mental health program pradet dili

8/13/2019 Mental Health Program PRADET Dili

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Assignment descriptionInformation contained in this Assignment Description is subject to change, as host organisations needs evolve.

Australian Red Cross will work closely with host organisations and volunteers to ensure that key outcomes of rolesare updated as regularly as possible.

1. General detailsPosition title Mental Health Program Adviser

Advertising title (if different from above)

Host organisationPRADET (Psychosocial Recovery and Development inEast Timor)

Country Timor-Leste

Location Dili

Duration 18 months

Proposed start date May 2014

Pre-departure training date 19-22 May 2014

Assignment code TL44

2. Overview of program

Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) is an Australian Government initiative to sendvolunteers overseas. The program is delivered by Australian Red Cross and other agencies.

Volunteer assignments are designed to enhance capacity within overseas host organisations. They are alignedwith the aid priorities of the Australian Government and its partner governments in developing countries, as

well as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.The AVID program covers volunteers airfar es, accommodation, living allowances, training, insurance, healthand security.


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TL44 Mental Health Program PRADET Dili FINAL Jan2014 Page 2 of 6

3. Overview of organisation & assignment

Psychosocial Recovery and Development in East Timor (PRADET) was constituted as a national NGO in 2002 andprovides psychosocial support to men, women, children and families who suffer from trauma, violence andother social problems. This support is delivered through culturally sensitive community education, training andrehabilitation. PRADET staff provides counselling and community development programs as well as policydevelopment at both local and national levels.

The primary focus is providing direct services in response to the needs of vulnerable people, particularly thoseexperiencing a serious mental illness or suffering from severe stress or trauma, including imprisonment, victimsof domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, abandonment and victims of human trafficking.

The second focus is to provide community education and training regarding the nature and impact of theseissues on individuals, their families and the community as a whole, while incorporating strategies forprevention. Currently PRADET is the only organisation in Timor-Leste providing information and training aboutthe use and abuse of alcohol and the impact on the community.

PRADET has 49 staff consisting of counsellors, finance and administration and management. Program servicesare delivered by local counsellors who have experience in psychosocial health, with a strong focus on

responding to stress, trauma, grief, sexual assault, domestic violence and mental illness.

Overview of the program

PRADET has three main programs:

1. PAMM: (Programa Assistencia ba Moras Mental / mental health assistance program) started in 2002and is a community-based response service to reduce the personal, collective, social and economicimpact of traumatic mental disorders as well as to address the isolation and stigma experienced bypeople as a result of these issues in the community. In 2008 the program extended its area of work toinclude one new district and also began community workshops about mental health in eight districts. In2013 PAMM opened a psychosocial rehabilitation centre in Dili, which provides activities for peoplerecovering from chronic mental illness.

2. The safe room program (Fatin Hakmatek) is located in the grounds of Dili National Hospital. Thisprogram was established to provide victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse withsafety, emergency counselling, medical treatment and forensic documentation of injuries with ongoingreferral to appropriate agencies or services. This program receives referrals from all 13 districts inTimor-Leste and has recently opened new services in regional hospitals in Suai (Covalima District),Maliana (Bobonaro District) and Ambeno (Oecusse District) with an aim to establish one new service inBaucaus regional hospital.

3. PDAJJ -The Peace and Democracy Assistance for Juvenile Justice program provides a support service tochildren and youth in prison and communities at risk of becoming involved in violence. It also providestraining to community members about the role and effect of alcohol and drugs. The training includes

information on the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks that are frequently consumed in Timor-Leste

PRADET has been supported by an Australian Red Cross AVID volunteer in a similar role before, so this positionwill continue to build upon the work and achievements of the previous volunteer, while further developing andexpanding the breadth and depth of support to PRADET staff.

Overview of the AVID assignment

The AVID volunteer will work directly with PRADET staff to increase their skills, knowledge and capacity in thefields of psychosocial support, project/program management, monitoring and evaluation, report writing andstrategic alignment of activities. The volunteer will report to the PRADET Director, and be expected to provideadvice, training and support to both management and program staff.

PRADET is currently funded by multiple donors, and so the volunteer will gain a good understanding of currentactivities, donors and potential future projects/services. They will cultivate a strong working relationship withother partners of PRADET in order to ensure synergy between Australian Red Cross AVID and other donor


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support.

