Turkey: Mental Health- Gender-Based Violence

Scope of Work- Consultancy

Job Title: Mental Health- Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Consultancy- Turkey

Organization: Medical Teams International - in partnership with International Blue Crescent

Location: Gaziantep and Kilis, Turkey, with some travel to Istanbul possibly required

Dates: July and August, 2017 (approximately four weeks of consultancy)

Note: a second consultancy will be simultaneously advertised related to Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). If a consultant has the required skills and experience to submit a bid for both consultancies, this should be clearly indicated in the bid submission.

• Due to the urgency of the recruitment, applications will be received on a rolling basis until the consultant is identified and chosen

Background: Turkey is home to the largest number of Syrian refugees, with an estimate of over 3 million. Over 90% of these refugees live in host communities across the country.

Assessments have found that as a direct effect of being exposed to the trauma of war, many Syrians now suffer from mental health and psychological problems. Psychological distress comes in many forms; including behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and relationship difficulties. Often trauma victims are suffering from multiple distresses which all contribute to the development of mental health conditions, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or sleep deprivation.

Young women and adolescent girls are especially at risk of mental health trauma as they face the threat of early and/or forced marriage as families seek to marry off girls and women to lessen the financial burden of the household and in an effort to secure the protection of women and girls. Assessments of the impact of the Syrian crisis conducted in Turkey and in neighboring countries indicate that GBV issues are suppressed and in most cases, related services and resources are not available neither for refugees nor hosting communities. Cases usually go unreported because of fear and shame causing significant deprivation of their psychosocial well-being.

MTI is seeking a consultant to provide critically needed specialized services for people living with mental health problems, with an emphasis on especially GBV survivors.

Objective:

The objective for this consultancy is to work with IBC's MHPSS program team in Turkey to develop and implement a more advanced response to the psychosocial needs of Syrian and other vulnerable members of the community, specifically as it relates to GBV. The consultant is expected to support the MTI Country Director and the IBC Project Manager in Turkey (based in Istanbul, Gaziantep and Kilis) to conduct an evaluation of the current GBV interventions, develop materials, implement training, implement PSS (both individual and group PSS) and mentor staff on the implementation of advanced PSS and staff self-care through:

• Providing technical guidance and support, ensuring international best practices on advanced PSS

• Develop tools to ensure complex cases are identified and adequately supported whilst also outlining the limitations of support that can be provided

• Work with staff on well-being and self-care regimes.

Tasks:

1. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the current GBV program for one team of three staff working at two sites in Kilis, Turkey (one community center and one medical complex)

2. Analyze the legal and operational context for Turkey as it relates to GBV activities

3. Assess gaps in the GBV program and propose practical solutions to the gaps that are both culturally relevant and pragmatic for the operational context in Turkey. This element of the consultancy will require a high level of critical thinking and creativity

4. Identify and develop a core training plan for the team of 3-4 people

5. Develop tools and work plan to begin implementing the training plan (actual implementation of some trainings which can be achieved within the consultancy timeframe)

6. Meet regularly with GBV team to provide one-on-one feedback related to daily work (mentorship and coaching)

7. Develop a strategy framework for future activities

8. Develop a proposal related to the strategy which can be re-tooled and presented to donors including UN, donor governments (EU, USAID, DfID and others)

Deliverables:

1. Assessment and evaluation report, including an analysis of the operational context in Turkey

2. Training plan, including budget for core MHPSS/GBV team (and possibly wider trainings which could be made available for the wider humanitarian and development community)

3. Strategy paper detailing future recommendations for 2017-2019

4. Proposal, including budget, to support the activities proposed

5. Provide specific operational recommendations, including detailed suggested work plan for program implementation

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

· Prior experience working in complex emergency/refugee context on GBV-related programming

· Advanced degree in Psychology (psychologist) or equivalent training/relevant experience

· Experience in culturally sensitive programming

· Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing training materials

· Fluency and excellent writing skills in English- Arabic and/or Turkish language skills greatly preferred

· Extensive knowledge in public mental health, as well as integrated MHPSS/GBV interventions models in promotion/prevention and treatments at primary and secondary health care level

· At least 2 years of international field experience working directly with various populations and cultures

· Ability and proven capacity in planning MHPSS/GBV support programs and community health interventions in line with the psychological and psychosocial consequences of violence. Specific experience related to GBV interventions is required for this consultancy

· Capacity to work within a multidisciplinary team, as well as team management

· Knowledge and significant experience in training and supervision processes

· Good communicator, strong listening capacity, open minded, proactive and creative

· Respectful and inclusive of individual and cultural differences

· Good analysis and problem-solving capability, and effective reporting writing skills

Please send a letter of interest, including relevant experience, expected remuneration and possible start date, as well as detailed work plan and updated CV to turkey-programsupport@medicalteams.org