WPE Social Worker - Anbar

The IRC established programmes in Iraq in 2003 to address the overwhelming needs of displaced people in Iraq and the neighboring countries. Since re-establishing its presence in Iraq in November 2007, the IRC has been assisting thousands of internally displaced families in the northern, central and southern governorates in the sectors of protection, gender-based violence (GBV), shelter, education, and emergency humanitarian assistance. Working in coordination with the humanitarian community in Iraq, the IRC's assistance and emergency programmes address the needs of war-affected Iraqi internally displaced persons (IDPs) and Syrian refugees from several operational bases in the country, and include both camp-based and urban-based assistance. IRC operates throughout Iraq, with the main office in Erbil and field offices in Najaf, Karbala, Baghdad, Tikrit, Sulimaniyah, Dohuk and Mosul. The IRC has WPE programming in seven governorates and provides both direct service provision (through women’s and girls’ centers and mobile teams) and technical support to local partner organizations to implement safe spaces and deliver services to women and girls as well as longer term capacity building of local NGOs, government service providers, and other protection actors on GBV related topics.

SCOPE OF WORK

The WPE Social Worker will work as part of the WPE team and will be responsible for providing direct case management, individual counseling and group-based psychosocial activities to conflict-affected and displaced women and girls and survivors of GBV within the Women and Girls Community Centers (WGCC).

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program implementation and quality

• Adhere to the GBV guiding principles and the WPE Case Management guidelines throughout all GBV case management and psychosocial interventions. This includes ensuring confidentiality of survivors, and respect for their wishes and decisions.

• Provide age-appropriate case management to survivors of GBV in line with WPE Case Management guidelines; including assessment of client needs, basic crisis counseling; supporting clients in developing a plan to address their individual needs and safely implementing this plan; support to clients in accessing services from other providers as per their wishes.

• Provide essential information on available services and support survivors in navigating the referral pathways and accessing services.

• Provide services to adolescent girl survivors of GBV, including case management, in line with best practice in supporting child survivors, and include best interest determination, age appropriate engagement and decision-making by survivors, and Do No Harm analysis

• Provide support for vulnerable and/or at risk women and girls in need of individual support and counseling as well as referrals to other service providers

• Identify concerns related to and support adherence to GBV referral protocols and GBV guiding principles, and bring these concerns to the WPE Snr Officer

• Support in facilitating WGCC activities and psychosocial support group sessions to vulnerable women and girls, and participate in community mapping/safety audit sessions to identify any general protection/GBV concerns from women and girls

Information & Data Management and Reporting

• Ensure all case reporting and documentation is completed

• Document and store all case management information and survivor data confidentially and securely, ensure any sharing of survivor information is done with the survivor’s informed consent and in-line with best practice as part of the referral procedure

• Update and maintain the GBVIMS+ incident recorder (IR), and review for accuracy, at the end of each day/week and ensure all procedures relating to the GBVIMS are strictly followed and the information sharing protocols are adhered to

Collaboration & Representation

• Work with and WPE AG Officer to exchange non-confidential information and ensure that WPE programs are responding to the evolving needs of women and girls

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders including community members and other humanitarian partners and service providers.

Other

• Ensure all activities are carried out in accordance with IRC Operational policies

• Other duties as assigned by supervisor to ensure successful implementation of WPE programming.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Position Reports to: WPE Senior Officer

Position directly supervises: N/A

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: WPE PSS Officer, WPE Adolescent Girls Officer; IRC Iraq team including other programmes (ERD, Child Protection, and Protection/Rule of Law), Grants Department, Supply Chain, HR and Finance Departments

External: Close collaboration with other humanitarian actors, local NGOs, UN agencies, government service providers.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Gender Studies, etc.).

• Experience in counseling, social work, women’s health, or other related field (minimum two years).

• Clear understanding of and interest in the wellbeing of women and girls, and supporting their healing after the experience of violence.

• Understanding of case management, psychosocial support and life skills programming to promote survivor healing and recovery.

• Experience in data entry, safe information storage and managing confidential survivor information, is desired

• Demonstrated understanding of and ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for clients.

• Positive and professional attitude, including ability to lead and work well in a team setting.

• Strong ability to maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, and work in a difficult environment.

• Computer literate, particularly in Microsoft Word and Excel

• Fluency in Arabic required, knowledge of English would be an asset.