Individual National Consultancy to coordinate psycho-social support in and guidance with the Social Work Specialists of the MoLSP (Psychologist)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, care

UNICEF has been engaged in supporting establishment the social work professional practice along with child specific specialized social services in Turkmenistan. With the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP) in lead, the social work profession and social services for the most marginalized groups of population are being enhanced, adding professional psychosocial support component to the services package. With the aim to strengthen the cross-sectoral cooperation in child protection UNICEF is also supporting the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) and MLSP to undertake the necessary steps for improving the practice of diversion measures to introduce rehabilitation and reintegration services for minors who have committed offences. These interventions require the involvement of specialized social and psychological services with skills in working with children.

How can you make a difference? 

Scope of Work:

1. Development of a methodological guide for social service psychologists with tools and reporting formats;
2. With support of UNICEF international consultant development of ethical guidelines for pedagogues/psychologists and other frontline workers involved as intermediaries in child investigative interviews;
3. Consult social work specialists on primary psycho-social support for service users in all five velayats and Ashgabat;
4. Facilitate cascade trainings in Ashgabat and velayats to increase the capacity of psychologists, social work specialists, inspectors on minors, and local police representatives (precincts) in Ashgabat and the regions through the development of individual support “case management” to improve prevention and response services for children and their families;
5. In cooperation with UNICEF international consultant, organise workshops for psychologists, social work specialists, and other professionals to ensure their mandatory participation in the interrogation of a child victim and witness of a crime
6. Provides psychological support to families and children, in cooperation with the social work specialist, including:
   • Conducting psychological diagnostics of problems (if necessary) that parents/guardians and children address to identify the required parameters using standardized psychological tests and methods adapted to the local context (personal qualities, emotional disorders, interpersonal relationships, various forms of violence, etc.)
   • Conducting individual and group counseling to assist in solving the problems that service recipients address: to prevent and resolve conflicts; support after survivors of life traumas (loss of loved ones, a sharp change in life situations, etc.); creating conditions for ensuring all aspects of the child’s well-being (mental health, safety, activity, implementation, respect, inclusion, responsibility), etc.
   • Provide psychosocial services to families and children as part of the piloting of the diversion. Prepare a human-interest story in this regard (at least two).
   • Selection and implementation of various programs with children and their families: rehabilitation, preventive, etc.
   • Assistance in the inclusion of children with disabilities: supporting the parents of a child with a disability of his family, advising parents on supporting children to develop their potential, informing parents about the special needs of the child and teaching ways to communicate and develop the child, etc.
   • Providing assistance in professional self-determination of young people: informing about various professions and the needs of the labor market; psychodiagnostics of predisposition to a certain group of professions; assistance in the analysis: desire – abilities – labor market needs – opportunities for professional self-determination.
   • Participation in accompanying boarding school graduates and their families to provide support in the process of adaptation and social reintegration.
   • Participation in the preparation and support of families for the reintegration of children from orphanages.
7. Participation in interdisciplinary teams at different stages of work with a case: when assessing the situation of children and their families, planning assistance and support to overcome difficult life situations.
8. Maintains a record of data on the psychological assistance provided;
9. Develops programs for the use of social networking resources for the purpose of psychological support for service users, education and drawing public attention to the problems of service users.
10. Conducting professional supervisions with social work specialists to diagnose and prevent their professional burnout.

For detailed information, please refer to the Terms of Reference  ToR_National Consultancy_Psychologist to coordinate psycho-social support.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• University Degree in Professional Psychological education. Master degree is an advantage.
• Practical experience in providing professional psychological support.
• Experience in working with vulnerable groups of population, especially with families with children and with children with disabilities.
• Experience in providing methodological supervision, preferably in the social sector or in the UN system.
• Professional experience or experience of volunteering in public organizations that provide social services will be an advantage.
• Experience in existing state social institutions (territorial centers, orphanages, children’s homes, boarding schools for the elderly or adults, etc.) or other social structures will be an advantage.
• Knowledge of Russian and Turkmen languages, knowledge of English will be an advantage.
• An understanding of the newly developed social services system and social workforce existing in Turkmenistan will be an advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

  

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.