The Venezuelan Red Cross (CRV) is a humanitarian organization whose mandate is to save lives and improve the conditions of vulnerable people. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, it provides timely assistance in emergencies, disasters, and other humanitarian crises.
Guided by its Fundamental Principles—Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity, and Universality—the CRV acts as an auxiliary to public authorities in the humanitarian field, working to reduce human suffering without distinction of race, gender, religion, or ideology. Its work encompasses emergency medical care, strengthening community resilience, first aid training, disaster response, and the promotion of health and well-being.
Through a network of highly committed volunteers, the CRV efficiently and effectively mobilizes resources to be present where and when they are most needed. Its work is based on solidarity, respect for human dignity, and a commitment to protecting life in all its forms.
Commitment to Safeguarding
The Venezuelan Red Cross is committed to creating and maintaining safe and respectful environments for communities, staff and volunteers and to preventing exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment.
Selected candidates will be required to comply with the Code of Conduct and applicable Safeguarding policies and standards. As part of its secure recruitment process, CRV may conduct professional reference checks and request relevant background information on professional conduct and Safeguarding, in accordance with its procedures and applicable regulations.
General Safeguarding Responsibility
The person holding the position must promote and respect the Safeguarding standards of the Venezuelan Red Cross, comply with the Code of Conduct and applicable policies, maintain appropriate professional boundaries, contribute to preventing harm, and immediately report any Safeguarding concerns through established mechanisms.
Addition for high-risk positions
Due to the nature of their duties, the person will be required to actively identify and mitigate Safeguarding risks associated with their activities, maintain reinforced standards of conduct and professional boundaries, and ensure that their interaction with communities and people in vulnerable situations is safe, dignified, inclusive, and respectful.
If you want to be part of the team and make a difference, we invite you to join us.
Please verify that you meet all or most of the requirements to apply.
How can you make a difference? Key functions / Responsibilities
The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Assistant (SMAPS) will be responsible for providing Psychological First Aid (PFA) and immediate emotional support to people in mobility who come to the Mobility Assistance Point (PAM) of the La Bandera Terminal, under the technical and operational standards of IOM and CRV.
He/She will be in charge of:
- Provide Psychological First Aid (PFA) in a brief, humane and non-intrusive manner to people who present acute emotional distress, anxiety crisis, crying, trembling or emotional dysregulation associated with mobility, respecting the principle of not causing harm and without forcing the account of traumatic experiences.
- Perform primary detection of protection risks during psychosocial care, identifying indicators of: Gender-Based Violence (GBV), trafficking in persons or exploitation, unaccompanied or separated children or adolescents, people with disabilities at risk, elderly adults alone or in the care of children or adolescents, situations of coercion and retention of documents or control by third parties.
- Once a risk signal is identified, it will immediately and confidentially activate the referral route to the PAM Protection Case Manager, without attempting to handle the case independently.
- Register ALL SMAPS services on the KOBO Mobility platform established by IOM, according to the project guidelines.
- Facilitate brief group psychosocial support sessions when the operational conditions of the PAM allow and under the supervision of the General Monitor, prioritizing emotional containment, stress management and strengthening of support networks in the context of mobility.
- Coordinate permanently with the Case Manager and the Legal Advisor for cases that combine mental health and protection risks, participating in the vulnerability analysis and in the definition of the action plan when required.
- Contribute to case management by providing psychosocial inputs (assessment of emotional state, coping capacity, support network) for determining the level of risk and referral or assistance decisions.
- Promote self-care strategies for the PAM team, identifying signs of emotional exhaustion or compassion fatigue in staff, and proposing active breaks or brief containment spaces to the General Monitor.
- Maintain an up-to-date directory of mental health and protection services in coordination with the Case Manager, ensuring that external referrals are made only to verified, safe, and rights-based services.
- Apply the survivor-centered approach to all care, ensuring active listening without judgment, informed consent before sharing information, strict confidentiality, and respect for the person’s autonomy and timing.
- Strictly comply with the principles of Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PEAS), knowing the internal reporting route of CRV and IOM.
- Participate in the PAM’s internal coordination meetings when convened by the General Monitor or the Project Officer, contributing analyses of trends in mental health and psychosocial risks observed in the population served.
- Support in the application of satisfaction surveys and in monitoring activities when requested by the Project Officer or the M&E team, always guaranteeing confidentiality and informed consent.
- Respect and comply with the Humanitarian Principles, the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and the IOM SOP protection standards, including confidentiality, informed consent, non-discrimination and a gender, age and diversity (GAD) approach.
- Perform any other technical tasks related to mental health and psychosocial support that may be requested by the General Monitor or the Project Officer, within the scope of their responsibilities and salary level.
Report
The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Assistant (SMAPS) will report to the Project Leader.
Trips
You must be available to travel within the country.
Teams
The CRV will provide the necessary devices for registration (tablet or phone). It is desirable that the candidate have a personal computer and internet connection for training purposes, but this is not mandatory.
Workplace
Caracas.
To qualify as a builder of the Venezuelan humanitarian system, you must meet the following requirements:
- Degree in Psychology.
- Minimum 2 years of experience in psychosocial care, psychological first aid or mental health in contexts of humanitarian crisis, human mobility, violence or emergencies.
- Proven training or experience in Psychological First Aid (PFA), crisis management and emotional containment in acute stress situations.
- Basic knowledge in activity tracking, information gathering, and report preparation.
- Organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to handle multiple operational tasks.
- Good oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to work in a team and follow technical and administrative guidelines.
- Previous experience with the Red Cross, Red Crescent or other humanitarian organizations is desirable.
- Commitment to the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
- Ability to handle confidential information.
- Functional knowledge of the English language is desirable (not exclusive).
How to apply
Only a shortlist of candidates will be contacted to advance to the next phase of the selection process. Candidates will be asked to speak with their previous direct reports/line managers before proceeding to interviews.
All those interested in applying for the position and who meet all or most of the requirements for the role should send their CV to the email address: postulaciones@cruzrojavenezolana.org
The email subject line should read: SMAPS Assistant_Caracas
CVs received without the title assigned to the call will be discarded.
Please review the professional requirements to be eligible.