The volunteer is not expected to undertake sole responsibility for project/program management and delivery;rather, the volunteer will provide training and support to staff to build their capacity and skills, and working inconjunction with PRADET staff to improve project/program management and administration. The volunteer willalso undertake regular travel within the districts to project sites in rural areas, assisting in project/program

implementation, delivery and review.

4. Expected Outputs and Key Relationships

Expected outputs of this assignment:

1. Increased PAMM staff skills, knowledge and confidence in service delivery in the area of communitybased mental health such as; counselling, occupational therapy, outreach, mental health promotionand training

2. Increased sustainability of the PAMM program3. Increased capacity of the PAMM staff to link program activities to measurable outcomes for clients4. Improved skills in donor report and project proposal writing, including logical frameworks and

meaningful indicators5. Enhanced monitoring and evaluation, project/program planning skills of PRADET staff, contributing to

improved project/program delivery in PRADETs key service areas

5. Volunteer requirements

Essential: Personal attributes

Self awareness and cross-cultural sensitivity Commitment to sharing knowledge and skills Flexibility and adaptability

Resilience and ability to manage stress Ability to live in a remote place with limited facilities

Essential: Skills or experience relevantto assignment

Experience working as a project and/or program manager orsenior officer

Experience in program development, implementation andevaluation

Experience working in mental health or disability services Experience in coaching/training less experienced staff in service

delivery, project/program management, implementation andevaluation

Qualifications

Qualified to at least an undergraduate level in either social work,psychology, psychiatric nursing, occupational therapy (mentalhealth or cognitive disability), or, equivalent professionalexperience

Language skills and level required Willingness to learn Tetun is essential to the success of the

assignment

Desirable: Further attributes,experience, skills or qualifications

Experience working with Red Cross Red Crescent or otherhumanitarian aid organisations

Qualified counsellor Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or related experience in

developing and facilitating competency based skills training. Experience working with NGOs in a low resource environment

First Aid

Prior to mobilising all Australian volunteers are required tocomplete Australian Standard HLTFA311A Apply First Aid


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6. Location and facilities

Timor-Leste is one of the newest countries in the world, having its independence restored to it in 2002 after along history involving Portuguese colonisation, a brief civil war, Indonesian invasion and occupation, and aninterim administration of state functions by the UN. In 2012, Timor-Leste saw peaceful and democratic electionsfor president and parliament, which paved the way for the planned departure of the UN and Australianpeacekeeping forces that had been stationed here. While facing a plethora of development challenges,especially in the human development sector, Timor-Leste has been growing rapidly in recent years due toincreased public spending of petroleum revenues.

The volunteer will be based in the capital of Dili, a city of approximately 200,000 people that is by far the largestmunicipality in the country and also the seat of most of the physical development that can be seen in thecountry. The city is relatively safe and convenient, with ample establishments for dining, accommodation andrecreation - Dili life offers various outdoor activities, such as snorkelling, scuba-diving, mountain-biking andtrekking.

Banks, including ANZ and Mandiri, offer ATM and account services to foreigners, and the US dollar is used as thecurrency. Internet connectivity is slow, however it is improving with three telecommunications companies now

in operation in Timor-Leste. Grocery stores and convenience shops are open most days, and there are a varietyof clothes and electrical shops; some shops are usually closed on public holidays and Sundays.

Although the volunteer will be based in Dili, it is expected that there will be some travel to the districts, asPRADET operates in rural areas within Timor-Leste. Dili has reasonable access to basic services, thoughelectricity services are not always reliable, especially in rural areas.

The volunteer will be sharing offices with other PRADET staff members and will work closely with several teams.The volunteer will have their own desk, shared printer and internet access although connectivity is generallyslow in Timor. The volunteer will not have access to a computer, it is recommended that they bring their own.

