DESIGNATION: Social Workers (02 position)
DUTY STATION: Kabale and Kanungu
ORGANIZATIONAL DESCRIPTION: AVSI Foundation (AVSI) is an international NGO with headquarters in Italy, which has been active in Uganda since 1984. Its current activities are focused in the areas of education, health, livelihoods, protection, nutrition and refugee programs in Uganda.
PROGRAMME BACKGROUND:

AVSI is implementing a 5 year USAID-Keeping Children Healthy and Safe (KCHS) activity in Kigezi Region with the main goal of preventing new HIV infections and reducing vulnerability among orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) through economic empowerment, strengthened local government and community platforms to increase and improve care services for OVC, youth, and their caregivers and improved coordination of community based clinical and socio-economic services to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of the continuum of care.
JOB PURPOSE:

AVSI is seeking to recruit suitably qualified personnel for the position social workers responsible for coordinating and delivering KCHS services in the sub-counties and communities including supporting community structures such as the Para social workers, Linkage facilitators and supporting community-health facility linkages for children, adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, children affected by violence and their families.

Under the direct supervision of the District Project Coordinator, the Social worker will be responsible for supporting facility community referral linkages for comprehensive service package to children and adolescent living with HIV/AIDS and their families to improve layering of health, HIV&AIDS access and uptake of services to achieve PEPFAR 90-90-90 (Uganda 95-95-95) UNAIDS goals for KCHS supported beneficiaries. .

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
Community – Facility Function.
• Work with all KCHS community structures including Expert Clients and PSWs during integrated Health outreaches at community level to ensure effective tracking of newly tested positive (Tx_New) and complete linkage into the continuum of care.
• Facilitate monthly referrals and linkages meetings among community and health facility staff to review performance of uptake of services by clients referred from community.
• Provide technical assistance to Expert clients, select PSWs and other project structures on comprehensive integrated technical support related to referral and linkages and service provision between the community and health facility.
• Work in liaison with expert clients and select PSWs to ensure PLHIV beneficiaries are reminded of their clinic appointment.
• Prepare weekly and monthly plans for activity implementation based on approved budgets.
• Participate in regular field data collection through appropriate monitoring tools on program intervention.
• Support in the identification and mobilization of community support groups for program support. (VSLA, school clubs, youth groups)
• Support families access to essential services required to fulfil their children’s development needs and rights.
• Participate in developing weekly and monthly work plans and maintaining high standards of stewardship and accountability for all project activity resources
Intra – facility Function
• Receive new referrals from the community and guide referred clients through the health care system at the facility.
• Support in identification of new positives (Tx_CURR) to be linked and enrolled on the OVC program.
• Provide health education as needed for newly diagnosed HIV positive patients.
• Participate in scheduling appointments, responding to provider questions regarding care follow-up, providing appropriate clinical information (eg. on suppression) and maintains ongoing patient tracking.
• Maintain an up-to-date VL register of all KCHS supported beneficiaries with in his/her facility of operation clearing tracking ART numbers, Appointment dates, VL test results, due dates, suppression levels and services provided to clients with unsuppressed viral load.
• Day-to-day participation in HIV patient screening activities including the entry of data and tracking of HIV testing services
• Follow-up with re-engaged individuals/clients to ensure retention in care, and provide additional supports as needed.
• Strengthen documentation of referrals and linkages for different services to ensure a continuum of care and maintain an up to date file for all referrals made and completed.
• Work with facility-based staff to ensure project beneficiary files are up to date and generate list of beneficiaries due for Viral Load Test for support.
• Compile and share a list of beneficiaries’ not suppressing viral load for intensive adherence support and follow up counselling at community level.
• Complete a monthly cascade report for sharing with supervisor and collaborate with the Monitoring and Evaluation team to ensure data collected is accurate and valid.
• Convene Facility case conference with health workers to discuss complex issues on referrals, non-adherence, non – viral load suppression, lost to follow up, missing appointments and come up action points to address the barriers.
Facility – Community Function.
• Provide feedback to expert clients, select PSWs and other community structures on referrals made and services received.
• Keep an up-to-date referral file and referral register for performance tracking.
• Follow up with community structures (PSWs) on identified positive clients missing clinic appointments for linkages back to care.
• Work with program team and support identified Tx New for possible assessment and enrolment in to the project.
• Link positive beneficiaries to existing psychosocial support platforms (Young positive, Family Support, PSS Groups) both at facility and community level.
• Act as contact person between Health Facility and Community Level Structures for referrals and linkages.
• Participate in monthly case conference meetings with other child protection stakeholders and share updates on referrals status.
• Conduct weekly meeting with the field team
• Build synergies with key stakeholders including Schools, local communities to support roll out of the project at sub county level.
• Work with the facility-based linkage facilitators and clinical team to update the KCHS viral load suppression tracking register and share with the project team.
• Carry out any other duties as assigned to you by your supervisors.

Job Skills: Not Specified

REQUIREMENTS:
• The ideal candidate must hold a Degree in Social Sciences, SWSA or Community psychology or related field.
• Additional trainings in child protection and psychosocial support is an added advantage.
• Relevant work experience in community-based children and adolescent health project specifically HIV/AIDs, Livelihood and child protection programs.
• A minimum of two to three years of experience working in NGO.
• Ability to ride a motorcycle with valid riding permit.
• Must be willing to reside in the respective districts.
• Required Language: English fluency with excellent oral and writing skills is required. Knowledge of Rukiga/Runyankole is a MUST.

Job Education Requirements: Not Specified

Job Experience Requirements: Not Specified

Work Hours: 8

Job application procedure
Application letters, accompanied with updated Curriculum Vitae indicating 3 work-related referees, plus copies of relevant certificates, should be addressed to:

The AVSI Country Representative, AVSI Foundation, P.O.Box 6785, Kampala, Uganda and sent to [email protected] by Thursday, 21st January, 2021 (5.00 pm), indicating the e-mail subject as ‘Application for Social Worker’

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.
AVSI Foundation is an equal opportunities employer and has a functional Child Protection Policy by which all AVSI staff and Associates must abide.