Mental Health Activity Manager Hong Kong (m/f/x) – MSF Belgium At Médecins Sans Frontières

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides assistance in more than 60 countries to populations in distress, to victims of natural or manmade disasters and to victims of armed conflicts, without discrimination and irrespective of origin, religion, creed or political affiliation.

MSF Operational Centre Brussels is looking for a:

MENTAL HEALTH ACTIVITY MANAGER (m/f/x) – Hong Kong

CONTEXT

MSF is developing an intervention supporting vulnerable population in Hong Kong. The aim is to provide medical and mental health support to the elderly and homeless people through various platforms and programmes. According to official data, about 70% of registered street sleepers in Hong Kong are over the age of 50, whereas around 20% of the total population is over the age of 65.

As of March 2022, there were 1,564 street sleepers registered under the authority’s official registry, increased by 2.6 times when compared with that in 2013. However, since those staying in shelters and those who have not yet registered exclude in the official figure, the true number of homeless people in the city is likely to be underestimated. Majority of the people experiencing homelessness are sleeping on the streets, roadsides, footbridges, or in the parks where the precarious living condition and social-economic status make it difficult for them to maintain personal physical and mental health, as well as accessing medical healthcare services.

According to a survey jointly conducted by 6 local NGOs, 39% of homeless people interviewed have chronic illnesses, 15.5% with physical disability, 25.4% have used psychiatric medicine in the past 6 months, 28.7% have shown depression symptoms and 26.3% have shown anxiety symptoms. Yet, there is no data suggesting the accessibility and utility of medical and mental health services of homeless people. As such, the medical needs of the homeless and factors such as facilitating and obstructing access to medical care services are two of the key areas the Project wishes to address.

Given these two populations’ needs, elderly and homeless people, and their accessibility to medical services needed, it is proposed that the Hong Kong Project intervenes to meet the medical needs including mental health of the homeless population and, particularly the needs of the homeless elderly.

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

Define, coordinate, implement and monitor all mental health related activities in the project area including management of staff, ensuring the quality of care and analyzing statistics and reports, according to MSF protocols in order to provide the most appropriate care and support to the target population.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Define, plan, organize and update the MHPS strategy and appropriate activities contributing to the strategic plan of MSF Hong Kong’s planned intervention for the coming years, taking into account the local context, cultural sensitivity and the needs of the target population.
• Contribute to the development of knowledge and know-how of MSF in the field of mental health of the elderly population.
• Manage and supervise the mental health team in developing and implementing mental health-related activities for the target population:

– Coordinate and supervise the team in conducting mental health-related activities and ensure the quality of service is up to MSF guidelines

– Provide guidance to mental health team members and volunteers in the implementation of psychosocial activities defined in the MHPS strategy based on the needs of the target population, such as workshops, group sessions.

• Develop, update, and assist in production of tools and materials needed and ensure the implementation of all Mental Health standard protocols and guidelines set by MSF in order to provide the most appropriate support to the target population.
• Plan and supervise, in close coordination with the HR department, the associated processes such as recruitment, trainings, induction, briefing/debriefing, evaluation, development of competencies of the personnel under his/her responsibility to ensure the adequacy of the human resources to the achievement of the fixed objectives.
• Coordinate and ensure that MHPS activities are performed with regular follow-up to provide the most appropriate support and quality of care to the target population, including but not limited to quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the activities.
• Ensure that the mental health team has the skills to deliver sessions with calm and neutrality regardless of personal feelings and/or beliefs, as well as communication skills and appropriate behavior during sessions.
• Provide regular trainings and regular individual and group technical supervision (seat-in session, case discussion) according to the needs of the team.
• In collaboration with the medical team, ensure that patients with mental disorder receive adequate mental health care, follow-up, and psychosocial support either within the MSF services or by referral to an external partner.
• Conduct and/or participate in mapping and regularly updating the existing mental health services, including local mental health actors and services, community groups and governmental health services available for the target population, and maintaining good and regular communication and collaboration with other components of the project according to objectives and context.
• Identify and inform the line manager on possible advocacy topics and participate in the project’s advocacy strategy
• Provide regular activity reports, ensure individual patient consultation forms, group session forms, data entry forms are accurately completed, and active cohort sheet updated regularly.
• Participate in external meetings or related events.

REQUIREMENTS

Education & Experience

• Essential Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology (5 years)
• Essential working experience of at least 3 years as clinical psychologist
• Essential working experience at least 3 years with MSF or others NGOs
• Essential working experience in working with elderly population, homeless population, or any vulnerable population

Competencies

• Humanitarian motivation and interest
• Cross cultural awareness
• Behavioral flexibiity
• Result and Quality Orientation
• Team work and cooperation
• Stress Management,
• Networking and building relationship
• Leadership
• Planning and organizing
• Analytical thinking
• Strategic vision
• People Management and Development
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Understanding of Asian culture will be an asset

Languages

• Essential English
• Desirablelocal language

CONDITIONS

• Expected starting date: As soon as possible
• Location: Hong Kong
• Length of contract: 12 months
• Contract type: Fixed-term contract – Full time
• The contractual terms, conditions and salary will be established according to the official residence of the selected candidate and in compliance with the standard MSF function and salary grids.
• No family position
• Adhere to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment
• Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments