Psychologist – volunteering Lesbos

Are you a psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatric nurse practitioner or certified in (ortho)pedagogy? And do you have at least 2 years of clinical work experience? Join our MHPSS team as a volunteer! Together with our medical team, you will contribute to humanitarian care in an inhumane environment.

As MHPSS volunteer you will play a part in Boat Refugee Foundation’s psychological support mission in Mavrovouni camp on Lesbos. Many of the people who reside there struggle with psychic complaints.

Our team provides mental health support to adults, focusing on increasing their strength and capacity. We meet people as true humans, taking their identity, knowledge and skills as a starting point. Because we believe in equality, we collaborate as much as possible with the camp community. They fulfill an indispensable role as interpreters during our mission activities.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

In addition to medical care, we also provide mental health support to adults. As a volunteer you will be assigned within our MHPSS program; we will take into account as much as possible your personal skills, knowledge and experience.

These are our current MHPSS activities:

• Psychological emergency aid;
• Stress relief group sessions, offering people tools to help them reduce stress and relax, and (re-)discovering their own strengths;
• Social rounds in the camp, during which we conduct easily accesible conversations, offering people a listening ear and information about the services in the camp;
• Individual coaching sessions;
• Training internal and external staff members, on psychic support and Psychological First Aid (PFA). You yourself will also be trained: we offer our volunteers training in the Method for the Empowerment of Trauma and Torture Survivors (METS) Open Groups, psychiatric problems, PFA and other relevant topics.

Besides these activities, we ask your support with administrative tasks and other (practical) activities, to help our programs on Lesbos run smoothly.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

• You have a minimum of 2 years relevant clinical work experience, including working with (intercultural) groups;
• You are able to deal with emotional and confronting situations and able to separate work from personal topics;
• You are indepent, but also aware of the limits of your skills and know when to ask for help;
• You can stand your ground firmly and you’re physically and mentally healthy;
• You are willing to carry out different tasks and able to adjust to a changing program;
• You can work well with people from different cultural backgrounds backgrounds;
• You have completed a relevant degree (higher professional education or university);
• You speak English fluently;
• You are available for a minimum of 2 months (preferably longer);
• You have a driver’s license B (you will have to drive in a manual car every day).

WHAT ARE STRONG PROS IN A CANDIDATE?

• You have experience in supporting people with serious psychic complaints, including panic attacks, psychoses and suicidality;
• You have experience working abroad;
• You have worked in a refugee camp or asylum center before;
• You have experience with mindfulness and relaxation techniques;
• You speak French, Arabic, Farsi or Greek.

COSTS AND CONDITIONS

Boat Refugee Foundation’s existence depends on the many volunteers and donors, without which we’d not be able to do our job. Our financial means are mostly spent on medical and psychosocial care. That is why we ask all volunteers to pay for their own travel and stay. We have a volunteer house on Lesvos where you can stay for 10 euros a night. After one month you can stay here for free.