A Social Worker – Key Populations Programme (Transgender) vacancy is available at our Client, Wits Health Consortium’s Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (RHI) in Buffalo City – East London – Eastern Cape.

Background

The Wits RHI Key Populations Programme seeks to advance the South African HIV response amongst key populations, specifically sex workers and transgender women. Our sites offer an integrated package of HIV prevention, care and treatment; primary health care; gender-affirming health care (hormone treatment); psychosocial support services; and referral to a range of social services. Our services are peer-educator and nurse driven with a high level of community engagement.

The Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI) is a renowned African-led research institute that seeks solutions to Africa’s health challenges.

It is located within the University of the Witwatersrand and addresses some of the greatest public health concerns affecting our region, including HIV and its related problems, sexual and reproductive health and vaccinology. This is done through pioneering, multi-disciplinary research; responsive technical support and innovation in health services; and evidence-based policy development and advocacy with national, regional and global stakeholders.

The Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI) is a leading research institute attached to the University of the Witwatersrand. We address some of the greatest public health concerns affecting the region, including HIV, sexual and reproductive health, and vaccinology. We do this through pioneering, multi-disciplinary research; responsive technical support and innovation in health services; and evidence-based policy development and advocacy with national, regional and global stakeholders. 

Main purpose of the job

• Provide comprehensive case, group and community work services within fixed and community settings.
• Support stakeholder engagement and community mobilization.

Location

• Buffalo City – East London

Key performance areas

• Implement social work services along the continuum of care from prevention and early intervention to tertiary services within a multi-disciplinary team comprising professional nurses, medical officers, community health care workers and peer educators.
• Provide individual counselling/ therapy to key population members, including support for gender-affirming trans health care in collaboration with clinical psychologist.
• Conduct varied support and therapeutic groups, included ART and PrEP adherence groups
• Initiate community work interventions to create demand for services and mobilise key populations.
• Optimise stakeholder engagement with key population lead CSOs, government departments, NGOs, and social service organisations.
• Provide supervision to a team of lay counsellors and peer educators
• Conduct debriefing and offer psychosocial support to peer educator teams
• Serve as an advocate for trans health services
• Capacitate peer educators and other personal cadres to provide psychosocial support to trans clients.
• Contribute to the formulation of implementation science research questions and support study implementation.
• Advocate for accessible and acceptable health and social services for key population
• Undertake stakeholder and community engagement in increase uptake of services.
• Develop and manage referral protocol and network; refer clients for further management to appropriate institutions as necessary.
• Provide key populations sensitisation and competency training to social, health and law enforcement agencies.
• Perform and comply with administrative procedures associated with accurate project/ clinical record keeping and reporting including client records and confidentiality.

Required minimum education and training

• BA Social Work degree
• Registration with South African Council of Social Service Professionals (SACSSP)
• Driving License

Required minimum work experience

• 3 to 5 years’ experience working in an NGO / community setting

Desirable additional education, work experience and personal abilities

• Preference will be given to trans specifically or LGBTQI identified professionals
• Previous work experience with LBBTQI community members
• Understanding of the challenges facing key population members in the health context prior sensitisation and/or hormone provision and monitoring experience or training desirable
• An ability to communicate and work well with Key Population members; prior counselling experience with key populations is desirable
• Previous experience in Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services and ART adherence support.
• Knowledge of national, provincial and district health and social service structures
• Able to priorities own workload and work towards deadlines
• Self-motivated, able to work independently, takes initiative and work as-part of a multidisciplinary team
• Pro-active, able to exercise discretion and independent decision making
• Able to speak South African languages
• Attention to detail
• Report writing skills

TO APPLY

• Only if you do meet the minimum job requirements and experience as mentioned above, you may submit a detailed updated CV – Please Apply Online
• Please take note that the applicants who do not adhere to the above criteria will not be considered for the respective position.
• The closing date for all applications is 01 June 2020.
• Wits Health Consortium will only respond to shortlisted candidates.
• Candidates who have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date can consider their applications to be unsuccessful.
• 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.

Please note that AJ PERSONNEL is only responsible for the advertising of the advertisement on behalf of their client Wits Health Consortium.

AJ Personnel does not have any salary or other information regarding the position.

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