Protection Assistant – Psychosocial Support (PSS)

About the role

The Danish Refugee Council is seeking a Protection Assistant specialized in Psychosocial Support (PSS) to implement community‑based and individual psychosocial activities in Sanja, Ethiopia. The role focuses on delivering non‑specialized counselling, trauma healing sessions, and capacity‑building trainings while ensuring the inclusion of vulnerable groups.

Key responsibilities

• Support delivery of structured and non‑structured PSS activities for children, adolescents, women, men and caregivers.
• Facilitate group sessions such as life‑skills, peer‑support, child‑friendly spaces and community‑based PSS.
• Provide basic individual psychosocial support in line with PSS principles.
• Plan and conduct awareness sessions on stress management, coping mechanisms and positive parenting.
• Organise community dialogues, psycho‑education and sensitisation on trauma and coping.
• Deliver capacity‑building training for community leaders on Psychological First Aid and basic psychosocial support.
• Identify individuals showing distress, deliver Psychological First Aid and refer to specialised MHPSS services.
• Maintain confidential, survivor‑centred case management and referrals to health, protection, legal and other services.

Required profile

• Experience in community‑based psychosocial support or protection activities.
• Ability to work with children, youths, adults, persons with disabilities and survivors of violence.
• Knowledge of Psychological First Aid (PFA) and basic psychosocial support principles.
• Strong commitment to confidentiality and survivor‑centred approaches.
• Capacity to organise group activities, trainings and community sensitisation.

Required skills