Mental Health Counsellor for Afghan Refugees

Contract length: 12 Months with possible extension

Hours: 18 hours per week,

Gross Salary: £16000

Accountable to: Director

Reports to: Mental Health Advocacy Project Manager

Responsible for: Counselling

Location: Paiwand Office + outreach centres

Introduction

Afghan Association Paiwand (Paiwand) is a registered charity and limited company founded in 2002. Paiwand’s aims are to benefit the refugee and migrant communities in the United Kingdom through reducing poverty, advancing education, and relieving suffering through a number of services including advocacy, social support, accommodation and others. It currently assists 2000 beneficiaries each year throughout north London.

Aims of the post

The aim of this three year project is to expand the geographical coverage of Paiwand mental advocacy and counselling support beyond the London boroughs of Barnet, Brent, Ealing and Harrow targeting newly arrived Afghan refugees and asylum seekers. Asylum seekers and refugees often present with complex, inter-linked issues and needs due to being forced to flee their home countries. Experiences which often include loss of family members, home, culture; surviving torture, rape and violent incidents; coping with lack of recognition in society, and concern about loved ones left at home or missing. Once in the UK, clients often tend to suffer from high levels of stress relating to the complex asylum process in the UK. They worry about accommodation, money, education, access to legal advice, detention, fear of deportation or destitution and homelessness.

The counsellor is to operate from Paiwand main office and outreach sites which will be established in different locations. The counsellor will provide one to one counselling support to clients who suffer from common mental health problems with no risk signs, refer the severe cases with risk signs to appropriate services, and, jointly with wellbeing office, plan and facilitate one-off mental health talks and psychoeducation support groups.

Main Duties

• To conduct one to one counselling sessions both virtual and face to face. Together with wellbeing officer to establish and run the outreach sites in place of gathering of newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers.
• To encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives and help clients to develop insight into themselves and their relationships. Identify clients who need further investigation and comprehensive treatment and refer them to appropriate services.
• To work with the clients in the development of skills and culturally appropriate strategies for dealing with their emotional problems and assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, and making changes.
• To participate in the activities of drop-in centres and active case finding in conjunction with the Mental Health Advocacy Project Manager.
• Jointly with wellbeing officer, to plan and facilitate one off wellbeing and psychoeducation sessions for Afghan refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
• Jointly with wellbeing officer, to plan and facilitate psychoeducation support/therapy groups, identify, and enrol eligible clients for such groups.
• To develop positive links with primary care, voluntary and statutory care providers, refugee organizations and further develop referral, casework, and monitoring procedures.
• To maintain good working relation with the mental health and community advocates
• To gather information about clients through interviews, observation using the standard tools and prepare/ maintain all required counselling records and reports.
• Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients’ treatment.
• To abide by and promote Afghan Association Paiwand’s Equal Opportunities policy
• To take positive action to encourage the participation of service users who experience discrimination for reasons of gender, national or ethnic origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or health status.
• To work in accordance with Afghan Association Paiwand’s policies and procedures, including the confidentiality policy, health and safety policy and advocacy guidelines
• To complete and submit the counselling clients recording forms including referral sheets.
• To attend and participate in clinical supervision
• Be proactive in accessing training and personal development opportunities
• To keep informed of new developments in counselling particularly as they relate to the refugee and asylum communities.
• To uphold and promote the good name of Paiwand.

Person Specification, Essential Skills And Experience

• Applicants must be a qualified psychologist, psychotherapist, or counsellor (at least completed level-4 diploma) with BAP, BCP, or UKCP-CPJA and BACP registered.
• Extended years of experience working alongside, refugee and migrant groups.
• Ability to speak any one of the following languages: Pashto, Dari/Farsi and strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to attend and run out-reach sites in different parts of London.

If you are interested in this role, please send your CV to ghulam.farooq(at)paiwand.com