Wellness Educator - Church World Service

About CWS:

Imagine waking up every morning with the chance to change someone's life. Imagine knowing your efforts will benefit both your career and our neighbors around the world. At CWS, our team knows they are making a difference every day. Whether you're in our U.S.-based offices supporting refugees, asylees or unaccompanied children, implementing hygiene initiatives in Cambodia, rebuilding projects in Central America, or even connecting remotely from your home on fundraising campaigns, grant reports, or critical communications-you have the opportunity to work towards a world where everyone has food, a voice and a safe place to call home.

Purpose:

The Wellness Educator is responsible for building resilience of Afghan refugee clients and communities. This position will engage with individuals and families who are experiencing adjustment difficulties and will offer encouragement, practical assistance, guidance, and emotional support. The Wellness Educator will facilitate skill-building workshops, psychosocial support groups, educational workshops, and develop community activities to enhance problem solving skills and provide support to affected communities.

Responsibilities:

• Promote mental health and wellness within affected communities.
• Use assessment tools to assess client needs.
• Plan and coordinate health education workshops including coordination of classroom space, scheduling class times, securing interpretation support, booking guest speakers, and notifying clients of upcoming classes.
• Plan and coordinate psychoeducational support groups including coordination of group space, securing interpretation support, and organizing activities as necessary.
• Plan and coordinate community excursions for clients including coordination of visit location, securing transportation, securing interpretation support, etc.
• Facilitate trauma-responsive psychoeducational support groups utilizing evidence-based curricula.
• Under supervision, engage in evidence-based psychoeducation and skill-building activities with individual clients.
• Collaborate with supervisor to provide crisis assessment and intervention.
• Develop rapport and form respectful relationships with clients focused on helping them gain needed skills while using a strengths-based perspective.
• Demonstrate sensitivity and appropriate responsiveness to cultural differences of agency clients, practicing cultural humility.
• Document activities through case notes and data entry.
• Attend trainings and conference calls addressing refugee mental health and psychosocial support-related topics.
• Work collaboratively with members of the Refugee Health Services team
• Other duties, as required

Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, communication, humanities or social sciences or associate degree required

Experience:

• 3 years of relevant experience in direct client services.
• Prior experience working with refugees, preferably related to health or mental health.
• Familiarity with issues affecting refugee and immigrant communities as they relate to trauma, adjustment, and mental health.
• Demonstrated success working and communicating effectively across lines of difference with respect to race, gender, ethnicity, language, religion, and age
• Ability to act as a cultural broker, supporting individuals in navigating systems.
• Ability to engage in trauma-responsive practices to support the wellness of clients.
• Ability to facilitate adult education with cultural humility.
• Experience working and maneuvering in a multicultural and diverse environment with tact and poise to reach agency objectives in the community

 

Skills:

• English, Dari, and Pashto skills, both written and verbal are required.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently without close supervision.
• Superior public speaking skills and strength in written communication.
• Computer literate, with proficiency in Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, and Word) and internet applications, particularly social media platforms.
• Effective communication skills to successfully represent CWS and interact with various audiences and levels of partners, i.e., community partners, local government representatives, faith-based leaders, and representatives.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to relate to various audiences and personalities.
• Time management, planning and organizational skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks simultaneously.

Special Requirements:

• The successful candidate must have a car, a valid driver’s license, and an insurable driving record.
• This is a hybrid position, involving in-person and remote work.
• Works varied hours, including possible night and weekend work

Benefits :CWS offers a competitive benefits package that includes: - 403 (b) Retirement Plan - Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance - Paid Time Off - Life Insurance and AD&D - Long Term and Short-Term Disability - Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - Health Savings Account - Flexible Spending Accounts - Commuter Benefits - $250 professional development stipend (also can be applied to relevant professional licensure)