Child Protection Assistant_Anka

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies, provides relief, rehabilitation, and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of natural disasters, oppression, and violent conflict in 42 countries. The IRC is committed to bold leadership, innovation, and creative partnerships. Active in public health, education, livelihoods, women’s empowerment, youth development, and protection and promotion of rights, IRC assists people from harm to home. IRC entered Nigeria in October 2012 in response to a widespread flood disaster. IRC’s Emergency Response Team, with local partner CISCOPE (Civil Society Coalition for Poverty Eradication), implemented a project to support livelihoods and improve WASH in Kogi State from February to May 2013. This was followed by a 3-month nutrition and food security program in the same location from October 2013 to January 2014. The IRC is now in the process of establishing a long-term presence in Nigeria.Offices were established in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) States, Northeast, and Northwest Nigeria, providing critical humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected people.

Job Overview/Summary

The Child Protection Assistant will be responsible for overseeing, and supporting the implementation of child protection strategies and activities at the camp/community level. The CP Assistant will be responsible for implementing the work of and providing guidance to the Community on case management and child protection activities. This position will be primarily responsible for child protection activities in Anka LGA, this position will report to Child Protection Officer.

Major Responsibilities

Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy

• Ensure vulnerability assessments are conducted for all Identified and referred cases, to identify vulnerable children and families and their needs, prioritizing the identification of children experiencing abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence including Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC) and Children and Armed conflicts (CAAC).
• Ensure quality case management through the development of individualized case-specific actions plans for at risk children and their families with an emphasis on high-risk cases of children.
• Ensure data protection principles are followed when using CPIMS in managing sensitive personal data of children and their families.
• Coordinate communication and support for children and their families and link them to specialized services or other IRC sectors where needed to ensure integrated service provision.
• Develop creative engagement activities through Safe Healing and Learning Space (SHLS) for affected children and families, providing resilience building opportunities to foster social and leadership development.
• Ensure regular communication with the CP Officer for updates on achievements and challenges.
• Provide daily guidance on SHLS activities to the SHLS facilitators in accordance with the standard tools and procedures including weekly support supervision.
• Conduct service mapping in location of implementation to support the establishment of referral pathway.
• Ensure monthly child protection monitoring is conducted.
• Ensure parents and caregivers of vulnerable children are enrolled into the positive parenting sessions.

Program Development

• Support the establishment, management, and delivery of the SAFE approach by facilitators and engage in ongoing skills building using Social-emotional learning (SEL) /SAFE materials.
• Develop daily and weekly activity schedules and draft progress reports (i.e., vulnerability assessments, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), awareness-raising activities, as well as prevention activities to reduce exposure to risk for vulnerable children).
• Support community awareness sessions on child protection concerns, identification of vulnerable children, and the process of registration of separated/unaccompanied children including family tracing.
• Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:
• Coach, train, superviseSHLS Facilitators, including communicating clear expectations, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures, and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.
• Work with cultural sensitivity and respect the dignity of vulnerable children and families and members of the host communities at all time
• Collaborate with local organizations, stakeholders, and service providers to ensure access to essential services for vulnerable children and at-risk children.
• Coordinate, monitor, and closely supervise the SAFE Space activities in Anka.

Research, Learning and Analysis

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date case files for all child protection cases.
• Compile and summarize weekly and monthly Cases identified and narrative report on case management activities from the field and submit to Child Protection Officer in Zamfara State
• Participate in case conferences and case management meetings as required.
• Adhere to strict confidentiality and information management standards and Data protection protocols, sharing information only in compliance with these standards
• Support and participate in program monitoring and evaluation activities as requested.
• Work for 40 hours a week, and submit time-sheets by the end of the month

Coordination & Representation

• Coordinate with respective governmental agencies and other key stakeholders on vulnerable cases.
• Ensure there is regular interaction with community members and established community mechanisms like the community-based Child protection committees (CBCPCs) to support protection activities.
• Work closely with the CBCPCs to ensure safe identification and referral of children with protection concerns.

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to:Child Protection Officer

Indirect/Technical Reporting:

Position directly Supervises: SHLS Facilitators

Key Internal Contacts:

• Country Program:Nigeria
• Region/Global: West Africa  

Minimum Qualifications:

• One year working experience in Child Protection  with development-related organizations.
• Good communication skills with fluency in written and spoken English and local language
• Demonstrable ability to adapt to changing program priorities and emergency priorities that may arise
• Strong self-starter, flexible, and able to take initiative based on protection trends
• Positive attitude towards community work with an emphasis on the ability to learn from communities and support innovative approaches to problem-solving.

Education:

• Degree / HND / Diploma in Social Work / Social Sciences or equivalent

Work Experience: 1 year

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

Knowledge of community-based child protection approaches, preferably including experience in participatory approaches and child participation methodologies.

Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:

Languages:English, Hausa

Computer/Other Tech Requirements:

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Good IT skills including the useComcare database software and Primero

Standard of Professional Conduct: IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Employment Gaps: We welcome applicants with varied career paths and recognize that a gap in employment does not define a candidate’s potential. We value transferrable skills and are committed to investing in the growth and development of our team members. We encourage applicants to highlight any relevant skills or experiences they have acquired, even if they were not gained in a traditional work setting.

Compensation and Benefits: IRC strives to provide externally competitive and internally equitable Compensation and Benefits programs that attracts, motivates, and retains employees that deliver strong performance while demonstrating the IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct.

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity and inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, nationality, ethnicity or tribe, gender, age, religion, caste, sexual orientation, differently abled, geographic origin, marital status, veteran status and cultural background (or any other characteristic protected by law). We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.