their needs.
• Compassion and patience:   with the ability to motivate children.  Be able to help them and caregivers and setting realistic and achievable goals, encouraging, creative and flexible, without discouraging them. 
• Analytical thinking skills: Be able to have a variety of validated treatment methods from which to choose and make informed decisions about what might be best for a case.
• Good computer skills for detailed record-keeping and familiarity with assistive technology devices
• Flexible and responsive to program challenges

4. Location, timeframe, and other arrangements:

• Location: The workplace is at GUPW Listening Centre in Ein Al Helweh Palestinian refugee camp-Saida.
• Working days: The post is a Part time based, three days per week or equivalent to 70 hours per month. Workdays are Monday to Saturday (closed on Fridays and Sundays)
• Salary: 900 USD per month paid through bank (No other benefits, allowances or stipends included in this post as end of service benefits).
• Program duration: from January 1st , 2022 to September 30th, 2022, with possible extension subject to program continuity and resources

How to apply:

Please send the following Supporting Documents:

• Credentials, Specialization certificate and Technical Degree indicating if applicant has graduated or transcript of enrollment.
• Up-to date CV inclusive of candidate’s details (address, date of birth…etc)
• Official ID
• E-mail to: Gupw_lb@hotmail.com  and     lc.gupw@hotmail.com
• Deadline for applications: Saturday February 5th, 2022