SayPro Volunteer MHPSS team (Mental Health & Psychosocial Support) Consulting Service

Are you a psychologist, social worker, psychiatric nurse practitioner or certified in (ortho)pedagogy? And do you have at least 2 years of clinical work ? Join our MHPSS team as a volunteer! Together with our medical team, SayPro contribute to humanitarian care in an inhumane environment.

As MHPSS volunteer SayPro play a part in Boat Refugee Foundation’s psychological support mission in Mavrovouni camp on Lesbos, where approximately 2,000 people reside in inhumane circumstances. Many of them struggle with psychic complaints.

Our team provides mental health support to adults, focusing on increasing their strength and capacity. We meet people as true humans, taking their identity, knowledge and skills as a starting point. Because we believe in equality, we collaborate as much as possible with the camp community. They fulfil an indispensable role as interpreters during our mission activities.

Read more about our mental health support (MHPSS) mission.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

As a volunteer SayPro be assigned within our MHPSS program; we will take into account as much as possible your personal skills, knowledge and .

These are our current MHPSS activities:

• Psychological emergency aid;
• Stress relief group sessions, offering people tools to help them reduce stress and relax, and (re-)discovering their own strengths;
• Social rounds in the camp, during which we conduct easily accesible conversations, offering people a listening ear and information about the services in the camp;
• Individual coaching sessions;
• Training internal and external staff members, on psychic support and Psychological First Aid (PFA). You yourself will also be trained: we offer our volunteers training in the Method for the Empowerment of Trauma and Torture Survivors (METS) Open Groups, psychiatric problems, PFA and other relevant topics.

Besides these activities, we ask your support with administrative tasks and other (practical) activities, to help our programs on Lesbos run smoothly.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

• You have a minimum of 2 years relevant clinical work , including working with (intercultural) groups;
• You are able to deal with emotional and confronting situations and able to separate work from personal topics;
• You are indepent, but also aware of the limits of your skills and know when to ask for help;
• You can stand your ground firmly and you’re physically and mentally healthy;
• You are willing to carry out different tasks and able to adjust to a changing program;
• You can work well with people from different cultural backgrounds backgrounds;
• You have completed a relevant degree (higher professional education or university);
• You speak English fluently;
• You are available for a minimum of 2 months (preferably longer);
• You have a driver’s license B (SayPro have to drive in a manual car every day).

WHAT ARE STRONG PROS IN A CANDIDATE?

• You have in supporting people with serious psychic complaints, including panic attacks, psychoses and suicidality;
• You have working abroad;
• You have worked in a refugee camp or asylum center before;
• You have with mindfulness and relaxation techniques;
• You speak French, Arabic, Farsi or Greek.

COSTS AND CONDITIONS

Boat Refugee Foundation’s existence depends on the many volunteers and donors, without which we’d not be able to do our job. Our financial means are mostly spent on emergency care. That is why we ask all volunteers to pay for their own travel and stay. We have two volunteer houses on Lesvos where you can stay for 10 euros a night. After one month you can stay here for free. Apart from this, SayPro need to cover the appropriate travel insurance and possible vaccinations.

Because of the volatile situation in the camp, in combination with COVID-19, it is possible that we need to make last-minute changes to the program. We count on your flexibility in this regard. There is always a solution to be found!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Are you interested in working with us as a volunteer? Sign up by filling in the form below, and we will contact you as soon as possible! Click here to find out more about the application procedure and other practical matters.