Anova Health | Social Worker Opportunity X1

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Therapeutic interventions / psychosocial support for PWUD

• Complete assessments and intervention plan/recommendation for each client.
• Oversee all counselling for PWUD in the project.
• Provide safe and confidential psychosocial or crisis interventions for PWUD in the project
• Provide trauma containment support for PWUD.
• With a special focus on OST clients, support PWUD on OST with social re-integration and family re-unification.
• Support women who use or inject drugs with specific needs.
• To follow up on each client, checking adherence to ART, TB treatment or PEP and assisting clients to address adherence barriers.
• When required, support HTS counsellors with counselling for pre and post HIV testing.
• Support referral for any services the PWUD required such as shelter, food security and psychological support.
• Provide appropriate referrals and follow up
• Be reliable, consistent, and respectful of client’s time and vulnerabilities
• Conduct training and assist in skills development of peers
• Provide assistance with obtaining Identity Documents
• Provide assistance with linkage to shelters

Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST)

• Educate service beneficiaries, staff, and others on OST.
• Prepare service beneficiaries for OST and manage their expectations
• Conduct Screenings for potential OST clients
• Attend clinical meetings and provide psychosocial feedback
• Provide ongoing counselling and support utilizing the harm reduction ethos to service beneficiaries who are accessing/re-accessing OST.
• Provide similar services for peers and other staff if requested
• Conduct OST training as needed
• Conduct adherence support group to OST clients
• Provide psychosocial support to the support people of clients on OST
• Verify information given by clients
• Provide assistance with the preparation and dosing of clients.
• Build and maintain stakeholder relations as a means of referral pathways for clients

Group activities

• Plan all psychosocial group activities with the Psychosocial counsellor.
• When appropriate, participate in the facilitation of stakeholder engagements including sensitization workshops.
• Be responsible for ensuring all activities take place as needed and that the budget is used accordingly

Training and information sharing

• Attend trainings as required.
• Cascade all training down as appropriate in the organization.
• Facilitate trainings when appropriate and needed.

Reporting, Administration and Facilitation

• Complete the required data collection tools, including ensuring consent and confidentiality agreements are completed
• In cases where clients will enter long-term interventions, maintain patient files.
• Compile reports on client trends, needs, challenges and actions.
• When applicable, participate in general programme activities.
• Perform related office administration duties of the programme
• It is your responsibility to ensure that you familiarise yourself with Anova Policies, especially those relevant to your position

Organisational responsibilities

• Giove input and update the stakeholder and referral database quarterly.
• Attend meetings, briefings, debriefing, staff meetings and other as directed to do so on a regular basis.
• Additional responsibilities delegated by managers from time to time.
• Represent the organisation with pride and ensure you adhere to the ethos and principles.
• When needed and appropriate, provide debriefing to staff.
• Act as a role model to strengthen positive behaviour change of PWUD and other colleagues
• Responsible for driving yourself and your team to the sites of work as and when required, and you should adhere to the Anova vehicle management policy.

Minimum Qualifications, Experience and Skills Required

• A Degree in Social Work or relevant qualification.
• Must be registered with The South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP/Council).
• 5 years’ experience working as a Social Worker.
• 2 years’ experience in working with people who use drugs
• Knowledge of Harm reduction
• Knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention and community health issues
• Experience managing other cadres (e.g. counsellors, social auxiliary workers)
• Knowledge of various mental therapeutic interventions and related legislations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to keep neat, accurate, complete and confidential records.
• Knowledge of working with DoH policies.
• Excellent record keeping skills.
• Resilient and mental strong individual.
• Supervisory, mentorship and leadership skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Valid driver’s license and willing to travel as and when required.
• Innovative, organized, analytical and excellent interpretation data skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and has attention to details.
• Previous experience in managing and coordinating projects.
• Facilitation and presentation skills.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office.
• A valid code 08 (Code B) driver’s license and willing to travel frequently

In accordance with our Employment Equity goals and plan, preference will be given to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and subsequent amendments thereto. Preference will be given to persons with disabilities.

Anova Health Institute is a provider of essential health services and therefore has a mandatory vaccination policy. Should your application be successful, you will be required to submit your proof of vaccination before commencing employment in the role.

Applicants who have not been contacted within 4 weeks of submitting their application should assume that they have not been successful.

Unsolicited CVs from agencies will not be paid agency fees should their candidate be placed at Anova.

More information on Anova visit our website: www.anovahealth.co.za