Focal Point for Community Action Santa At Médecins du Monde – Suisse

INTRODUCTION

Doctors of the World Switzerland (Médecins du Monde Suisse – MdM-CH) is a medical humanitarian non-governmental organization (NGO) governed by Swiss law. We work to ensure sustainable access to healthcare for marginalized and vulnerable populations.

As part of the prevention and management of violence, MdM-CH has been implementing since March 2023, the third phase of a three (3) years project entitled “Strengthening the protection of vulnerable populations in the North-West and West regions of Cameroon”, which aims to contribute to the reduction of violence and the optimization of victims’ access to integrated victim care services in the North-West and West regions of Cameroon, targeting internally displaced populations from the conflict in the North West and South West Regions as well as vulnerable host populations.

As with all the organization’s interventions, this project is part of a dynamic that combines institutional anchoring to facilitate the development of service provision and community and anchoring to improve demand, all with a view to reducing exclusion and moving towards universal access to care. Furthermore, the project deploys educational support activities in 10 partners schools (4 in Bamenda and 6 in Mbouda) to ensure that these schools are safe and protective environments for pupils.

At the institutional level, the project provides free holistic care for victims in hospitals in the North-West region (Bamenda and Santa) and the West region (Bafoussam and Mbouda), with emphasis on men and boys who are victims of violence, by setting up and supporting the operation of 2 Integrated Support Units (ISU) at the regional hospitals of Bamenda and Bafoussam and emergency units at the Santa and Mbouda District Hospitals. In the communities, two networks of 10 community relay agents each operate in the towns of Bamenda and Bafoussam. Additionally, three multidisciplinary mobile clinic teams, each consisting of five members, are active in Bamenda, Santa, and Bafoussam. These teams conduct sensitization sessions to facilitate the identification and referral of cases to project-supported care units. In the project’s 10 partner schools, two networks of protection agents carry out awareness activities, organize recreational sessions, and provide extra classes for pupils.

As part of the third phase of the aforementioned project**,** we are recruiting a Focal Point for Community Action to support our activities in Bamenda and Santa

JOB DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the Mental Health Supervisor, the Focal Point for Community Action will be responsible for ensuring the effective implementation of institutional, community and educational activities aimed at protecting vulnerable populations in Bamenda and Santa.

Key Responsibilities

Objective 1: Facilitate Access to Integrated Services for Victims of Violence

• Facilitate access to quality medical care and emergency psychosocial support for GBV victims at Santa District Hospital, and facilitate their referral to the Integrated Support Unit at the Bamenda Regional Hospital.
• Facilitate access to integrated services for pupils of 4 partner primary schools of Bamenda who are victims of violence.
• Help develop and implement communication strategies to facilitate accessibility of GBV Services
• Strengthen coordination with key protection sector actors in Santa (MINAS, MINPROF, community-based organizations, local and international NGOs) to enhance access to GBV services and referrals in Bamenda and Santa.
• Supervise the planning, organization, and execution of weekly Mobile Clinic sessions in Bamenda and Santa in collaboration with partner community-based organizations.
• Provide technical support to partner Community-Based Organizations in GBV prevention and response strategies.
• Advocate with community leaders and educational stakeholders for violence prevention and response efforts.
• Provide technical and logistical support to a network of 15 educational protection agents in the organisation, monitoring and evaluation of violence prevention and response activities in 4 primary schools in Bamenda

Objective 2: Strengthen community and educational activities

Objective 3: Team Coordination and Activity Management

• Adhere strictly to MdM-CH and donor policies and procedures in activity implementation.
• Foster strong collaboration and synergy between MdM-CH and local partners including the North West Regional Delegation for Basic Education.
• Represent MdM-CH in engagement with beneficiary communities, community partners and educational stakeholders.
• Identify challenges in activity implementation and propose solutions to the Mental Health Supervisor.
• Promote team cohesion and a positive working environment.

Objective 4: Activity Monitoring, Reporting, and Community Engagement

• Report regularly to the Mental Health Supervisor on activity progress and key decisions.
• Ensure the effective management of funds allocated for activities.
• Organize and conduct regular coordination meetings with target groups.
• Engage communities at all levels to build and maintain a community referral network.
• Coordinate the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of GBV-related communication activities.
• Document and share best practices and lessons learned from the project.

Note: Responsibilities may be adjusted based on the evolving project context.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

1 Education

• A degree in social sciences or a related field.

2 Professional Experience

Required:

• At least two (2) years of experience working with a national or international NGO in the protection field.
• At least two (2) years of experience in gender-based violence (GBV) response and prevention.
• Previous experience in Child Protection and Education in Emergency.
• Experience working with internally displaced persons (IDPs), vulnerable individuals, children, and adolescents in school and community settings.
• Previous experience in Bamenda and/or Santa will be an asset.

3 General and Specific Skills

• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills in multicultural contexts.
• High level of autonomy, proactiveness, and solution-oriented thinking.
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and/or French.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to communicate in a local language (Pidgin, etc.).
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team-oriented environment.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must submit the following:

• A motivation letter addressed to the General Coordinator of Doctors of the World Switzerland
• An updated Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages).
• Proof of previous work experience (e.g., work certificates, contracts, end-of-contract certificates).
• Two professional references, including at least one from the most recent employer (include full name, job title, email, and functional phone number).

NB: Shortlisted candidates will be required to submit original copies of their ID, diplomas, certificates, and a criminal record extract (dated within the last three months).