International organizations are an important aspect to the field of early childhood. I have found several international organizations that peaked my interest.
Hagar International is an organization that as stated by their website is "committed to the whole journey. The whole journey starts with a survivor, an individual who has experienced severe trauma as a result of slavery, trafficking or abuse". This statement spoke to my heart because of my passion for trauma-informed care. This organization works from the ground up with these individuals providing housing, community and opportunity for the individuals to thrive not only survive. Their passion for helping victims of trauma resonated with my passion. This organization works with not only children but adults who are victims. This speaks volumes to the importance of trauma-informed care for all people, regardless of their age. As I looked for job opportunities the I found was in Cambodia. The job looks inviting and intriguing! If I was willing to relocate, it would be an opportunity I would pursue.
JOB OPPORTUNITY
Counselor with North-West Project
Background on Hagar
Hagar was established in 1994 in Cambodia. In 2009, Hagar expanded its model to Afghanistan and Vietnam. Our focus is on working with women and children who are suffering from the impact of trauma resulting from slavery, trafficking and abuse. We seek to magnify the impact of this work with individuals and families through our advocacy and capacity building work with other service providers and institutions.
For those affected by trauma, and those who support them, Hagar is an expert in care and recovery. When healing happens the cycle of trauma stops. We believe that with the right support and capabilities people can recover and take the lead in their own journey to wholeness.
Hagar International Foundation is now looking for 1 passionate and qualified candidate to fulfil 1 position ofCounselor for North-West Project based in Battambang Province.
Purpose: To offer psychotherapeutic support and services to reintegrated clients and families in the Battambang office catchment area as clients readjust to placement back with caregivers/families in community. This includes facilitating adjunctive emotional, psychological and spiritual healing to the intensive recovery work completed with counsellors in Phnom Penh, with an emphasis on family therapy as needed. Success in this position will also require good collaboration with case managers, staff assisting with family livelihood development, and other service providers working with client and relevant caregivers.
Major Responsibilities
- Counselling clients and families/caregivers: To provide professional counselling to clients and relevant family members and/or caregivers as they adjust to clients’ integration back to community life and support clients’ progress in recovery.
- Administration: To do administrative work accurately and ensure clients’ files as well as any materials to support counselling work are well organized and maintained.
- Assessment: To use tools provided by relevant projects and teams to assess clients’ resilience, stability, and other indicators to track changes/progress in clients’ psychosocial condition in response to services rendered.
- Communication: To communicate and collaborate well with other service providers (Hagar colleagues, other health service providers, etc.) to ensure clients’ needs and concerns are met.
- Personal Development: To enhance personal development for effective work.
- Other Activities: Support to staff and manager on Hagar services to ensure that the other activities supported to Hagar services.
Requirement:
- Degree in Psychology, Social Worker, Sociology or other relate field
- An ability to establish a trusting relationship with women and children especially traumatized clients
- Excellent case management and record keeping skills
- Able to respect the need for confidentiality, especially for the high risk situation of trafficked persons
- Ability to keep professional boundaries, code of ethic and address all personal issues which may affect your work
- Experience in working with traumatized women and children.
- 1 year experience in counselling
- A passion to work with clients continue to progress in recovery and work with their families and/or caregivers better support clients’ recovery
- Ability to maintain ethical standards
- A strong alignment with Hagar’s mission and values
Another organization I found that intrigued me was OMEP Organisation Mondiale pour l'Eduation Prescolaire. According to their website, "OMEP is an international, non-governmental and non-profit organization, which has worked for all aspects of early childhood education and care (ECEC) since 1948.
OMEP is currently established in over 70 countries, has special consultative status with UN and UNICEF, and is represented at the meeting of other international organizations with similar aims.
OMEP defends and promotes the rights of the child to education and care worldwide and supports activities which improve accessibility to high quality education and care." (OMEP, n.d). I chose this organization because it is established and is concerned with all aspects of the early childhood field. From my research on their website, I learned that they are affiliated with the UN and UNICEF. As I searched from job opportunities, I found there were none and there was not a link to search for employment. I did find the contact information for the National President of the OMEP United States National Committee, Dr. Judith Lynne McConnell-Farmer and am considering reaching out to her to gain more information about OMEP. OMEP seems to be an incredible community of practice with clear guidelines for membership, creating committees and a clear focus of their goals.
The last organization I chose is the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). According to their website, "Since the very beginning, ACEI has been an international organization driven by the belief that education is essential to human development. ACEI works for the education of all children, but has a special interest in ensuring that our energies are focused on meeting the needs of the most fragile and vulnerable children" (ACEI, n.d). I chose this organization because I feel that children who have experienced trauma are in this category of fragile and vulnerable. This organization is affiliated with many other organizations including UN Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Counsel, NGO Committee on UNICEF, United Nations Associations of the United States of America and Child Rights Connect. They are well established and it is obvious from the website that they are passionate about young children.
I was unable to find any job opportunities but was able to find membership opportunities. An individual can join this organization and receive online publications of Childhood Education: Innovations and The Journal of Research in Childhood Education along with monthly newsletters and information about grants for $35 a year. While this is not a job opportunity, it does provide an avenue for me to be able to gain more knowledge and possibly find out about other organizations that might have job availability that I would not know about otherwise.
This search was by far the hardest to find job postings, but the most rewarding in gaining knowledge about these organizations. I am thankful for the new knowledge and connections I have found.
References:
Hagar International, (n.d). Retrieved from https://www.hagarinternational.org/international/our-work/
OMEP, (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.worldomep.org/
ACEI, (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.acei.org/
