Mental Health Technical Specialist for Psychosocial Support (PSS) Coaches

Terms of Reference (TOR)
Mental Health Technical Specialist for Psychosocial Support (PSS) Coaches

1. General Background

Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services are critical for promoting well-being and resilience in communities affected by social, economic, and psychological stressors. In Palestine, the demand for high-quality MHPSS services continues to grow due to the persistent challenges faced by individuals and communities, including limited access to resources, high levels of stress, and exposure to crisis situations. Health, mental health providers, and counselors are in the front lines, delivering essential services to address these challenges.

Despite their pivotal role, professionals in the MHPSS sector often face significant obstacles, including high workloads, complex cases, and limited access to supervision or capacity-building opportunities. These challenges can impact the quality of services provided and the well-being of the professionals themselves.

To ensure sustainable and effective service delivery, it is vital to equip these professionals with the necessary skills, knowledge, and support systems to perform their roles effectively and ethically. This advertisement aims to address these gaps by recruiting four Mental Health Technical Specialists who will provide clinical and supportive supervision to 200 health and mental health providers across four targeted locations: Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus, and Tubas. Each specialist will coach 50 professionals in their designated location, delivering tailored guidance, capacity building, and monitoring to enhance service quality.

Through this activity, the program seeks to strengthen the capacity of the MHPSS workforce, improve the quality and accessibility of psychosocial support services, and ensure that interventions adhere to ethical and professional standards. This not only enhances the skills of service providers, but also ensures the well-being of the professionals themselves, creating a stronger foundation for sustainable mental health care in Palestine.

2. Project Background

Juzoor for Health and Social Development is a Palestinian non-governmental organization working at the national level, dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Palestinian families and promoting health as a basic human right.

Juzoor was founded in 1996 by a team of health and development professionals. The organization was named Juzoor (“roots” in Arabic) to reflect the organization’s focus on the underlying socioeconomic determinants of health and wellness, to reinforce the commitment that Juzoor has made to continuing its work in Palestinian communities despite the difficult and challenging political situation, and to reflect the founders’ experience in their related fields and in establishing some of the most important grassroots health organizations in Palestine.

Juzoor tackles critical emerging public health issues, connecting prevention and intervention for the individual to the level of the whole population by addressing the social determinants of health.

In partnership with CARE Palestine and with funding from Enabel, Juzoor is implementing the project “Mental Health Matters: Providing Accessible Support to Vulnerable Youth in Palestine.” This initiative aims to protect vulnerable boys, girls, young women, and men, along with their caregivers, by improving access to essential mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services.

The project employs a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to ensure that MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) services are of high quality, tailored to the unique needs of diverse populations, and impactful in fostering healthier, more stable communities. Additionally, it emphasizes empowering youth by involving them in decision-making on matters affecting their lives and communities.

3. Objective

Recruit four qualified Mental Health Technical Specialists who will:

1. Provide clinical and supportive supervision to 200 health and mental health providers and counselors (50 in each targeted location).
2. Enhance the capacity of professionals through coaching, training, and problem-solving support.
3. Monitor and ensure the quality of MHPSS services provided to beneficiaries, particularly during crises.

4. Scope of Work

Each Mental Health Technical Specialist will be responsible for:

• Supervision and Coaching:

• Delivering group supervision and coaching sessions for 50 professionals in their designated location over six months.
• Ensuring the sessions address the needs and challenges faced by MHPSS providers.

• Needs Assessment:

• Identifying the specific needs of MHPSS providers to tailor interventions and capacity-building efforts.

o        Capacity Building:

• Equipping MHPSS providers with advanced knowledge and skills in psychosocial interventions tailored to young males and females.
• Providing guidance on effective practices for supporting youth , especially during crises.

o        Monitoring and Quality Assurance:

• Ensuring the quality of services, including group activities, awareness sessions, counseling, and referral mechanisms.
• Ensuring services adhere to ethical and professional standards and institutional policies.

o        Flexible and Adaptive Support:

• Providing face-to-face and remote support sessions as needed.
• Responding to any emerging needs or changes in implementation requirements.

o        Promoting Self-Care:

• Supporting MHPSS providers in maintaining their own mental health and well-being.

o        Direct Intervention:

• Offering direct support to providers in handling emergency or critical situations with beneficiaries.

5. Deliverables

• A work plan for the six-month coaching period, including session schedules and methodologies.
• Monthly reports documenting progress, challenges, and recommendations.
• Documentation of group supervision and capacity-building sessions, including attendance and key outcomes.
• Final report summarizing achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for future interventions.
   

6. Timeline

• The contract/ assignment is expected to conclude within 6 months, starting April 2025 to the end September 2025

7. Qualifications Required:

• Advanced degree in psychology, mental health or social work, counseling, or a related field.
• At least five years of experience in mental health and psychosocial support services.
• Demonstrated experience in providing supervision and capacity building to MHPSS providers.
• Strong understanding of ethical and professional standards in MHPSS service provision.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to provide both face-to-face and remote coaching and supervision.

8. Working Code and Methodology:

• Commitment to Juzoor’s code of conduct and rules and regulations at all times.
• Promote the development of relationships with the partner organizations based on a concept of partnerships founded on shared values, mutual respect, reciprocity of learning and transparency.
• Maintain close and continuous relations with the target population and its grassroots organizations, and provisions to listen to their expectations
• The position holder acknowledges that they have read and agree to abide by Juzoor’s policies and manuals, including but not limited to the following:

1. Juzoor Child Protection Policy.
2. Anti-Fraud, Bribery, Corruption Policy General Protection Policy.
3. Juzoor Gender Equality Policy.
4. Juzoor Sexual Harassment Policy.
5. Safeguarding Policy.
6. WHISTLEBLOWING POLICY.
7. IT & Data Policy.
8. Code of Conduct Policy.
9. HR, Management, Procurement and Financial Manuals.

• The position holder acknowledges that all information is confidential to Juzoor such as documents, manuals, designs, applications of all sorts, agree that these documents are the sole custody of Juzoor and should not be used outside Juzoor organization unless it is cleared by Juzoor management and the board of directors, as stipulated in Juzoor’s IT & Data Policy.
• The position holder has read, understood, and signed off to her/his Terms of Reference (ToR), as attached.
• The position holder understands and agrees to fulfil tasks related to her/his TOR, and for the benefit of Juzoor’s activities, as requested by her/his immediate supervisor.
• The position holder understands and agrees to read, comply and participate in any orientation held by Juzoor related to HR and Juzoor policies.
• The position holder understands that S/he needs to comply with all organizational and partner employment policies and safeguarding requirements.
• The applicant also understands that acceptance is pending a positive reference check from two/ or more previous employment supervisors

9. Application Process

Interested applicants are required to submit the following to the address: jobs@juzoor.org, and write in the subject line: Application –– (PSS) technical specialist The submission needs to include:

1. Personal Resume: A detailed CV highlighting relevant experience and qualifications
2. A Cover letter outlining their approach to providing supervision and capacity building
3. Contact information for three professional references.
4. Financial Offer- A detailed financial offer should be submitted along with this application, outlining training costs and per-beneficiary expenses (four sessions per participant).

10. Contact Information

For additional inquiries, please contact:

• Ms. Sally Dihmes
  Phone: 0597944006
  Email: sdihmes@juzoor.org

11. Deadline for Submission: 28 February 2025