The Cyprus Refugee Council is interested to hire a motivated individual to carry out the tasks of the Social Advisor stationed at Kofinou Reception Center for Asylum Seekers for the project Strengthening Asylum in Cyprus funded by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Country Office in Cyprus.

Organizational Context
The Cyprus Refugee Council is a non-governmental, non-profit organization with a focus on refugees, asylum seekers, trafficking victims and survivors of torture. CyRC strives to safeguard, support and advocate for the rights of vulnerable groups in Cyprus as well as promote their effective integration into local society.

Vacancy - Social Advisor (full-time) The Social Advisor will be stationed at the Kofinou Reception Center for Asylum Seekers

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide counseling and assistance to residents at Kofinou Reception center in order to ensure that they have access to their rights as these are envisaged in national, European and international law, including access to medical services, vocational training, language classes, employment and welfare support.
• Support and provide assistance to the Management team of the Center for the development of the services provided in
  the Center.
• Liaise with volunteers, service providers and activity providers in the Center to ensure coordination and smooth operations.
• Organise where needed programmes, activities, support groups within the centre.
• Assist in organizing and providing capacity building activities to the management staff of the Center.
• Mobilise and organise residents so they may take on an active role in the center and implement activities that enhances their communal capacities and resilience.
• Act as an interface between the local community and the asylum-seekers and facilitate and encourage interaction between the communities.
• Assist and facilitate the transition of residents out of the Center by providing information, advice, and guidance to persons of concern both in one-on-one meetings and in group sessions.
• Identify individuals with specific needs, including older persons, persons with disabilities, unaccompanied and separated children, single parents, survivors of torture, trafficking and sexual and gender-based violence, and provide assist to them.
• Liaise with the authorities and NGO partners for the better coordination of service-provision to residents of the Center.
• Ensure that men, women, girls, boys of all ages, nationalities, backgrounds and abilities participate in the assessment, planning and implementation of all protection, social and educational activities.
• Undertake other duties as required.

Academic Qualifications Required

• University degree in Social Sciences, Social Work, Counseling or other related field.
• Additional training in counseling, crisis intervention, conflict management or related fields will be considered an asset.

Relevant Experience Required

• 3 years experience in social support, case management and counseling.
• Experience in community mobilization and capacity-building.
• Experience working with vulnerable groups, particularly children and adolescents.
• Experience working in a multi-cultural and multi-national context.

Skills required

• Excellent command of Greek and English language; knowledge of an additional language, such as Arabic or French, would be considered an asset.
• Excellent writing and drafting skills.
• Analytical skills: ability to conduct situation analysis, social analysis of risk factors, as well as analysis of the political and economic context.
• Ability to mobilize resources including within communities of persons of concern.
• Ability to coordinate various activities and partners, including persons of concern, for an optimal use of resources.
• Ability to assess training needs and design training modules and deliver training to educate other people.
• Negotiating skills.
• Counselling and mentoring skills, both individually and in groups.
• Communication, inter-personal skills and team work
• Good computer skills, including excellent use of word processing and spreadsheet software.

Applications MUST include a CV and a cover letter.

Closing date: 13 January 2019. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Send your completed application to: info@cyrefugeecouncil.org