Protection Assistant (PWD caseworker)

Responsibilities:

Provide case management to PWD

• In compliance with best-practice and international standards in PWD response, provide case management to vulnerable PWD through high quality and confidential interventions in line with minimum standards for service provision and DRC’s case management SOPs, with the aim of empowering PWD, allowing individuals to access their rights, regain control over their lives and restore dignity;
• Conduct home visits to vulnerable individuals, assess their needs and engage with their family members and caretakers, develop, implement and follow up on action plans, and monitor situation prior to case closure;
• With their informed consent, refer PWDto appropriate available services (legal, mental health, PSS, etc.) and facilitate their inclusion in their community;
• At all times, ensure the safety and respect of PWD, their effective inclusion in activities, in addition to the confidentiality of their information and their right to access services without any discrimination;
• File and store PWD data as directed by Protection officer; ensure the utmost confidentiality of case management data and information throughout the case management process; including protection referrals;
• Provide counselling for all beneficairies referred to case management service; Conduct psycho-social support and peer-to-peer support group sessions with PWD
• Provide psycho-social support and peer-to-peer support to PWD through group interventions, to be conducted in accessible safe spaces identified in collaboration with group participants;
• Create a safe space where participants can voice their opinions, thoughts and emotions, share experiences and brainstorm on solutions in a confidential and respectful manner;
• Apply age and gender appropriate facilitation skills during group sessions; use inter-active adult learning techniques to effectively engage with session participants;
• When needed and with their informed consent, safely identify and refer PWD to individual case management or other relevant and available services. Coordination and planning
• Prepare and submit weekly, monthly and 3-month work plans in a timely manner with validation from the Protection Officer’s;
• Support the implementation of monitoring and evaluation tools and report on challenges in the implementation of the program;
• Participate in regular supervisory meetings to ensure adherence to standards of care and appropriate case management;
• Develop and maintain effective working relationship with relevant stakeholders including partner agencies, community leaders and service providers;
• Actively contribute to the maintenance of an up-to-date service mapping of the service providers operating in the area of implementation;
• In collaboration with the Protection officer, receive referrals, develop an action plan and appropriate response to each case. Ensure that informed consent/assent is taken before opening a case file, and prioritize intervention according to risk level;
• Assess received cases and take immediate action to address urgent situations;
• Deliver basic PwSN trainings to person of concerns, including sessions on the pwsn core concepts and guiding principles and the safe identification and referral of PWD cases, in addition to protection mainstreaming;
• In collaboration with the Protection officer, attend case conferences with relevant key actors when needed;
• Raise gaps in PWD response services and referral protocols to the protection officer and Protection team leader;
• Work closely with the Child Protection and GBV sections when a case involves child survivors, particularly when assessing best interest of the child;
• Immediately flag safety concerns to the Protection Officer throughout the case management process.

Other: Any other duties relating to the nature of the job as directed by the Protection Officer or by the Protection team leader.

Experience and technical competencies:

• Experience in delivering case management to PWD required
•  Good knowledge of protection, GBV and CP case management principles
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, respect, non-discrimination, safety and inclusion of PWD at all times
•  Excellent gender and age appropriate facilitation skills, child development and adult learning techniques, and good knowledge of GBV, child protection and PSS basic principles 2
•  Excellent communication and psychosocial first aid skills
• Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills, creativity and flexibility
•  Comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well
• Computer literacy (Microsoft Word and Excel)
•  Ability to work flexible hours
•  Previous experience in international organizations and humanitarian settings is a plus