SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya
Vacancy Announcement: Community Development Worker
SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya is a member of SOS – Kinderdorf
International, the largest private child welfare organization in the world.
SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya is a child-focused Non-Governmental Organization established in 1973 to provide care and support to children who have lost or are at risk of losing the care of their biological family.
The organization’s vision is “No child should grow up alone” and
its programmes are driven by the mission of “building families for children in
need, helping them shape their own futures and sharing in the development of
their communities”.
In this regard, the organization works to reduce poverty;
increase access to quality education and decent work; reduce inequalities and
build strong institutions as laid out in SDGs 1, 4,8,10 and 16.
This is done through programmes that are geared towards
addressing the political, economic, health and
social root causes that lead to high levels of child vulnerability and put
families at risk of breaking down.
The programmes focus on Alternative Care, Family Strengthening,
Youth Empowerment, Education, Health Care and Advocacy.
SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya implements programmes in five (5)
of Kenya’s 47 Counties namely Nairobi, Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Kisumu and Meru.
We seek to recruit suitably qualified person to fill the
position of Community Development Worker (Meru Office).
Job Summary: Reporting to the
Family Strengthening Coordinator, The Community Development Worker will
facilitate program development, provide overall coordination and strategic
direction, forge networks with other stakeholders and monitor, evaluate and
report on other sub- projects within the family support
program.
H/she will also be responsible for planning and implementing
activities within the family support program including the capacity building
projects.
In addition, he/she will coordinate the family support program
activities and ensure that they conform to the goals and objectives of the
family strengthening programs. The position will in particular support the
Family support Team Leader in this regard.
Key performance areas
and main responsibilities:
1. Management of the
Family Support program
·
Assist in the development of strategies relating to the program
·
Follow ups and support the community health volunteers in
project implementation
·
Hold monthly meetings with CHVs to review progress of activities
·
Implement all activities within the family support program
·
Propose measures for program strengthening especially of the
support groups
·
Prepare detailed annual plans, budgets, reports and planning
schedules.
·
Holds regular reviews and assessments with all beneficiaries
/Target Groups, Support Groups, Community Health Workers and contact persons
and identify areas for improvement.
·
Maintain a healthy relationship at all times between the staff,
families and contact persons
·
Develop case plans with all care givers enrolled in the
programme
·
Update of the viral loads for care givers and children who are
on care who are enrolled in the project
·
Develop MOU with all health facilities in the project area
·
Review the family case plans after every six months
2. Responsible for all
Target Group assessments and selection of beneficiaries into the program
·
Carry out social assessments of the families and individuals
referred from the health facilities.
·
Conduct home visits to families assessed to verify further
information given and also establish their economic status.
·
Using the selection criteria and with the help of the other
social workers, select beneficiaries to be supported by the program.
·
Always maintain an up to date record of beneficiaries in terms
of number of families, children, adults, youth and sex.
·
Ensure that all records are well kept; maintain an excellent
filing system in form of hard copies as well as in the computers.
·
Update the fact sheet and other records on quarterly basis.
3. Facilitate Open
communications within the Family Support Team and other departments
·
Attend regular department meetings.
·
Ensure that up-to-date records for all reports, minutes of
meetings, correspondence etc are properly documented and safely kept.
·
Facilitate effective communication within the case workers (CHV)
in the project area
·
Facilitate open communication and coordination between the
family support program and other programs in the project area.
·
Objectively resolve problems and make timely decisions affecting
the team and the operations of their work.
·
Facilitate good working relationship with health facilities in
the project area
4. Facilitate the
educational development of children in the target group
·
With the assistance of the community representatives develop
selection criteria to identify children to be supported for bursary and assist
them in the selection.
·
Monitor the performance and progress of all the children
supported in the program every term and develop progress charts.
·
Prepare holiday programme ensuring that sufficient educational
and recreational activities are offered to the children.
