Project Community Social Worker – SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia
Development and Project Management
SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia
SOS Children's Villages is the largest non-governmental, non-political, non-denominational charitable child welfare organisation in the world. Its mission is to build families for children in need, help them shape their own futures and share in the development of their communities. The first SOS Children's Village was founded by Hermann Gmeiner in 1949 in Imst, Austria. He was committed to helping children in need,children who had lost their homes, their security and their families as a result of the Second World War. With the support of many donors and co-workers, the organisation has grown to help children all over the world.
Currently, SOS Children's Villages offers an effective alternative foster care through its services in the Alternative Child Care and Family & Community Development Programme Units in 134 countries and territories around the world. It also supports educational programmes and medical centres and it is active in the field of child protection and child rights.
SOS Children's Villages started to work in Ethiopia in 1974 with the opening of the first SOS Children's Village in Mekelle. Currently, we are operating in Ethiopia in six regions namely Harari, Tigray, Amhara, Sidama, Somali and Oromia. In addition, we operate in two city administrations: Addis Ababa & Dire Dawa. SOS Children’s Villages Programme work towards its vision of a world where, “every child belongs to a family and grows with love, respect and security”. For the past 44 years, we have been working to build families for children in need, help them shape their own future and share in the development of their communities. Everything we do is based on the best interest of the child. We help vulnerable families care for their children, and we work to prevent the breakdown of parental care. When children lose their own parental care, we provide quality alternative care. We support young people in their efforts to become independent adults and succeed in life.
Who we are
SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia is an International Non-governmental organization and a member of SOS Children’s Villages International Federation. We started our humanitarian work in Ethiopia with the opening of our first Village in Mekelle, Northern part of Ethiopia in 1974. Since then, we have expanded our programs to different regions where there are significant needs for intervention and where we believe we can work in partnership with all relevant actors to bring sustainable positive outcomes for children’s and young people.
Today, we have grown significantly to meet the persistent challenges that confront Ethiopian children who have lost parental care and those that are at risk of losing their parental care. Working in close collaboration with international donors, local government and community based organizations across seven program locations; we aspire that every child grows up with love, respect and security.
Why we need you?
We are looking for a project Community Social Worker, who will be in charge to participating in outreach services in collaboration with partners. Moreover he/she will be responsible to preparing and submitting short and long-term plans for social services.
What we provide?
An amazing work environment that promotes personal growth through providing professional space to grow and advance your career!
Your role?
While working with us a project Community Social Worker you will be in charge of the following,
- Reporting child abuse cases, providing support services, participating in investigations of abuse based on the existing procedures.
- Providing family counseling and support
- Preparing court documents for court cases.
- Developing and implementing case plans including reviews and evaluations.
- Updating data of children and families/ Collect, update, organize, store and retrieve data of all project beneficiaries;
- Enhancing children and youth participation.
- Following up, evaluating and recommending measures to be taken in order to improve services to children.
- Recommending child admission criteria to Alternative Child Care models.
- Initiating, coordinating and providing guidance and counseling services to children and youth of target groups.
- Collaborating with different external offices on matters of common concern for the provision of better services for children.
- Conducting families/community needs assessments with relevant groups.
- Facilitating workshops as required.
- Advising care takers on issues of hygiene conditions.
- Creating awareness on HIV/AIDS, sex education, etc.
- Keeping regular contacts with child and family during the implementation of family development plan through phone calls, home visits and meetings in programme premises.
- Ensuring that children receive medical attention/ first-aid services if they are ill, injured and need medical treatment, referring serious cases to clinics and following-up referral cases to hospitals.
- Keeping care givers informed regarding health care issues, particularly those issues affecting Families such as family planning, vaccination, HIV/AIDS, nutrition and hygiene.
- Prepare case histories of clients showing special improvement in the Addis pediatric center. Undertake counseling support for parents/guardians coming.
- Follow up the rehabilitation center services and pre, post reunification follows up and reporting
- Collect, update, organize, store and retrieve data of all project beneficiaries;
- Perform another Other duties as required
Child safeguarding - Responsible to take part in awareness raising sessions and capacity building trainings in relation to Child Safeguarding to prevent and protect children and young people from all forms of abuse, abandonment, exploitation, violence and discrimination
- Support children and young people to make them understand the CS risks and protection mechanisms
- Responsible to report any CS suspicion, concern, allegation or incident immediately, following Child Safeguarding reporting procedures. CS reports should be made to the CS team at programme level and/or to the respective line manager
Must Criteria
Education: BA degree in Social work , Sociology, or related field..
Experience: A minimum of 2 years’ experiences
Competencies – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
- The incumbent requires knowledge of social work theories, practices and procedures.
- The incumbent requires knowledge and understanding of all pertinent legislation and policies.
- The incumbent requires specific knowledge in the areas of needs assessment, family dynamics, the impact of trauma, psychosocial functioning theories and practices and child protection theories, models and practices.
- The incumbent requires knowledge of case management, case conferencing and investigation and intervention theories and practices.
- The incumbent must be able to respond or assist in emergencies and have very good interpersonal, mediation, negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
- The incumbent must also has the knowledge of child right and UNCRC
- He/she must have well developed organizational, verbal and written communications skills, interviewing and analytical skills and good computer skills.
- The incumbent must be flexible, adaptable and able to work effectively in a variety of settings and in a cross-cultural situation and be knowledgeable of the services available in the community. He/she must demonstrate sound judgment particularly in dealing with aggressive caregivers and children at risk
Core competency
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Kindness: Act with empathy towards everyone he/she works with.
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Continuous Learning: Make an effort to learn, understand and grow as a person, admitting your own mistakes
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Inclusiveness: In any actions show respect and care for others
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Initiative: speak up when things are not right, do not hesitate to act and adapt to change when necessary
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Results Orientation: prioritize safeguarding, look for solutions and focus on desired results
