Position: Psychosocial Counselor
About Union Aid
Union Aid (UA) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-political humanitarian and development organization established by Dr. Toryalay Nassery (an Afghan scholar) in July 1979 in Peshawar, Pakistan. It was formed in response to the influx of refugees from Afghanistan and was the first/pioneer organization to serve the Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Union Aid implemented its activities mainly in refugee camps that later became villages, which was one of the biggest refugee camps in the world at that time. UA initiated its activities in Afghanistan in the 1981 and gradually expanded its services all over Afghanistan. UA started its activities with two doctors and two paramedical staff that gradually expanded to various programs, including:
Health Care & Nutrition: Establishment and management of hospitals and clinics, maternal and child health services, nutrition programs, family planning, as well as full sponsorship and specialized treatment of patients in European countries including Germany, Spain and Italy.
Food Security: Distribution of food items throughout the country.
Education: Literacy initiatives, school management, scholarships for students, and teacher training programs.
Livelihoods & Vocational Skills: Technical training, handicraft production, and employment generation activities to strengthen self-reliance.
WASH & Shelter: Provision of clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, hygiene promotion, and emergency shelters.
Emergency Response: Life-saving interventions including food and non-food distributions, winter relief packages, and rapid health responses during crises.
Agriculture & Environment: Tree plantation and afforestation initiatives to support sustainability and environmental resilience.
Protection: Women empowerment projects, orphanage centers, and demining project.
Cash Assistance: Continuous financial support for needy families and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
| Job Location: | Herat |
|---|---|
| Nationality: | Afghan |
| Category: | Nonprofit-Social Services |
| Employment Type: | Full Time |
| Salary: | As per scale |
| Vacancy Number: | UA-68/AFV-H/Herat/2023/PC |
| No. Of Jobs: | 4 |
| City: | Herat |
|---|---|
| Organization: | Union Aid |
| Years of Experience: | Two years |
| Contract Duration: | One year - extendable |
| Gender: | Male/Female |
| Education: | Diploma in Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, or a related field |
| Close date: | 2023-11-12 |
Job Description:
The MHPSS Counselor as part of the primary healthcare services will be providing mental health and psychosocial support services to individuals and communities, referral services, offering counseling, psychological support, and mental health education to address the emotional well-being of beneficiaries.
Responsibilities:
- Conduct psychosocial assessments to understand the emotional and psychological needs of clients.
- Provide individual and group counseling sessions to address trauma, stress, and other mental health issues.
- Develop personalized psychosocial support plans and coping strategies.
- Educate clients and communities about mental health and stress management.
- Conduct mental health awareness sessions and workshops.
- Promote mental health and well-being through community engagement.
- Providing quality and appropriate counseling services to clients referred by doctors.
- Maintaining a continuous record in the registration book (for each visitor) of the supplementary services provided and other counseling sessions.
- Collaborating with doctors in categorizing patients and conducting examinations.
- Working with various sections of the health center, such as vaccination, maternal and child health, etc., to improve health services.
- Actively participating in health education sessions.
- Generating monthly reports on all activities within the relevant department.
- Ensuring proper hygiene and reasonable use of equipment and resources.
- Collaborating with Community Health Workers (CHWs) to enhance the range of activities.
- Having sufficient knowledge about the Basic Package of Health Services for Afghanistan and implementing them in practice.
- Routine and systematic registration and record-keeping of client cases.
- Achieving targeted objectives.
- Performing other duties assigned by the relevant supervisor or institution's authorities.
Job Requirements:
- Diploma in Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, or a related field.
- Strong knowledge of mental health issues, trauma, and psychosocial support techniques.
- Excellent communication and counseling skills.
- Empathy, sensitivity, and cultural competence in working with diverse populations.
- Familiarity with Afghan mental health programs and community engagement is a plus.
- Knowledge of local languages is essential.
Submission Guideline:
- Please write the Job title/Vacancy Number on the subject line of your email.
- Aplications received after the closing date will not be considered
- ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED
Submission Email:
hr@unionaid.org