Physiotherapist 353 views

 About CVT:

The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to providing trauma rehabilitative services to survivors of gross human rights abuses, including torture, and works toward a future in which gross human rights violations cease to exist and victims have hope for a new life. We are headquartered in Minnesota, USA with offices in Africa and the Middle East. We work locally, nationally, and internationally through programs that provide trauma rehabilitative services, conduct technical assistance and capacity building to human rights activists, civil society organizations, and local service providers around the world who can prevent and treat gross human rights abuses, and advocate for human rights and an end to gross human rights violations.

General Description of Role

To provide physiotherapy services in CVT’s Dabat and in partner centers. The physiotherapist will work under daily supervision of clinicians and as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide rehabilitation through individual and group sessions and workshops to those suffering from the physical effects of torture and war trauma. The key goals of treatment are to improve functional ability, decrease pain levels, improve management of specific conditions such as incontinence, stress, poor sleep and pain, improve social participation and functioning, improve coping and outlook and improve body awareness and self-regulation. When appropriate, the physiotherapist will support in the training of other healthcare professionals and advocate on behalf of CVT.

Main Responsibilities

Provision of Physiotherapy Services (30%)

• Provide appropriate physiotherapy assessment to clients (Adults and children) throughout their episode of care at CVT in order to continuously evaluate their progress and their changing needs for intervention and establish treatment goals and plan.
• Determine appropriate treatment techniques for war trauma and torture survivors based on solid clinical reasoning. Interventions could include education, exercise therapy and manual therapy in the context of group work or within individual sessions for both adults and children. This will include demonstration of physical exercises in some cases to both male and female clients in workshops.
• Educate and advise clients and their care takers about prevention and/or self-management of their condition include the children and their caregivers.
• Take responsibility for maintaining professional development by keeping up to date with evidence-based practice for managing CVT clients.
• Assist in the daily clinical operations to ensure clients are given appointments in a timely manner, group work activities and room designation is scheduled and coordinated fairly, equipment is shared and organized appropriately and follow other CVT client procedures.
• Maintain up- to- date clinical records and statistical data and ensure that all required documentation is completed and stored in a timely and professional manner.
• Ensure that all work with clients observes CVT’s confidentiality policies and that ethical practices are observed at all times and are in accordance with the WCPT standards.
• Provide interpretation between clients and other CVT staff members and assist with translating written material when needed.
• Ensure the cleanliness of treatment spaces and equipment used with clients as well as maintains a clean, professional appearance.
• Is proactive and participatory in developing the Physiotherapy service and in helping support/orientate colleagues.
• Attend all regularly scheduled trainings and meetings necessary for professional development and team coordination and upon request.
• When necessary to accommodate programmatic needs, work after hours or on weekend days when requested

Community Awareness, Understanding and Engagement (20%)

• Assist with CVTs community outreach and awareness, education, and sensitization campaigns and programs when needed.
• Liaise with CVT PSCs to identify children, teenagers, men, and women whose physical functioning may have been affected by torture or war related experiences and encourage them to approach CVT for support.
• Assist in designing, planning, logistics, implementing and facilitating external training programs for local decision makers, community members and local and international NGO’s, and government/ministry staff on trauma and health issues in order to develop a more supportive environment for people whose physical functioning has been affected by experiences of torture and war trauma.
• Contribute to completing the documentation and reporting of external trainings.
• Assist with developing referral systems and encourage collaboration between local groups and leaders, local and international NGOs, and government ministries.
• Attend interagency meetings to improve service delivery to our client groups and access opportunities to forward CVT’s work.

Multi-disciplinary Collaboration (20%)

• Case manage clients’ interdisciplinary care through regular communication with CVT’s counsellors (Cs) and Psychotherapist/Trainers to best identify clients’ on-going needs.
• Consistently communicate prior to and throughout client sessions with other disciplines to supply and receive relevant information about the background and progress of clients as well as refer those who require other specific medical attention.
• Provide and attend internal trainings to orient new staff and provide on-going interdisciplinary understanding and discussion.
• Recognize and respect boundaries between disciplines and establish regular communication mechanisms to address client urgent and/or on-going concerns.

Promoting Self-Care (20%)

• Attend regular support, debriefing, case conferences, and/or supervision meetings to ensure information and skill-sharing.
• Set and follow through on a personal self-care schedule to avoid burnout and vicarious traumatization.
• Recognize and seek support when needed from internal and/or external resources to address concerns of secondary trauma in an expedient manner.
• Provide formal feedback to colleagues when requested for on-going performance evaluation and development.

Other Duties (10%)

• Participate in and contribute to organizational discussions as appropriate.
• Perform other duties as required.

Supervisor: The Counselor will be based in Dabat and report to the Psychotherapist-Trainer

Location: CVT Healing Center in Dabat, Amhara, Ethiopia/Alemwach Refugee Site. Travel to additional CVT field centers as necessary.

Terms of employment: The contract is effective from November 1, 2023 through July 31, 2024 (60 business days of probationary period) with a possibility of continuation depending on funding availability and performance.

Required Qualifications

• University degree or equivalent in Physiotherapy or related discipline.
• At least 2 years’ experience providing physiotherapy in humanitarian settings
• Physiotherapy practicing license (provided by the Ministry of Health).
• Preferred education, experience, certificates, licenses or registrations
• Must be fluent in English, Amharic and Tigrigna, both in written and spoken.

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities)

Required:

• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook).
• Excellent Oral and written communication skills in English and Amharic.
• Understanding of and experience implementing culturally appropriate mental health interventions, including individual, group and community-based approaches for people who have suffered torture and war trauma.
• Understanding of and experience developing curriculum and providing training for social work professionals using interactive methodologies.  Experience providing training and sensitization on the effects of trauma and war.
•  Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability to work in challenging areas, changing conditions, procedures and/or policies, client needs, program needs, and required tasks.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with individuals at all levels.
• Strong leadership, analytical, problem solving, and organizational skills including effective time management and work load organization.
• Commitment to the ethical and sensitive implementation of project activities, including a commitment to confidentiality, diversity, equity, and inclusion, quality service provision, and the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (including online).
• Ability to consistently promote and represent a humanitarian and human rights understanding of their work internally and externally, including promoting acceptance of differences and non-discrimination.
• Commitment to and role modeling of human rights approach including: maintaining respect regarding any sensitive issues such as religion, minority or political affiliation and treating colleagues equally regardless of differences. Strong commitment to serve beneficiaries of CVT’s project regardless their religion, gender, disability, minority affiliation or political background.
• Demonstrated commitment to the organization’s interdisciplinary approach in trauma rehabilitation service delivery.

Preferred:

• Skilled at carrying out needs assessment and program evaluations.
• Experience working as part of an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to communicate in Tigrigna, Nuer, Agnuak, Agonya, or other languages spoken in CVT operation areas.