Syria: Inclusive Livelihoods Agriculture Assistant

Nov 4, 2019 | International Rescue Committee
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The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Background:

The Syria crisis is often described as the worst humanitarian catastrophe since the end of the Cold War. Inside Syria, 6.1 million people are internally displaced and 13.1 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, with three million in hard-to-reach areas. There are 5.4 million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. This is no short-term humanitarian episode. The devastating human consequences to huge numbers of people will endure for decades. The destruction of relationships, communities, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure will take years to repair.

IRC is offering a robust humanitarian response to the Syria crisis. With an annual regional portfolio of $90 million within a rapidly expanding portfolio, supported by more than 3000 staff and workers in the region, IRC is undertaking programs in Syria and the neighboring countries of Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.  Inside Syria, the IRC is specifically focused on health, cash assistance, education, child protection, women’s protection and empowerment, and livelihood programming. Our work in these challenging settings gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, security, funding and coordination.

Job Overview/Summary:

The ERD -Inclusive Livelihoods Agriculture Assistant (ILAA) will work under the line management of ERD- Agriculture manager. ILAA ensure support to persons with disabilities and older persons in inclusive agricultural livelihood activities within the NW Syria activities of the IRC.  The ILAA will support the inclusion of persons with disabilities/older persons. He will monitor the quality and diversity of inclusion done by IRC NW-Syria Agricultural Program.

As such, the ILAA needs to set-up good relationship with Ag field Program team and plan ways to work hand in hand with IRC NW-Syria Ag program team. In addition, the ILAA will help in increasing the community’s awareness of the rights persons with disabilities/older persons for inclusion and increase their access to Agricultural livelihood opportunities.

Major Tasks/ Responsibilities:

Support to beneficiaries:

  • Ensure ideas, voices and needs of beneficiaries with disabilities/older beneficiaries, are included in livelihood project design through doing focus groups (targeting men and women with disabilities, older wo/men).
  • Case management and support to 'difficult' cases and persons with disabilities/older persons (initial barrier assessment, up to 4 follow up sessions, final assessment), giving suggestions on how to adapt work methods/tools/environment
  • Ensure beneficiary referrals to other IRC sectors, as needed and possible (Rehab and Mine Action).
  • Conduct basic risk education training to beneficiaries and discuss safe, alternative livelihood options

Support to IRC Livelihoods Team:

  • Generally, to collaborate with livelihood teams to ensure quality project implementation and reaching age, disability and gender targets.
  • Support field team during registration process to ensure Washington group questions are used correctly
  • With field team, visit registered beneficiaries to ask additional livelihood questions and double-check functional limitations, for accurate inclusion targeting and selection.
  • Provide on the job training to field staff on how to interact with persons with disabilities and support their active participation in livelihood, focusing on beneficiary with mild/moderate functional limitations.
  • Help IRC field teams identify difficult cases with severe functional limitations, and referring to HI for taking the lead to support.
  • Support IRC team to make complaints mechanisms accessible and adapted to persons with visual, hearing, mobility or intellectual difficulties.
  • Support IRC team in adapting project design to be more inclusive from the beginning
  • Help IRC team adapt materials/equipment/livelihood tools they procure and the environment they choose to do CFW in (example) to be more easily accessible by persons with injuries/disabilities/older persons.
  • Respond to request by IRC team to conduct disability prevention sessions (for repetitive strains and fall/traumatic injury safety).

Support to community:

  • Provide regular community awareness sessions on disability and inclusive livelihoods, making an effort to engage persons with injuries/disabilities, older persons and women to attend these sessions. Additionally, encourage such persons to apply for livelihood programming.
  • Identify successful business persons with disabilities/livelihood actors, so that they may act as a peer trainer and be mobilized within community as an ally.
  • Reporting and representation
  • Weekly/monthly report required to Agriculture program manager.
  • Coordination meetings with HI team in Syria
  • Ensure regular collection of stories/data on lessons learned on inclusive livelihoods, from NW area to Ag manager.

Qualifications:

Education and experience:

  • Degree in social work, physical therapy, nursing, education or other relevant field
  • Experience working with people with disabilities and/or vulnerable persons for 6 months at least
  • Computer literacy and ability to fill forms accurately

Professional & Personal skills:

  • Strong organizational skills
  • Ability to manage stress, multi-task and take decisions
  • Excellent writing and communication skills
  • Interpersonal and human skills
  • Independent and able to choose priorities

Language Skills:

  • Fluent in Arabic required
  • Fluent in English both verbally and written considered an advantage

Mobility:

Ability to move within NW Syria Livelihood implementation areas to visit homes of beneficiaries.

Desirable:

  • Understanding of Idleb governorate
  • Person with a disability or who has close family member with a disability
  • Experience in one or more of the following: food security, income generation, resilience building and recovery
  • Previous experience with international or local NGO