Turkey: Turkey - A Mental Health and Psychosocial Assessment Officer

Première Urgence Internationale (PUI) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-political and non-religious international aid organization. Our teams are committed to supporting civilians’ victims of marginalization and exclusion, or hit by natural disasters, wars and economic collapses, by answering their fundamental needs. Our aim is to provide emergency relief to uprooted people in order to help them recover their dignity and regain self-sufficiency. The association leads in average 190 projects by year in the following sectors of intervention: food security, health, nutrition, construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures, water, sanitation, hygiene and economic recovery. PUI is providing assistance to around 5 million people in 21 countries – in Africa, Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe and France.

Find out about our history and values

Humanitarian situation and needs

Turkey is, since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, one of the most affected by the refugee’s crisis neighboring country. To date, about 3 million refugees have entered the country, many with the hope to reach the European Union which borders quickly got closed as part of the EU/Turkey deal in 2016, settling de facto this number in Turkey. First gathered in the border areas (south of the country), they soon moved to large cities with the hope of finding work and services. Turkey provides them with free health and education services, and is studying the possibility to open job market legally. 10% of them are living in government managed camps, while the 90% remaining either live in host communities or relatives. It is estimated that around a million refugee live in Istanbul, for a population of around 15 million. Refugees mainly come from Syria but also gather from Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia or even Sub-Saharan Africa.

Under great pressure due to external and internal turmoil, Turkey has developed a strategy to receive these refugees. Concerning health and education, they basically gave the same rights as for Turkish citizens, offering way to a well-organized and high quality system. Anyhow, the needs are huge and some specific sectors most probably not properly managed, such as Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). In addition to large cities where refugees gather, the south-eastern part of the country (Kurdish majority areas) remains unstable and difficult to reach, while it is quite clear needs are important in these areas.

Our action in the field

PUI has a long history of being present in the Middle-East, with more than a decade long missions such as in Lebanon, Palestine or Iraq. Once concentrated on sustainability for vulnerable communities (such as Palestinian refugees), it logically answered the needs around the Syrian crisis as they occurred in places where present. Today the NGO has activities related to the crisis in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and is one of the few agency operating in government controlled zones of Syria.

Exploring needs in Turkey has been discussed since the beginning of the crisis but due to other priorities (Nigeria, South-Sudan) and to the fact that it seemed hard for the NGO to operate in rebel areas of Syria while working in relationship with Damascus authorities, the mission was delayed several times. Anyhow, with the installation of needs on the Turkish territory, it was considered that it would be relevant for PUI to find out what the needs would be and open the door to operate in the country as part of a regional approach on all fields concerned by the Syria war. A first phase mission was organized in August 2016 to start gathering direct information; briefly summarizing, the conclusion of this mission is that needs in MHPSS exist and that PUI could play a role in relieving traumatized populations working with a local partner.

In order to confirm the first exploratory mission conclusions, PUI is willing to organize a second phase of assessment in order to better understand the specific needs in Mental Health support for vulnerable population in Turkey.

As part of our activities in Turkey, we are looking for a Mental Health and Psychosocial Assessment Officer.

Under the direct supervision of the Exploratory Head of Mission, the Mental Health and Psychosocial assessment officer main objectives are the following:

• To lead the technical aspects (mental health and psychosocial) of the assessments in the different identified cities
• To contribute to the building of a relevant picture of the humanitarian needs and linked gaps in the country
• To contribute to the design of appropriate interventions (Concept Notes)
• To contribute to the writing of an assessment report
• To contribute to the partnership framing process with the local NGO operating in Turkey

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Training and Experiences

Formation:

• Project management
• Mental Heath and Psychosocial expertise

Experience:

• Humanitarian

Min. 5 years of humanitarian experience in project management with a focus on mental health and psychosocial support

• Technical

Previous experience in assessment / exploratory missions

Relevant experience in project evaluation; quantitative and

Knowledge and skills:

• Excellent data collection / analysis skills
• Excellent writing skills

Software:

• Pack Office

Required Personal Characteristics:

• Trustworthiness and a sense of responsibility
• Charisma and strong advocacy skills
• Ability to use authority, when necessary
• Analysis and synthesis abilities (discenrment, pragmatism)
• Ability to adapt
• Organisational skills, ability to be thorough and respect due dates
• Strong listening and negotiation skills
• Good people and communication skills
• Ability to remain calm and level-headed
• General ability to resist stress and particularly in unstable circumstances
• Ability to work in unstable circumstances.
• Ability to work with minimalistic comfort and limited support resources

Languages

• Required: English

• Desirable: French, Turkish and/or Arabic is a plus.

Terms proposed

• Employed with a Fixed-Term Contract – 5 to 6 weeks.

• Starting date: November to December 2016

• Monthly Gross Income from 3 560 Euros depending on the experience in International Solidarity + 50 Euros per semester seniority with PUI

• Cost covered: Round-trip transportation to and from home / mission, visas, vaccines…

• Insurance including medical coverage and complementary healthcare, 24/24 assistance and repatriation

• Housing in hostel

• Daily living expenses (« Per diem »)

• Paid leaves policy: 5 weeks of paid leaves per year

To know more about our job offer, look at the complete job description on our website !

Please, send your application (Resume and Cover Letter) to Anne-Gaëlle Bril, Emergency Officer at agbril@premiere-urgence.org with the following subject: « MHPAssessmentOff-TUR ».