Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian organization that provides impartial medical care to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from health care in over 70 countries. We welcome candidates who bring a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences to join us in working toward MSF’s common mission.
Counsellor (1 year contract)
Purpose
- Perform counseling and/or education sessions to patients, following different medical and mental health MSF protocols and procedures, in order to improve their psychosocial condition.
Main Responsibilities
- Identify the psychosocial, socio-economic and administrative needs for patients.
- Plan, develop and carry out mental health and psychosocial support activities based on the needs of target populations identified, including but not limited to, individual and/or in group counselling and basic psycho educational sessions, to patients, their families (when needed), in order to alleviate their psychosocial difficulties within the project scope. Refer patients to other specialists or other institutions for further assistance, when necessary in order to propose the best support available.
- Plan and create any material needed for activities conducted by the mental health and psychosocial support team, and constantly review it when time evolves.
- Keep files and statistics of daily activities and participate in team meetings to share experiences and discuss special cases with other counsellors, preserving confidentiality.
- Actively promote the availability of mental health and psychosocial support related activities of the project, including but not limited to individual and group counselling sessions, psycho education activities to the potential target population and communities.
- Take active part in trainings, supervisions/interventions and support the activities manager when necessary, in doing sensitization for MSF staff or external partners about mental health /psychosocial issues.
- Report to the line manager the arrangement, progress, any difficulties or problems that arise during daily activities, including but not limited to conducting psychosocial support groups, individual counselling and psycho education sessions.
- Provide team support and ad hoc mental health-related work when required.
Accountabilities
- Provide mental health support group sessions to vulnerable groups (street sleepers and elderly) population in Hong Kong to improve their mental health.
- Provide mental health screening during general health screening for the Target population, informing MHAM of the next planned action for beneficiaries of concern.
- Ensure that follow ups are providing to beneficiaries of concerned identified to help in alleviating the psychosocial difficulties of the patients.
- Due to the characteristics of the target populations, i.e. street sleepers and elderly, this position may be required to work at night and in outreach locations, such as parks, shelters, or any location as needed.
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The Ideal Candidate
- Counseling, social work, psychology or other similar degree/diploma.
- 1 year experience in providing psychosocial support and counselling to beneficiaries is essential.
- Experience with providing mental health and psychosocial support to street sleepers or elderly population is an asset.
- Experience with NGO desirable.
- Fluency in English and Cantonese
How to apply?
Interested parties, please send your motivation letter and full resume (both in English) with expected salary and date of earliest availability by e-mail to recruitment@hongkong.msf.org. Applicants not invited for interview within 8 weeks may consider their applications unsuccessful. All information collected is solely for recruitment purpose and will be treated in strict confidence. Please read the “Personal Information Collection Statement” before providing any personal data to Médecins Sans Frontières (HK) Limited.
