Project Officer (Mental Health)

About Voices GY

Voices GY is a registered Guyanese non-profit organisation, active since April 2018. Our mission is to empower diverse and inclusive communities through strengthening social cohesion, cultural integration and human rights. Previous projects have included English tuition for migrants and refugees; support through training and grants to migrant entrepreneurs; regional needs assessments on education and social integration; mental health support; social cohesion events; and multimedia productions on minority rights and cultures.

Background

Since mid-2020, Voices GY has been implementing Phase 1 of a mental health program for refugees and migrants. The Phase 1 has included online counselling and psychoeducation in 5 areas (each with focus on migration), as well as research and the development of narrative therapy in order to engage migrants to tell their stories for later publication in an e-book.

During the development of this Phase 1, Voices GY identified a lack of information related to the psychological needs of Venezuelans and the type of psychoeducational activities required. There is also a high demand for psychological services and a shortage of trained Spanish-speaking professionals with mental health qualifications.

For the current 2021 project, we are implementing activities according to the findings of the ‘2020 Refugees and Migrants’ survey’. Some of these activities are: the provision of direct psychosocial support to migrants; community support activities through Strengthening Community Wellbeing and Social Cohesion; and the production, management and distribution of psycho-educational resources.

About the role

Within the Mental Health programmatic area, the C&MH officer will oversee a range of community and mental health interventions and work with diverse donors and demographics in order to synthesise Voices GY’s goals in this area. These will initially involve coordination and implementation of Voices GY’s Mental Health program - including coordination with our remote volunteer psychologists - as well as providing training to public sector workers, and the delivery of Emotional Support and Containment (ES&C) sessions and community activities such as outings and psychoeducational online events. This position will be supervised by the Project Manager.

Duties and Responsibilities

To participate in meetings with Voices GY management, partners and beneficiaries as and when required, and represent Voices GY in communication with a range of third-party actors, including government and private sector.
To supervise project activities within the Community and Mental Health programmatic area, and ensure the timely completion of all milestones and goals.
To support the development of resources such as infographics, flyers and training materials on mental health and community wellbeing.
To coordinate volunteer psychologists and implement procedures aimed at assisting beneficiaries with remote ES&C sessions.
To provide support with research and data on a range of psycho-social topics such as anxiety, bullying and LGBTQI+ as pertains to migration and mental health.
To prepare and provide training to mental health workers on migrants’ mental health and rights.
To organise outings and activities involving migrant and host communities.
To manage and provide data bundle support to beneficiaries.
To analyse and summarise project data and information.
To support in the submission of project reports and proposals for this area.

Requirements

Education: An undergraduate degree in a related field (e.g. psychology or social work) and 2+ years’ experience OR a postgraduate degree in a related field and 1+ years’ experience OR an associate degree in a related field and 3+ years of relevant experience.
Experience: in the areas of mental health, community support, social protection, humanitarian assistance, community empowerment, or other similar areas.
Languages: Ability to communicate fluently in spoken English; Conversational Spanish (B1/B2 level or above) required.
Experience working with multiple stakeholders including CSOs, government institutions and intergovernmental organizations strongly desired.
Previous experience in mental health is a plus.
Experience with remote work is a plus.
Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) and Google Drive
Strong communication and teamwork skills, punctuality and self-drive
Experience with financial reporting is a plus

*This position is full-time and based in Georgetown, Guyana*

To Apply

To apply, send the following documents to voicesgy@gmail.com by 12 midday on Wednesday 24th February. Applicants who fail to provide all documents will not be considered.

Cover Letter
CV
Contact details for 2 referees (email and telephone)

Voices GY is not only an Equal Opportunities Employer – diversity is at the root of all that we do and strive for. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and identities to apply and enrich the work we undertake.