Venezuela – Case Manager At COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale

COOPI

COOPI Cooperazione Internazionale is a secular and independent NGO, founded in Milan in 1965. It carries out development projects to contribute to the fight against poverty and emergency projects to support people affected by natural disasters or conflicts. COOPI is currently present in 33 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean. The main institutional donors are the European Union, UN agencies, the Italian Government, local authorities and other European governments.

Description of COOPI in the country

Since 2019, COOPI has established a presence in Venezuela to assist the local population following the worsening of the country’s socio-economic crisis. As of July 2020, it has launched a regional crisis response program implemented in consortium with Venezuelan organizations for the protection of vulnerable groups. In recent years, COOPI has expanded its interventions and is currently implementing projects in the Capital District, Miranda, Sucre, Bolívar and Delta Amacuro in the sectors: Protection (General Protection and GBV), Sexual and Reproductive Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Livelihoods and Food Security.

Objective/Job Description

Within the framework of the project “Multisectoral assistance and vital protection services for the Venezuelan population in situations of greatest vulnerability and risk affected by the crisis in Venezuela”, the intervention aims to improve protection conditions and increase the security and well-being of the Venezuelan population in situations of greatest vulnerability and at risk through the provision of multisectoral protection and assistance services. The organizations of the Consortium will concentrate their actions in nine (9) states of Venezuela: Amazonas, Apure, Bolívar, Delta Amacuro, Distrito Capital, Falcón, Miranda, Sucre, Táchira and Zulia, carrying out activities with interventions in various subsectors of the Protection Sector, including the response to gender-based violence, child protection and psychosocial support (PSS). In addition, it will also include complementary activities in different subsectors of Food Assistance, Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and Humanitarian Coordination, Information Management and Evaluations.

The Case Manager will be responsible for providing support to survivors of Gender-Based Violence and victims of Human Trafficking, providing information, care and individual, appropriate and timely guidance, ensuring access to specialized services and direct assistance according to identified needs. Care will be based on a person-centered approach, providing comprehensive and effective assistance in accordance with the Inter-agency guidelines and standard operating procedures established by COOPI.

The Case Manager will establish action plans together with the person assisted, identifying and strengthening the survivor’s own resources. He/she will ensure that the people assisted are informed of all their options, legal actions and protection mechanisms, which will be followed up on in a coordinated manner, guaranteeing the principles of confidentiality and action without harm.

Scope of Role

Informs:

Protection Officer (direct report)

Staff reporting to this position:

N/A

Areas of Responsibility

Main Activities

• Provide information about available options and services with a focus on the survivor, avoiding influencing the decisions of the person being cared for.
• Coordinate the survivor’s access to specialized and available services, establishing an action and follow-up plan.
• Provide individual assistance based on the particular needs of survivors of gender-based violence and/or human trafficking and their families.
• Provide systematic follow-up of referrals to relevant multisectoral services, in order to improve the quality of life of GBV and TdP survivors.
• Map and regularly update formal and informal support services (GBV AoR care pathway, NNA AoR, including existing community resources).
• Evaluate the quality of existing support services, identifying limitations and gaps, with an impact on an improved and culturally appropriate social response.
• Maintain records, statistics, files and reports on all case management activities and follow-up care provided by COOPI or other support services.
• Participate in facilitating community awareness-raising and training for the prevention of human trafficking, gender-based violence and other forms of violence in priority territories.
• Provide Psychological First Aid to survivors.
• Explain the legal, medical and psychosocial care pathways so that survivors can decide whether they wish to access them.
• Participate in the processes of strengthening and supporting community networks to support women, together with community leaders and in accordance with the technical guidelines of the COOPI national team.
• Apply confidentiality protocols to reflect the limits of handling case information.
• Process and share statistical reports on cases managed on a monthly basis under the principle of confidentiality.
• Maintain individual and confidential case files in accordance with data protection guidelines and policy.
• Contribute to the diagnosis of protection risks, as well as access to services, in close collaboration with other members of the case management team.
• Participate in team and supervisory meetings.
• Participate in the training and experience exchange processes to which they are invited.
• Comply with safety guidelines and promote compliance during team field trips.
• Ensure compliance with COOPI’s Code of Ethics and Conduct, Gender Policy, Protection and PEAS Policy.

Desired profile:

ESSENTIALS

• University degree in Social Work, Psychology or Social Sciences with specialization or experience in Human Rights, gender, care for victims of trafficking and survivors of GBV.
• Work experience of at least three (3) years in issues of prevention and/or care of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Human Trafficking, sexual and reproductive health and gender equality approach, new masculinities and approach focused on the survivor.
• It is desirable to have worked with non-governmental organizations specializing in GBV and/or TdP.
• Excellent knowledge of the institutional structure of comprehensive support for survivors of GBV, TdP and protection routes at the community and institutional levels.
• Availability to work in interdisciplinary teams and under pressure conditions.
• Emotional strengths for working with GBV survivors: good emotional management, stress management, assertiveness, self-care strategies.
• Understanding and knowledge of the local situation and community dynamics.
• Ability to gather information objectively, appropriately and sensitively, observing carefully, listening actively, paying full attention to the situation and information from various sources.
• Know and apply the guiding principles of care for GBV survivors and TdP victims, including: safety, confidentiality, respect and non-discrimination.
• Know and apply the principles of humanitarian action: neutrality, humanity, impartiality and independence.
• Know, adapt and apply key GBV tools to the context, including: Inter-agency Guidelines for Case Management in GBV and TdP; Psychosocial Support for GBV Survivors and TdP Victims; IASC Guidelines for GBV Interventions in Humanitarian Settings, Minimum Standards for GBV Interventions, GBV Standard Operating Procedures, among others.
• Availability to travel within the country.
• Sensitivity to gender and diversity.
• Handling of computer tools (Microsoft Windows operating system) and office automation (Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Respect for COOPI’s Vision and Mission.