Job Summary:
Based at the refugee camp site level, the HIV/AIDS Social Assistant is responsible for providing psycho-social care to patients who have tested positive with HIV through counseling and psychological therapy, home visits and family counseling. The HIV/AIDS Social Assistant is supervised by the HIV/AIDS Coordinator and Collaborates with the ARV and PMTCT Nurses to ensure quality care of patients.
Key Responsibilities
· Provide counselling to people suffering from HIV, their families, friends, and provide them with accurate information about the infection, current treatments, services, options and other resources.
· Often work alongside other professionals in multidisciplinary teams in order to deal with clients’ complex problems.
· Monitor client progress through regular meetings or sessions
· Diagnose psychological, emotional or behavioral disorders of people living with HIV and their families and support them accordingly
· In collaboration with other team, create and facilitate support groups of people living with HIV to motivate them on income-generating activities.
· Maintain client confidentiality at all times.
· Develop and maintain an in depth awareness of available HIV/AIDS treatment options, local resources and transmission prevention strategies.
· Organize and carry-out home visit in camp living quarters.
· Conduct community, group and individual assessment to understand different challenges faced by persons living with HIV and their families and engage different stakeholders in handling them
· In collaboration with Community health department, organize and conduct IEC sessions in the community and at the health facilities on prevention of stigmatization and discrimination of people living with HIV and promotion of positive living with HIV
· Collaborate with other ARC departments, and district hospital as necessary.
· Produce monthly, quarterly and annual reports.
· Maintain current and accurate clients’ records as directed, collect and report relevant data about services provided, and prepare statistical reports as required.
· Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor, or any other ARC Senior Manager.
Education, technical skills & knowledge required:
· A1 in clinical psychology, with a background in nursing desirable.
· 2 years of experience working in a clinical setting in Rwanda.
· Analytical and organization skills/experience with health data.
· Demonstrated knowledge of health information system,HIV protocols and Rwandan ministry of health protocol and guidelines.
· Excellent organizational and administrative skills.
· Good communication skills Kinyarwanda and English or French speaking skills required
· Experience working in protracted refugee situation and/or previous experience in Rwanda.
Key behaviors and abilities
· KEY BEHAVIORS & ABILITIES:
· Commitment to personally champion ARC’s program vision and mission and inspire others to do the same
· Ability to create self-reliance among refugees
· Must have cross-cultural and strong interpersonal skills to work with refugees and vulnerable persons
· Demonstrated good organization capabilities
· Punctual at his/her duty station
· Respectful and willing to support others
· Confident in carrying out his/her tasks
· Ability to maintain patient confidentiality
· Ability and willingness to live and work in a remote, low-resource setting
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