Protection / Referral Officer

Type of Contract: Fixed Term

Location: Lviv

Responsible to: Protection and Inclusion Coordinator

Background

HelpAge and Strategy 2030 – delivering real impact for older people

HelpAge International works with partners and a diverse global network of more than 150 organizations across 85 countries, supporting millions of older people to live safe, dignified and healthy lives. Through our partnership and collaborations, we work to ensure the inclusion of older people across society and strive to deliver a just and fair world for everyone, whatever their age. Our work is driven by our desire to deliver real impact for older people, to be inclusive, to work in partnership and to learn from our shared experience.

 Ukraine Crisis

 HelpAge has been present in Ukraine since 2014 and is one of the INGOs based in country, with a total workforce of +250 people including staff and volunteers/contractors.  As one of the INGOs with an operational presence in Ukraine, we are already responding with initial life-saving activities in the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions, with the intention to scale-up assistance in the Central and Western Regions of Ukraine. Our response plan includes cash assistance, food distributions, NFI distribution/ health and dignity kits, WASH, Protection and Mental Health and Psychosocial First Aid. 

Job Purpose

Support the implementation of protection and inclusion program of older people in the multi-agency and sectoral humanitarian response in the Central and Western Regions of Ukraine in close coordination with PIC and program teams. Mainstream the coordination specialty care for beneficiaries in need of external consultation and therefore will also be responsible for scheduling, tracking, referral case management and providing reports. The post holder will represent the organization professionally and positively to enhance and promote the core values and mission of HelpAge, always exercising utmost discretion, diplomacy and tact in beneficiaries interactions.

Job Content/Key Tasks

Protection (50%):

• Gather relevant information on the situation and issues of older people.
• Promote the inclusion of older people agenda with humanitarian agencies and other stakeholders in the local level.
• Facilitate the establishment of defined protection/inclusion activities in the supported project areas in coordination with the Project Officers, Protection and Inclusion Coordinator and the Area Manager.
• Promote contextualization, development and dissemination of age and disability-sensitive tools and methodologies for humanitarian action at oblast level to relevant sectors and mechanisms;
• Support HelpAge staff and volunteer's capacity development to engage in evidence-based advocacy at Oblast level.
• Provide capacity building and trainings of the HAI Project Officers, Project Assistants and the Community Volunteers, HAI programme staff on the defined protection agenda of older people.
• With the Protection and Inclusion Coordinator and Area Manager develop and support the process and documentation of cases of main protection/inclusion related needs among the most vulnerable older people in the area of operations.
• Develop relevant local policy agenda in consultation/coordination with local social welfare departments, institutions and community based older people managed groups with support from Protection and Inclusion Coordinator and Area Manager.
• Represent HAI in any sector working groups like: Protection cluster meetings at field levels and other relevant clusters to ensure that vulnerable older people's and those with disabilities situation and needs are raised and properly addressed.
• Coordinate closely with the Protection and Inclusion Coordinator and Area Manager on the plan implementation and on the protection concerns/issues related to vulnerable older people and persons with disability.
• With the Protection and Inclusion Coordinator to support the ADTWG Coordinator in conducting regular ADTWG meetings.
• Assist beneficiaries in problem solving potential issues related to the health care system, financial or social barriers (e.g., request interpreters as appropriate, transportation services or prescription assistance).

Referral (50%):

• Schedule, problem solve, communicate, and coordinate referral appointments with relevant parties outside organization.
• Working closely with all programme staff must navigate, compromise, and negotiate successful tracking and coordination of referrals
• Assemble information concerning beneficiaries' background and referral needs. Per referral guidelines, provide appropriate information to relevant outside specialists
• Contact review organizations to ensure prior approval requirements are met
• Review details and expectations about the referral with beneficiaries
• Assist beneficiaries in problem solving potential issues related to the health care system, financial or social barriers (e.g., request interpreters as appropriate, transportation services or prescription assistance).
• Identify and utilize cultural and community resources. Establish and maintain relationships with identified service providers.
• Ensure that referrals are addressed in a timely manner.
• Conducting trainings on referral procedures for volunteers and project assistants
• Ensure maintenance of relevant databases

Education

• University degree in social policy, social sciences, art and humanities, political science or development studies

Skills

• Good facilitation and documentation skills
• Good analytical and communication skills
• Computer skills, word processing, data management
• Ability to distil large amounts of information for a variety of audiences
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish effective working relationships both within and outside the organization

Knowledge and experience

• Extensive experience developing and managing protection programme at field level in emergency contexts
• Sound knowledge and understanding of protection issues in emergency context, including the issues of social marginalisation of vulnerable people.
• Understanding of the humanitarian coordination system, humanitarian principles.
• Experience of working with humanitarian INGOs/NGOs and UN Agencies, with a thorough understanding of their respective functioning.
• Experience of capacity building with a various range of actors, including at senior level.
• Experience of development and implementation of needs assessment, research and data collection activities.
• Experience or working knowledge of ageing, disability and the issues facing older people and other vulnerable groups, in particular persons with disability and older people in humanitarian crises.
• Excellent representation and networking skills with a variety of stakeholders at different levels.
• Experience in advocacy and networking
• Experience of working in development/emergency field
• Good experience in training development
• Understanding of participatory tools and processes

Safeguarding:

• Preventing harm and abuse from our people, operations and programs, to anyone that encounters our work;
• Report all safeguarding incidents they see, hear, hear about or suspect, using our internal reporting mechanism;
• Complying with all safeguarding framework policies and practices
• Completing mandatory training courses relating to our safeguarding policy framework and comply with HR vetting procedures.

If you are interested in this position, please send your СV and Cover letter in a language convenient for you (English/Russian/Ukrainian). The applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and HAI may contact eligible candidates prior to the deadline for submission as such early application is encouraged.