·
Ensure that all the children are ready for school whenever the
new term begins by purchasing personal school materials for them well in
advance to avoid lateness and delays.
5. Facilitate and
ensure the effectiveness of all the support groups, Community Health Workers
and community representatives
·
In collaboration with the VCT counsellors, conduct group
counselling sessions for the support groups and provide emotional support.
·
Organize trainings for the support groups and Community Health
Workers according to need.
·
Facilitate the CHWS and Support groups in their efforts to
provide psychological and social support to each other.
·
Monitor the progress of support groups through attending their
meetings at least once every month.
·
Follow up on the activities of the Community Health Workers and
ensure data collection tools are timely filled and collected
·
Provide incentives in form of trainings and material rewards to
the Community Health Workers to motivate them
6. Establish links and
develop networks with NGOs, CBOs, donors GOK departments and community
·
Identify potential donors, government of Kenya departments and
private businesses and establish networks.
·
Coordinate activities with partners in areas of mutual interest.
·
Maintain good relations with the local and international
sponsors through ensuring prompt correspondence and providing regular updates
on progress of the programmes.
·
Handle and respond to high-level correspondence in consultation
with the Project Coordinator and/or his appointee.
7. Data Management and
Protection
·
At all times ensures that personal data of donors, sponsors, SOS
CV beneficiaries and their families as well as SOS co-workers is handled
confidentially and in accordance with prevailing SOS-Kinderdorf International
data protection laws.
·
Combine and rearrange data from source documents where required,
enter data from source documents into prescribed computer database, files and
forms
·
Transcribe information into required electronic format, Scan
documents into document management systems or databases and store completed
documents in designated locations.
·
Check completed work for accuracy; maintain logbooks or records
of activities and tasks undertaken on/in the databases.
·
Respond to requests for information and access relevant files
while ensuring compliance with data integrity and security policies
·
Ensure that data on all program participants is accurate and up
to date as per the set standards / frequency of updating and review (every 3 –
6 Months)
Minimum Qualifications
& Experience Required
1. A Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences / Community
Development / Child Psychology or related disciplines.
2. Knowledge in data collection, analysis and knowledge
management
3. Prior experience with project cycle management in a complex
project
4. At least 3 years progressive experience working with
vulnerable populations (children, youth, women) and community groups.
5. Previous experience in child -focused organizations working
with children on care, protection and advocacy OVC Case management approach
will be an added advantage.
6. Strong analytical ability as well as excellent oral and
written communication skills in English and Kiswahili is preferred.
7. Must be a team player with excellent interpersonal skills
8. Strong written and oral skills in English, Kiswahili and
local language
9. Strong report writing skills.
10. Should be able to ride motor circle
Child Protection
Policy: At all times, avoid actions or behavior that could be construed
as poor or potentially abusive practice. Whatever decisions and actions taken
should be with the best interest of the child in mind.
Data Protection
Policy: At all times ensure that personal data of donors, sponsors, SOS
Children’s Villages Kenya beneficiaries and their families as well as
co-workers is handled confidentially and in accordance with prevailing
SOS-Kinderdorf International data protection laws.
How to Apply
If you believe your experience, competencies and qualifications
match the job and role specifications described; send a Cover Letter &
updated CV in PDF with details of 3 traceable referees one of which must be
immediate former employer to recruitment@soskenya.org addressed to the Human
Resources
and Administration Manager to reach us on or before 10th July 2022.
The email Ref should be ‘Community Development Worker – Meru’
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
SOS Children’s Villages holds strict child safeguarding
principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conducts of sexual harassment,
exploitation and abuse in the workplace and other places where the
organization’s activities are rendered. Parallel to technical competence,
recruitment, selection and hiring decisions will give due emphasize to
assessing candidates value congruence and thorough background checks, police
clearance reference check processes.
SOS Children’s Villages is an equal opportunity employer and its
Recruitment Policy addresses itself to the
core values of best practice, diversity and equality.