Social Counselor

Project Title: “Protection for refugees, asylum seekers and stateless in Odesa region”

Organization: NGO “The Tenth of April”, UNHCR implementing partner

Job Title: Social Counsellor

Duty Station: Ukraine, Odesa

Employment: full-time

Background Information

Ukraine is a signatory to the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees and has relevant national legislative and procedural framework, but provides very limited material assistance to refugees and asylum seekers.

While advocating the improvements of Ukrainian asylum system, the UNHCR under its mandate provides the concerned population with legal and social support through its legal and social implementing partners.

“The Tenth of April” is a non-government organization which implements the UNHCR program of social assistance and refugees in Odesa and Odesa oblast in accordance with the UNHCR policies, priorities and operating procedures.

We are seeking a dynamic and proactive team player, with a strong interest in communication and self-development in refugee issues, to complete a contract employment as a Senior Social Counsellor.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Social Counsellor as the team member is expected to:

• Counsel the persons of concern (PoCs) on available options of social support within the project framework in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), on their social rights, state benefits they are eligible for.
• Conduct social assessment of the cases.
• Provide the concerned population with food and non-food assistance in accordance with the SOPs.
• Assist the PoCs in obtaining access to the public health-care facilities.
• Organize referrals to specialized health-care facilities for defined cases of vulnerable PoCs in coordination with the UNHCR.
• File the information on the clients’ health, integration, and other issues.
• Analyzing local labor market, searching for current vacancies and assistance in the employment of interested candidates
• Guide persons of concern to existing livelihoods opportunities being offered by other organizations and entities
• Consult on opportunities for retraining, advanced training, or learning a new profession. During and after training, persons of concern will receive help and advice to determine employment or self-employment opportunities
• Record in-time manner the information in the database.
• Filling in the reporting documents.
• In collaboration with other team members conduct other activities in order to find the best durable solution for the concerned population. 

Qualifications Required:

• • General understanding of the UNHCR mission and mandate.
• • Bachelor’s degree in Humanitarian, Social Sciences or other relevant field.
• • Experience in refugees’ protection field is desirable but not essential. The individuals with background in education, social work, human rights, communications, advocacy, journalism, international relations, development studies or other relevant disciplines are encouraged to apply.
• • Experience in humanitarian projects is desirable but not essential.
• • The candidate is expected to have genuine desire to learn and adapt.
• • Advanced knowledge of oral and written English and Ukrainian.
• • Excellent computer skills (MS Office essential).

Skills Required:

• • Listening Skills in order to understand needs, demands and preferences of the project clients and stakeholders.
• • Strong written and verbal Communication Skills in order to counsel, negotiate and report in an efficient manner.
• • Empathy in order to express genuine concern for the clients’ needs and willingness to respond.
• • Psychological maturity to deal with vulnerable applicants.
• • Tolerant behavior in order to respect individuals of various cultures, ages, genders, races, religions, traditions.
• • Negotiating Skills in order to facilitate processes with the project stakeholders who have various levels of power and decision-making capacities, to open discussions on sensitive issues.
• • Time Management Skills in order to analyse the workload, assign priorities, and maintain focus on productive endeavours.
• • Critical Thinking in order to analyse the needs and preferences objectively and come up with the best solution.
• • Team Working in order to generate problem-solving strategies, provide with constructive feedback, etc.

Application Process

Motivation letters explaining the interest in the position and CVs in English should be sent to Відправити резюме with the subject: “Application for the Vacancy of a Social Counselor”.

Only short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview, no late applications will be accepted.

Deadline for applications: 10.09.2024.

Should you have any further questions regarding the vacancy, please contact us via email: Відправити резюме .