Job Description

Counsellor, IDU TI LEPRA Society is a pan-India health and development organization working for the people affected by Leprosy and other neglected diseases to transform their lives and overcome poverty, discrimination and disability. LEPRA endeavors to diagnose, facilitate treatment to those affected and help them to rehabilitate into the mainstream of the society. LEPRA works in collaborations with the Government and other funding agencies to reach into most inaccessible villages of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh states. The IDU –TI project is one of the few in the state of Orissa and offers unique experience of working with the IDUs. With support from Odisha State AIDS Prevention and Control Society, LEPRA is successfully implementing the project since 2006. The activities include a) Mapping of ID Users, b) Needle and syringe exchanges programme, c) Drugs substitution programme, e) Focused Group Discussions with ID Users and family members, f) Training programmes for staff, Peer Educators and Outreach Workers, g) Sensitization programmes for IDUs, h) Collection of Blood Samples for the purpose of the sentinel site survey (one time activity), h) Vein care management, I) Abscess Management, j) Linkages with drug De-addiction Centers, k) Linkages with other secondary stakeholders etc. JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The counsellor is responsible for taking individual and group sessions on HIV/AIDS, STI, safe sex and injecting practices, prevention of abscesses, overdose prevention, drug treatment options, OST, etc.

• The counsellor also shall engage in family counselling.

• Demonstrate condom use, counsel on condom negotiation skills.

• The counsellor shall also be responsible for motivating the clients for regular General Medical Check ups, referral of clients to ICTC, STI clinic, ART, etc.

• The counsellor shall also be responsible for orientation of ORWs on counselling techniques and coordinate the outreach based BCC and psychosocial support activities.

• The counsellor shall also look into the counselling requirement of female sex partner and spouses of IDUs and motivating them to avail the HIV related services (STI treatment, ICTC, etc).

• In addition, s/he shall develop the BCC materials suitable for local context, follow-up clients both in DIC and in the field and maintain records as per prescribed formats.

• The counsellor would be responsible for identifying individual or group motivators or inhibitors which require to be addressed for health seeking behaviours, condom use, decline in sharing the needles/syringes, decline in domestic or group violence, addressing issues related to self-esteem, communitisation of groups etc.

• Using the above areas the counsellor would guide the outreach team to have specific need based BCC sessions to address these issues.

• The Counsellor would be responsible for management of clinics especially record keeping, management of the patient flow, visit to the clinic sites or preferred providers and dispensing of medicines.

• The counsellor in coordination with M&E assistant cum Accountant would identify the hotspots or sites with low service uptake, increasing defaulters – prepare outreach and visit plan to conduct hotspot level meeting.

• The counsellor along with ORWs would prepare a plan to improve linkage with ICTCs / FICTCs ensuring sharing of line listing of referred clients from TI to ICTC, maintenance of referral cards and referral registers.

• The counsellor along with M&E assistant cum Accountant would ensure timely reporting of condom stocks, OST medicine stocks, STI and other general medicine stocks to DAPCU, SACS, TSU or TSG as per requirements.

• The counsellor will participate in site validation process and would update the site validation and quarterly line listing of HRGs of the project along with M&E assistant cum Accountant.

• The counsellor will participate in stakeholder meeting and would prepare a stakeholder engagement plan to ensure that the issues related to BCC and service uptake is associated.

• Ensure collection of used needles and syringes in a IDU TI and bio-medical waste management as per the required guidelines.

• Disposal of clinic or health camp wastes as per the recommended guidelines.

• The Counsellor to travel to the project area for providing services in the field. The counsellor should visit the field for about 10-12 days in a month.

• The counsellor shall also engage with providers of social welfare services and facilitate linkage with social welfare services.

Reporting:

• Report to PM of the project.
• Provide data / information required for preparation of reports.
• Prepare at least 12 case records in the prescribed format and conduct risk management plan for HRGs or their regular clients.
• Maintain / ensure records on referrals to other services, patients register, follow up register, referrals cards, reconciliation of referral cards, patient cards, condom stock and issue register, needle and syringe stock and issue register, bio-medical waste management register, medicine stock and issue register, social marketing of condoms register or any other documents as per

requirements Knowledge and Skills:

• Familiarity with issues related to marginalised communities especially with HRGs and their families.
• Strong communication and mobilisation skills.
• Ability to work in small teams, and flexible ways of working.
• Proficiency in report writing, case study compilation.
• At least 10 days in the field visit required.
• Overall management capacity to monitor, report and guide the team under him/her in absence of Project Manager or any other task provided by the team.

Summary of Key Functions: The Counsellor will be responsible for managing providing counselling and communication support to the programme in identifying individual or group behaviour including opportunities or challenges which have implication in HIV/AIDS Programme. Identify motivators or inhibitors among individuals or their family members and among groups which required to be addressed through BCC sessions by outreach team as well as through one to one or one to group counselling sessions. Ensure confidentiality while dealing with individual cases. Ensure participation in project based clinics, preferred providers clinics, health camps and would maintain patient registers, dispense medicines, demonstrate condom use, counsel on condom Negotiation skills, education on NSEP, overdose prevention, abscess, OST, use of lubrication etc. Qualification & Experience

• The counsellor should be a Post-graduate in Psychology or Social Work with a regular course.
• In case, a person with above qualification is not available, candidate with following qualification and experience may be considered:
• Graduate in Psychology or Social Work (only with regular course) with minimum two years work experience in counselling or working with TIs/Adolescent Health Programme/Mental Health settings/Substance Abuse or Drug Dependence programmes.
• Please note that we will be able to communicate only with shortlisted candidates at every stage of selection process.

Remuneration:Rs. 12000 per month(All Inclusive) How to apply? If you have the skills and necessary experience and are interested in this position please forward your application along with covering letter and detailed resume in the specified format downloaded from www.leprasociety.in (Get Involved – “career column”) to hrd@leprahealthinaction.in specifying the REF.NO TICON743 &Post applied for on or before due date. LEPRA Society is an equal opportunity employer. Preference will be given to PLHIV with the required qualifications and experience. Women candidates are encouraged to apply. LEPRA Society’s management reserves the right to modify the contents of this position description at any time