Annex No. 10

Profile for Community Services Staff in Emergencies

Academic Qualifications

Post-graduate degree in Social Work or practical community oriented training from a recognized university.

Experience

1. At least 5 years experience of direct work with people in distress in a developing country.

2. Has played a supervisory role.

3. Ability to deal with people who are culturally different and can genuinely accept differences and work with and through them.

4. Has worked in a community oriented situation.

5. Has a background in health, counselling, and group dynamics.

6. Knowledge of the UN system, particularly UNHCR's working patterns and methods of operation.

Personality

1. Honest, hardworking, calm, resourceful, flexible, sensitive to the needs of others and a high sense of responsibility as work will entail working in situations with little or no supervision.

2. Is willing to put up with hardships of living conditions, over extended periods of time.

3. Physically capable of coping with the stenuous conditions prevailing in the field.

4. Capacity to put the needs of the beneficiaries before one's own.

5. Creative and innovative in problem solving.

Special Skills Required for Emergency Management

1. Skill in planning and problem solving

2. Ability to involve persons from differing backgrounds in a common cause.

3. Ability to work with and for specially vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the sick, the disabled, unaccompanied children, victims of torture, violence, sexual abuse and rape, as well as others who may be in special need.

4. Capacity to train others and share skills.

5. Ability to collect document information, prepare reports and plan strategies to assist people.

6. Ability to involve refugees in a participatory relationship in problem solving and camp management.

Age

Preferably between 35 and 45 years of age.

Sex

Male and female candidates will be needed. However, in view of the large number of female refugees and the possibility of women staff working with the entire community, female candidates should be given preference, all other things being equal.

Languages

Good working knowledge of spoken and written English. Languages of the region would be an asset. However, candidates should be able to work with and through interpreters.

Availability

72 hours notice and for at least 3 months at a time.