7. Assignment support

All AVID volunteers are provided with the following:

Return airfares to country of assignment Fortnightly living allowance (based on cost of living, adjusted for urban and rural areas) Accommodation allowance Pre-departure training and in-country orientation (including language training where necessary) Travel and life insurance Health & security support (including 24-hour emergency contact) In-country contact point

For more information visit www.redcross.org.au/support-and-preparation.aspx

Other support mechanisms

Quarterly review with the AVID Country Manager Training in cultural norms/values and capacity building mechanisms will be provided as part of the in-

country orientation Two weeks of Tetun classes Access to in-country networks Access to wider community of volunteers and aid workers Volunteer is included in monthly team meetings at PRADET headquarters in Dili Volunteer is included as part of the organisational structure PRADET has an international mentor from Australia who is in-country for two months every three months
http://www.redcross.org.au/support-and-preparation.aspxhttp://www.redcross.org.au/support-and-preparation.aspxhttp://www.redcross.org.au/support-and-preparation.aspxhttp://www.redcross.org.au/support-and-preparation.aspx


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8. Local culture and language

The volunteer will be urged to read available documentation about local norms, values and communitystructures. Once the volunteer was developed basic language skills, they will be encouraged to learn moreabout the different cultural practices through interaction with and observation of staff, volunteers andcommunity members.

A few important considerations are:

Timorese culture varies significantly in values and norms from many Australian and New Zealand culturesand therefore it is important to observe well and gain an understanding of these norms and values

It is important to develop good relationships with your Timorese colleagues and counterparts; this isfacilitated by showing interest, listening and asking questions

It is expected that you will communicate in a friendly, open way and not demonstrate anger or frustrationopenly

It is also important to get to know your neighbours and local community, showing respect and deference;this will make you feel more settled and secure, and will also help create strong and supportiverelationships around you

Expect to have miscommunications and to have to ask for clarification

Be aware of the social status and role of people in the community and approach them accordingly

For work activities, it is expected that men wear a shirt and trousers, unless working in a governmentministry, or meeting with senior government officials, ties and suit jackets are not required for normalworking days. For women, it is advised to wear more conservative smart/casual clothes than would beworn in Australia or New Zealand women are likely to draw undue attention if wearing tight fittingclothes, low-cut tops and/or short skirts.

Timor-Leste is an overwhelmingly Christian country, where most Timorese people will go to church at leastonce a week. It is also a conservative country, and especially in the districts, it is expected that thevolunteers is aware of norms, and respectful of religious and cultural differences.

Timor-Leste, though independent since 2002, is still a post-conflict society and has been occupied by twodifferent nations (Portugal and Indonesia) over the past 40 years. Therefore it is important to earn the respectof the people and to be aware of, and sensitive to, the historical-political context.

Main language(s) spoken in the community Tetun, Bahasa Indonesian, Portuguese, English

Main language(s) spoken in the workplace Tetun, Bahasa Indonesian, English

9. Health and safety

Many developing country contexts are challenging. You will face different, usually higher, physical and mentalhealth risks than at home. As an Australian Volunteer for International Development, you will be required tohave a good level of fitness, health and resilience.

You may be required to live and work in basic facilities and use local public transport. You may not be able toaccess the range or high quality of health services and facilities you are used to, and may not have ready accessto a tertiary hospital, specialist doctors, or reliable supplies of your usual medication.

If you have a pre-existing health condition which requires ongoing treatment and regular medical checks,especially if it involves a risk of a medical emergency, consider carefully whether this type of work is appropriatefor you. Seek early advice from your own treating doctor, ensure your condition is optimally controlled, andupdate your health management plan with your doctor prior to starting the Australian Red Cross healthclearance process. For many pre-existing conditions, we will require a detailed medical report from your


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treating doctor. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

There are a very high number of vehicle and motorbike accidents involving injury in Timor Leste. Roads arenarrow and unlit at night when they are often used by the local population for walking. Outside Dili, roadconditions are generally poor and unsafe and in the wet season quickly become impassable after rain as a resultof rock falls, landslides and slips. Caution must be exercised at all times. Australian Red Cross maintains strong

policies on the use of vehicles, including motorbikes requiring at a minimum that users have a full Australian orNew Zealand (not learners or provisional) license for the type of vehicle being operated, and in some locationsand situations vehicles cannot be operated. Consideration should be given to this if volunteers intend tooperate any vehicle or motorbike on assignment.

For further information on health and safety refer to www.smarttraveller.gov.au .

10. Child protection

Australian Red Cross is a child-safe organisation and is committed to the prevention of abuse and neglect ofchildren and young people. As part of the recruitment process, all candidates will be screened and assessed forsuitability to work with children. Volunteers must make themselves aware of Section 6.9 of the AVID Code ofConduct and associated policies and documents for Child Protection.
http://www.smarttraveller.gov.au/http://www.smarttraveller.gov.au/http://www.smarttraveller.gov.au/http://www.smarttraveller.gov.au/

mental health program pradet dili

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