Community Outreach Officer - Qaa

Main responsibilities:

• Sensitize and build capacity of Community Outreach Volunteers (COVs) and supervise their performance during awareness raising sessions
• Utilize the referral system between community, PHCCs, MMU, MHPSS Case management team and support the community feedback and complaint mechanism.
• Analyse, detect and reduce risk factors influencing holistic well-being at the community level.
• Assist in the development and implementation of community-based health activities as per the needs, wishes/interest of the target community
• Take an active role in all proposed research and/or assessments to be conducted on the field.

Main responsibilities and activities of the Community Outreach Officer can change according to the organization of the work and to the composition of the team.

Main activities:

Supervision of the COVs.

• Support and follow up on the work of the COVs team and the proper delivery of integrated health/mental health services and activities in the Bekaa and Baalback regions.
• Participate daily to COV awareness raising activities on the field
• With input and in collaboration with the Community Outreach Supervisor, carry out evaluations of the COVs activities performance during regular field visits to the field
• Report on monthly basis the activities accomplished.
• With the support of the Community Outreach Supervisor, co-facilitate trainings provided to COVs on mental health, SGBV, SRH, and other health related topics

Support MdM integrated activities at the field level.

• Make sure that all necessary forms and monitoring tools are properly completed and safely stored.  
• Ensure activities are running in the absence of the Community Outreach Supervisor.
• Lead on the development of a community-based surveillance system in the community with technical support from the medical Coordinator (including identification of key stakeholders, training and follow-up development of key linkages, monitoring, evaluation)
• Participate in the delivery of emergency cash assistance to cover transportation cost, based on vulnerability criteria, in order to respond to health emergencies in the catchment area
• Provide feedback on important issues that require supervisor feedback, decision making, and tailored interventions.
• Escalate any major concerns, change and trends in the community in relation to security, health and protection matters
• Under the direction of the Community outreach supervisor, work with the case-management team on mental health issues and with the medical team on health issues presented within communities/Settlements.
• Participate in the development of partnerships with local stakeholders necessary for the implementation of the activities.
• Attend coordination meetings and represent MdM whenever it is required.
• Participation in MdM internal meetings and individual meetings with the Medical Coordinator/ MH coordinator.

Developing community interventions

• Assist in the assessment of mental health/health needs and proposition of interventions to improve or settle coverage.
• Support in the development and on the implementation of a reliable communication system on Al Qaa Mobile Medical Unit schedule and available services to the community

• Participate in defining effective and culturally appropriate approaches and interventions.
• Focus on information dissemination and collecting opinions to foster knowledge and self-care of people living in the community and informal settlements.
• Work on building and encouraging support networks within and amongst the target population.
• Support the identification and proposition of community-based activities responding to the needs and wishes/wishes of the target community
• Convey feedback and complaints received from the community to the relevant focal person in MdM and follow-up on the response action taken
• Be involved in implementation of Community health clubs, Community health committees and other community mobilization events.

Sensitisation and capacity building among community members and leaders.

• Co-facilitate awareness/training sessions about MHPSS/health for community members and leaders
• Co-facilitate the training of COVs on epidemiological surveillance and alert system and follow-up on the implementation

Utilize and develop the referral system

• Assist in the development of effective referral systems between the community, the PHCCs, the MMU, supported midwifery clinics, hospitals, and MdM’s MHPSS case-management team.

Analysis, detection and reduction of risk factors influencing the health status at community level

• In collaboration with the mental health team and the medical team, explore and detect potential risk factors influencing primary health status of the target population.
• When required, coordinate with other stakeholders to reduce and/or eliminate potential risk factors.
• Participate in any intended research study and/or professional field assessment.

Other

• Translate verbally and in writing when necessary
• Perform any other additional duty on request of his/her supervisor

This job description can be modified at any time according to changes in MdM activities or in the context with prior notice and agreement between the two parties. On demand of the direct supervisor, other tasks might be added to that present list.

Behaviour:

• To behave with self-restraint at all times and respect the dignity of the beneficiaries.
• To respect the confidentiality of all beneficiaries
• To be able to work as part of a team and participate in all activities of the mental health unit.
• To believe in concepts of equity, human rights, neutrality and impartiality.
• Demonstrate motivation at work.
• Demonstrate willingness to improve own knowledge and skills by participating in any capacity building activities.
• Respect each team member’s position, work and specialty.
• Adapt to special situations or demands from supervisor.

Requested Profile

• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health, Social Work.
• 2 to 3 years of experience with an NGO in health and/or psychosocial support.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills are a key factor to this position.
• Proficiency with Microsoft word and excel.
• Arabic and English language are mandatory.

Requested competences

• Believes in a comprehensive and holistic approach towards positive mental health.
• Ability to cope with difficult security context.
• Ability to work daily in Al Qaa

• Excellence in organizing, planning and prioritizing task
• Ability to identify   strengths and weakness and in proposing shared solutions for the continuous improvement of providing quality services.
• Strong ability to observe, analyse, report and take initiative.
• Ability to work with a team as well as to work independently.
• Ability to seek, collect, and critically analyse data and information needed to achieve the tasks.
• Clear commitment in the project thematic.
• Ability to communicate any technical or non-technical topic with clarity and to share any important project information with the team.
• Ability to self-reflect on your work, to recognize what needs improvement and to propose solutions.