Help Desk Officer Job in Kenya

Categories: Collaboration

Function: Advocacy

Working time in %: 100%

Location: Dadaab

Reports to (Hierarchically): Empowerment Senior Officer

(Functionally):

  • Number of subordinates: 1 Social
  • Empowerment Asssiatants, 1 Economic
  • Empowerment Assistants, 30 hep desk Social Workers.

Context: Terre des Hommes (Tdh) launched its activities in Kenya in January 2011. Tdh provides support to children
in Dadaab Refugee Camp and in Korogocho slums.

In response to the Dadaab Refugee protracted crisis, Tdh projects deliver child protection interventions and support to children in alternative care arrangements, provisions of case management and psychosocial services to vulnerable children, strengtheninig community-based structures as well as building advocacy efforts on child protection issues.

General description of the position: 

The main purpose of the position is to carry out an array of age and gender appropriate Advocacy and empowerment interventions targeting children, parents, caregivers, community leaders, religious leaders, adolescent boys and girls in both Dadaab Refugee Camps and the neighbouring eight host community villages while respecting their culture and contextual sensitivities.

The activities are integrated in the Dadaab protection system and humanitarian coordination practices and guidelines.

The Helpdesk Officer will work closely with the Helpdesk Social Workers (community workers) who will report directly to him/her.

The main mandate of the Help Desk Officer will be to ensure that community receive information through awareness and advocacy campaigns conducted at the help desks and the block level.

The purpose of his/her interventions are to strengthen the beneficiary’s ability to develop the necessary skills and knowledge in prevention of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of children while in the camps also after repatriating to their country of origin.

Key Responsibilities

  • Provide capacity to the children, parents, their caregivers and community members to enhance their knowledge and ability to protect children from harm.
  • To be responsible to conduct proper recording, documentation for all the children and their caregiver seeking child protection services and information at the sectional level.
  • Provision and Dissémination of appropriate child protection information to support decision making on voluntary repatriation and sustained protection for the children remaining in the camps.
  • Provide trainings and monitoring to the Community’s-Own Resource Persons and help desk social workers on behavior change and General Child protection concerns.
  • Supervisers a team of Economic and Social Empowerment Assistants .
  • Review and develop child friendly and child focused protection messages on emerging concerns and threats (with an emphasis on concerns of undocumented children, children in the Voluntary repatriation process and special protection cases, specifically prevention of and support to survivors of harmful traditional practices and SGBV and inclusion of children with specific needs).
  • On a monthly basis, conduct organize information forums (information clinics) involving other protection partners and service providers to strengthen the support to individual children.
  • Conduct monthly radio shows to provide further information, and an opportunity to take questions and feedback regarding the information forums sessions for both Refugee and host communities.
  • Organize and facilitate separate adolescent boys and girls symposiums and peer to peer activities at the child friendly help desks.
  • Enhancing Empowerment, Partnership and Advocacy for Child Safe Repatriation, to access services including CP in camps and host communities.
  • Coordination with UNHCR, Refugee Affairs Secreteriate (RAS) and other humanitarian actors to strengthen referral pathway.
  • Supports the recruitment of community workers, in particular social workers and CP volunteers.
  • Reports incidents and difficulties encountered with any CP staff or community worker to Empowerment Senior Officer or CP project manager.
  • Ensure that assigned activities are appropriately implemented and, when necessary, ideas on amendments deemed will be shared with the Empowernment Senior Officer.
  • Sharing and provision of appropriate child protection information to support decision making on voluntary repatriation and sustained protection for the children remaining in the camp.
  • Organize and facilitate separate adolescent boys and girls symposiums and peer to peer activities at the child friendly help desks.
  • Supports in child led advocacy campaigns, mass awareness and special events throughout the project in close consultation with empowerment officer and Case work officer.
  • Conduct refresher training and mentorship for children (Child Council members, peer to peer support network members and Children Ombudsman) to reinforce knowledge on Child Protection topics and provide information on any emerging issues such as COVID 19 Prevention and camp consolidation to strengthen child participation on issues affecting them.
  • Life skills training for girl mother’s, adolescent boys and girls, foster parents and provision of start-up kits and nurturing kits for the girl mother’s babies (0-5). The aim of the training is to enhance the groups to start their own income generated activities as a source of livelihood support leading to their self relience.
  • Reinforce the capacity of vulnerable foster parents, UASC and other vulnerable families through cash transfer program, and life-skills education.
  • Participates in a base line, mid term and end term survey and evaluation of the CP project.
  • Facilitate and conduct Project Progress Review Quarterly meetings and feedback sessions with the various targeted beneficiaries.
  • Participates in the identification, mobilisation and training of community members and other actors to encourage their participation in different aspects of the project implementation (women, elders, leaders, youth, children, etc.) at sectional level.
  • Contributes and Participates in the preparation and implementation of special events at community level as well as adolescent boys and girls tournerment.

Education, Technical Knowledge and Experience

  • Two years work experience , including in community development , advocacy and networking.
  • University degree in Community development, Social Work, Social sciences, International studies and other relevant training qualification.
  • Trainings in Behaviour change communication, life skills, advocacy and empowerment is an added advantage.
  • Excellents oral and written communication skills in English and Kiswahili. Ability to communicate in Somali is a plus.
  • Proven ability in implementation community development or advocacy intiative.
  • Experience in designing and delivering trainings.
  • Good understanding of the rights –based approach , conflict sensitivity and DO NO HARM, and gender justice.
  • Strong analyticl skills, with ability to think innovativety and operate strategically.
  • Flexibility ,stamina and ability to work under pressure and beyond regular working hours if necessary.
  • Personal qualities that ensure effective work with communities as well as self-management, including flexibility, respect for others , and sense of humour .

Skills

  • Required qualities: proactive, autonomous, rigorous, organized, good communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Competency in computer applications and packages with Good IT knowledge (Microsoft Office, Internet).

Abuse Prevention Policy – Operational Risk Management

  • Commit to respect Tdh Risk Management Policies including: Child Safeguarding Policy, Safety and Security Policy and Anti-Fraud / Corruption Policy, Whistle Blowing Policy
  • Commit to ensure the best implementation possible of the Tdh Risk Management Policies.
  • Commit to inform supervisors and to deal with any cases, allegations, or possibility of transgression, even potential, of the Tdh Risk Management Policies.

Staff employed to work in Tdh will be expected to have:

  • Professional conduct that reflects proper behavior in accordance with local culture and tradition.
  • Ensure the moral protection of the name of Terre des hommes and defend in all circumstance
  • Commits to observe discretion on any information related to the organization functioning and beneficiary related issues.
  • He/she will conduct his or her duties in respect of the Charter of Terre des hommes and the Tdh Child Protection Policy.

Other:

  • Knowledge of the Dadaab Refugee context.
  • Work with the Empowerment Senior Officer to provide accurate and timely activity reports.
  • Maintain and ensure a culture of strict confidentiality between Tdh staff and non Tdh employees

How To Apply

Interested candidates who meet the criteria above are encouraged to send their applications letter and detailed CVs to KEN.recruitment@tdh.ch

Candidates are required to indicate the position title on the subject line of the email when applying.

Kindly note only applications sent to this email address will be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Locals and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Closing date for the application of this position is 30th September 2021.

Tdh’s recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protect children’s rights, which
includes the prevention of all forms of child abuse.

Tdh is an equal opportunity employer