Protection Social Worker

Humanity & Inclusion is an independent international aid organization that works in areas affected by poverty, exclusion, conflict, and disaster. We collaborate with people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Our focus is on meeting their essential needs and improving their living conditions while promoting their dignity and rights. We are a not-for-profit organization with no religious or political ties. We operate as a federation comprising several associations that contribute human and financial resources, manage projects, and carry out our social mission.

Mission:

• Under the supervision of the Protection Team Leader, the Protection Social Worker will be responsible for the identification of vulnerable and at-risk individuals, groups, including children, men, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, and implementing protection case management interventions in line with protection case management tools, guidelines, and SOPs, and inter-agency referral linkage approaches. In addition, the Social Worker will work in coordination with project staff, including physiotherapists, psychologists, and community mobilizers, during protection monitoring exercises and Protection Case management.

Technical Roles and Responsibilities

• Identify and receive referrals of persons at heightened risk
• Develop a tailored case plan or safety plan with the survivor, based on the needs identified during the assessment, and conduct identification, assessment, planning, intervention, and follow-up for professional case management processes in support of vulnerable beneficiaries.
• Conduct household visits and center-based interviews to assess the needs of individuals and families
• Provide information to individuals and families about their rights and entitlements, including what services are available
• Work with identified individuals and families to develop and implement an action plan in accordance with their needs, capacities, and goals
• Assess risk and support clients to understand risks relevant to their situation
• Maintain a supportive therapeutic relationship with the client and provide MHPSS services and referrals as needed
• Support the implementation of monitoring and evaluation tools and report on problems in the implementation of the program
• Contribute to the maintenance of an up-to-date service mapping of the service providers
• Advocate on behalf of clients to access services and support clients to effectively represent their views, needs, and capacities in all meetings affecting them.
• Seek support from the protection team leader or protection specialist to solve complex and particularly sensitive cases and participate in debriefing sessions
• Provide individual and group psychological first aid/psycho-social support to project beneficiaries in an inclusive way to restore their safety, dignity, and hope
• Technical understanding of core protection concepts, prevention, and response strategies in line with best practices and ethical data collection and data protection protocols
• Facilitate consultations and discussions with beneficiary populations, ensuring they are involved in the needs assessment, delivery of protection/assistance, and development/implementation of durable solutions.
• Facilitate safe referrals for those in need of specialized referral services with the available service providers, and follow up on the status
• Report regularly to the line manager about the protection activities and ensure protection is integrated or mainstreamed across other sectors;
• Ensure daily safe documentation and storage of the cases identified (identification forms, assessment forms, referral forms…) in line with internal standard operating procedures, guidelines, and protection principles;
• Responsible for entering client data on the Case Management IM system or Excel forms (as appropriate) promptly
• Participate in individual supervision sessions every week with the Protection Specialist/Protection Team Leader, bringing immediate attention to any case of special/emergency needs;
• Participate in internal case conferences/ technical review of cases, team meetings, training, and workshops as scheduled by the supervisory and management team;
• Ensure cases are well recorded through the database and other data collection methodologies (beneficiaries’ files, …), updated every week, and shared with the ECHO 2.2 Project manager and Protection Team Leader when required, and data are disaggregated by age, gender, and disability when collecting and recording data in accordance with HI’s data protection and confidentiality protocols.
• Identify and network with external service providers to reinforce referral mechanisms, especially with hospitals, health centers, and NGOs who are working directly with victims of GBV, Child Protection, general protection, and MHPSS
• Work in cooperation with local government stakeholders to realize the project objectives, such as Zone and Woreda Women & Social Affairs, OPD, OPA, Health, Justice, Education Offices, and coordinate regular activities with IDP committees, Kebele authorities, and other partner teams as required;
• Ensure respect and compliance of HI’s policies, including Child Protection and Child Safeguarding Policy, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse [PSEA] policy, Anti-fraud and anti-corruption policy, Code of Conduct;
• Disseminate information among the community and partners about HI’s policies, Code of Conduct, and PSEA’s messages, and promote reporting of any concerns related to SEA and Child Safeguarding;
• Report immediately to the Area Project Manager or Protection Team Leader any concern, incident related to child protection, safeguarding, and PSEA;

Education & Qualification

• University Degree in Sociology, Social Work, and other relevant fields from a recognized institution.

Knowledge and Professional Experience required

• Minimum of 3 years of experience as a protection officer, assistant, or social worker
• Experience working in IDPs and host communities
• Experience in identifying and responding to the needs of vulnerable individuals of people of concern based on protection risks, age, gender, and diversity analysis, and/ or other criteria;
• Experience in Community-based protection and awareness raising in humanitarian settings;
• Good knowledge of data collection, analysis, and reporting;
• Experienced in providing case management to victims and survivors from the risks of general protection, GBV, and MHPSS in conflict-affected areas

Skills

• Full proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; proficiency in Kobo and other data collection/analysis tools is desirable.
• High degree of confidentiality.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work with teams and develop team spirit.
• Diligence and attention to detail.
• Must not have any criminal convictions and demonstrate strong moral character.
• Integrity, strong work ethic, and ability to consistently meet deadlines under pressure

Knowledge of working area language (Tigrigna) is a Must.