Psychologist - Migration Project Brussels

• Essential Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology
• In possession of Psychologist Number and Visa in Belgium
• Essential 2 years’ experience minimum as a Psychologist
• Essential experience with the psychosocial network in Brussels for referrals
• Strong asset: experience with patient in need of psychiatric treatment, living in precarious conditions and from various cultural backgrounds
• Desirable previous experience with MSF or others NGO’s
• Languages: French and English mandatory. Arabic is a strong asset and Dutch is also an asset.
• Computer: good skills using outlook, word, internet and very good capacity in Excel and data tools
• Team player, able to work in a multicultural environment
• Autonomous and flexible
• Active listener, patient and calm
• The candidate adheres to the MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare. We work in over 60 countries, giving assistance to people based on need, irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation. The Migration Project of MSF Belgian Mission is looking for a:

Psychologist (m/f/x)

Since September 2017 a stable number of +/- 700 irregular migrants stay around in the Maximilian Park in Brussels. Most are waiting to cross to the UK. Although we are dealing with a moving population, the demographics of the people in Brussels stay more or less the same. Most of the people come from Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

These people are in need of shelter, food, medical and psychological care. They also need to have access to objective information about asylum procedures and their rights.

Several Belgian NGO's and civil society actors have put their efforts together and are providing a series of humanitarian services in a common project, the humanitarian hub (HUB), with the objective of responding in a comprehensive manner to the needs of these people. The hub offers medical care, mental health care, family tracing services, clothes distribution, social and legal assistance, phone charging and phone call possibilities. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is providing mental health care in this set-up and participates actively in the management of the project.

Project Presentation

MSF is one of the partners in the humanitarian HUB (building where services are grouped and coordinated) managed as a consortium between different organizations to respond to the needs of this specific migrant population.

Activities are provided by partners in the HUB as follow:

• Primary health care and midwives’ consultations: Médecins du Monde
• Mental health: MSF (1st line consultation)
• Non-Food distribution (clothes, hygiene products, …) : Plateforme Citoyenne
• Family link maintenance/research: Red Cross
• Social services : Plateforme Citoyenne (SISA)
• MENA: SOS Jeunes

MSF also has a 2nd line structure where specialized metal health care is provided. In this structure, MSF aims to provide patients’ psychological follow up, psychiatric consultations, medication prescription and adherence support.

The MSF team consists of 1 Field Coordinator, 1 Project Mental Health Referent, 1 Mental Health Activity Manager, 1 HR manager, 4 psychologists, 1 psychiatrist (volunteer or detached), 1 psychiatric nurse, 4 Cultural mediators and 1 doctor. In order to reinforce the team, MSF is looking for a full-time psychologist for 1 year, from September 2021 until August 2022. 

MISSION

Providing first and second line psychological support to patients according to MSF principles, standards and procedures in order to improve the patients’ mental health.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

• Carrying out evaluation of mental health needs of patients and establishing a diagnosis and a plan of treatment.
• Provide follow-up consultations to beneficiaries in need for on-going mental health support
• Collaborate with team members in providing patient centered multidisciplinary and culturally adapted care and refer adequately to psychiatric sessions based on needs.
• Referring patients to other mental health professionals or other services whenever necessary, in order to provide the most appropriate treatment and improve the patient's condition.
• Closely collaborate with the services in HUB, promoting a multidisciplinary approach, in order to obtain the best possible result according the patient‘s needs.
• Providing psychological support to patients according to MSF protocols in order to improve their mental health condition through individual consultations, co-consultations, group sessions
• Assisting and training staff members, and partner organizations whenever necessary in order to enhance the scope of MH activities and strengthen collaborations.
• Working in close collaboration with cultural mediators in order to ensure appropriate terminology and behavior during sessions.
• Facilitating group activities related to mental health (e.g. psychoeducation, therapeutic groups, etc.)
• Collecting statistical and monitoring data about mental health activities.
• Informing the supervisor and the medical team about any issues or problems that may arise related to patients’ treatment in order to provide the best possible solution from a medical perspective.
• Ensuring that all patient information is kept confidential.  
• Participate actively to team meetings, clinical meetings and supervisions in a constructive and respectful manner.

MSF is a civil society initiative that brings together individuals committed to the assistance of other human beings in crisis. As such MSF is by choice an association.
Each individual working with MSF does it out of conviction and is ready to uphold the values and principles of MSF.

CONDITIONS

• Full time (100%)
• 1-year, with potential extension
• Expected starting date: Beginning of September 2021
• Location: Brussels, Belgium (Humanitarian HUB, Project office, shelters)
• A dynamic and stimulating work environment alongside multicultural colleagues

CV and motivation letter with “psychologist” in the subject line to be send to: Msfocb-belgium-HRFin@brussels.msf.org before 20/08/2021. Interview will start before this deadline.

Please name you application documents with your LAST NAME.

We thank all those who apply. Please note that due to the volume of applications, only candidates selected for the interviews will be contacted further.

The protection of your personal data is important to MSF. By submitting your application, you consent to MSF using your personal data. For more information, consult our privacy notice to job applicants.