Country: Turkey
Closing date: 23 Nov 2017
Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organisation for children. We work in 120 countries. We save children’s lives; we fight for their rights; we help them fulfil their potential.We work together, with our partners, to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. We have over two million supporters worldwide and raised $2 billion dollars last year to reach more children than ever before, ensuring that they are able to survive, learn and be protected whatever their circumstances, including in times of humanitarian crisis.
2016 is a time of change and growth at Save the Children. As part of our new strategic plan ‘Every Last Child’, we have made it a global priority to build humanitarian, advocacy and campaigning capability, to become truly global – driving stronger and more diversified funding, and to maximise the use of our knowledge, systems, capacity and culture. We are doing whatever it takes to reach the world’s most excluded children. With your help we can ensure the world puts children first, and that we can tackle the barriers that prevent them from surviving and thriving. We won’t stop until every last child survives and fulfils their potential.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Child Protection Coordinator
Staff reporting to this post: None
Budget responsibility: None
Other key working contacts: MHPSS officer, Case workers, Outreach workers
CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people.
ROLE PURPOSE:
The Child Protection Officer will be based in Istanbul, supporting Save the Children’s new project which aims to provide increased access for refugees and asylum seekers in Istanbul and Konya to special protection services.
The main purpose of the Child Protection Officer is to engage with the implementing partner daily to support high quality delivery of the child protection interventions in Istanbul and Konya area of operation. The Child Protection Officer is expected to spend a considerable amount of time at the project sites to help manage the project, support planning, and collaborate with the Child Protection Coordinator (and Technical Advisor as well as other project staff) to ensure quality implementation of child protection components, with primary focus on case management, community outreach and (child) protection monitoring of risks and gaps. The work includes active engagement to build the skills and technical capacity of case workers and outreach workers (including co-facilitation of training, development of materials and administrative tasks) as well as monitoring the need for further capacity strengthening. The work also involves engagement in awareness on child protection issues, support to safe and ethical referrals of boys and girls most at risk and hands-on support to the case management team to ensure service in line with agreed quality standards and benchmarks. The Child Protection Officer is expected to work in close collaboration with the MHPSS Officer and staff involved in the Individual Protection Assistance component of the project to ensure holistic response to children’s protection, wellbeing and development. Furthermore, the Child Protection Officer will actively engage in monitoring and evaluation of the quality of the service, and support gathering/compilation of child protection data for reporting (in collaboration with the MEAL officer).
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Programme Implementation
- Coordinate and provide support to the Child Protection Coordinator as well as partner staff (mainly case workers and community outreach workers) at the project sites in the planning, implementation and monitoring of regular activities. These primarily include child protection case management, community outreach and network, awareness raising on child protection and monitoring of child protection gaps/risks. This also includes extending some support to the Protection Coordinator.
Work with community outreach teams to ensure safe and ethical identification and referral of children at risk. Work with child protection case workers as needed to ensure participatory assessments of the child’s best interest and timely responses informed by needs.
Coordinate the preparation of weekly activity plans with the team, ensure smooth implementation of these plans and flag any issues, including needs for further technical support/capacity building.
Build positive relationships with the community networks and organize regular meetings and trainings for key community members together with the other project staff.
Ensure linkages between this project and other activities of the partner, e.g. recreational and psychosocial activities.
Actively engage in assessments and efforts of monitoring and evaluation, e.g. by conducting Focus Group Discussions together with MEAL staff.
Assist the Coordinators (primarily Child Protection) and Technical Advisor to organise trainings and awareness raising activities for staff, key community members and partners’ staff on CP and protection related topics. This may include co-facilitation of trainings, under the technical supervision of the Coordinator(s) and Technical Advisor. This also includes supporting the development/review of materials and leading the compilation of training MEAL results and training reports.
Ensure mapping of services and referral systems (health, education, psychosocial, etc.) are developed and updated as appropriate on regular basis.
Produce and submit weekly and monthly reports on project activities as required.
Perform other functions relative to Child Protection activities and initiatives that may be assigned by the Child Protection Coordinator (may also include support to the Protection Coordinator).
Convey technical excellence and work with partner to “internalise” quality standards and best practices in the field of Protection/Child Protection and MHPSS in their programs.
Work with cultural sensitivity and respect the dignity of refugees and members of the host communities at all times.
Ensure full compliance of Child Safeguarding Policy at field level and especially with SC engaged personnel. Respond to all Child Safeguarding Policy concerns expressed or discovered appropriately and effectively.
QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND ATTRIBUTES:
Required
· University degree in social work, psychology, sociology, community development or related subject.
· Significant previous experience in the field of child protection case management and ideally also in psychosocial support and community outreach and network.
· Excellent knowledge of the Turkish social welfare systems, legal frameworks and protection rights.
· Previous experience in working directly with children and their caregivers, e.g. through child protection case management.
· Good technical understanding of child protection and community based approaches.
· Knowledge of Child Rights, Child Protection Minimum Standards and other international recognised tools, including IASC MHPSS Guidelines.
· Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
· Ability to work with limited supervision and strong ability to take initiative.
· Able to work to tight deadlines and under pressure.
· Excellent team player.
· Ability to quickly form relationship within the communities.
· Fluent in Turkish and English – written and spoken.
, Computer literacy including the use of Microsoft Word and Excel.
Desirable
- Proven experience and expertise in Individual Protection Assistance.
- Fluent in spoken Arabic
- Proven expertise and experience in the field of MHPSS
- Experience in working with NGOs
- Experience in working with refugees
CHILD SAFEGUARING POLICY:
Any employee, consultant, contractor or the supplier undertaking an activity on behalf of SCI must sign the Child Safeguarding – Declaration of Acceptance Form] and comply with the SCIs Child Safeguarding Policy which is a statement of SCI’s commitment to preventing abuse and protecting children with whom it comes into contact.
This extends not only to children with whom SCI and its partners work directly, but also includes children whom staff are responsible for. SCI believes that the situation of children must be improved through the promotion of their rights supported and demonstrated by all members of staff. Save the Children International’s Code of Conduct sets out the standards which all staff members must adhere to.
Benefits Package provided to National Staff:
- Salary commensurate with the pay-grade of the position.
- Annual leave
- Inhouse Medical Facility, Accidental and Life insurance.
- Transportation allowance
- A motivating work environment
We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
How to apply:
Please apply in English by sending your up to date CV with a cover letter as a single document explaining your salary expectations to turkey.recruit@savethechildren.org and mention the position that you are applying on the subject section. The advertisement will be closed on November 23rd 2017 at 5:30 PM (Turkey local time).
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. It is highly requested for non-Turkish applicants that please do apply if you hold a valid work permit in Turkey
