Psychologist - People On The Move Project - Agrigento

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) translates to Doctors without Borders, was founded in 1971 in Paris by a group of journalists and doctors.

We provide medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. Our teams are made up of tens of thousands of health professionals, logistic and administrative staff - bound together by our charter.  Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality. We are a non-profit, self-governed, member-based organisation.

In 2020 MSF OCB has handed over the responsibility for the implementation of their operations in Italy to MSF Italy, with the mandate to focus on migration.  

In 2022 the project People on the Move (PotM) was launched, with the objective to ensure that people landed and/or transiting on the Italian territories, have prompt access to adequate medical care and are referred to suitable services, with a focus on early identification of specific medical vulnerabilities related to primary healthcare (PHC), sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and mental health (MH).  

At the moment, the active location is Agrigento across the reception centres (CAS) for adults and unaccompained minors. The project provides basic medical assistance through mobile clinic activities. Following the formalisation of an MOU with the Ministry of Health, the team will also be operational in a joint MSF-MOH ambulatory, focused on mental health needs for migrants and asylum seekers. Accordingly to the needs, ad-hoc PSS (Psycho-Social Support) activities for critical situations may be organized and delivered. 

Main purpose

Providing psychological support to patients according to MSF principles, standards and procedures in order to improve the patients’ mental health.

Main tasks and responsibilities

• Carrying out evaluation of mental health needs of patients and establishing a diagnosis and a plan of treatment. Informing the patient and his/her relatives about the possible consequences of the illness and the drug treatment to follow and referring patients to other health professionals whenever necessary, in order to provide the most appropriate treatment and improve the patient's condition.
• Implementing the Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) protocol, identifying possible victims of SGBV and referring them to the medical team so that they receive the necessary treatment.
• Providing psychological support and psychotherapy sessions (individual, family, group) to patients according to MSF protocols in order to improve their mental health conditions.
• Assisting and training staff members and resourceful people  whenever necessary in order to enhance the scope of MH activities. Working in close collaboration with translators in order to ensure appropriate terminology and behavior during sessions.
• Collecting statistical and monitoring data about mental health activities.
• Informing the supervisor and the medical team about any issues or problems that may arise related to patients’ treatment in order to provide the best possible solution from a medical perspective.
• Ensuring that all patient information is kept confidential.

Context Specific Accountabilities

• Provide mental health (MH) first assessment for people in the Reception Center (CAS), seasonal workers living in the province, people arriving in Porto Empedocle and people accessing in the MH ambulatory.
• Provide specialized psychological support (single session) for moderate and severe mental health distress. 
• Carry out psychoeducational and PSS (psychosocial support) group sessions. 
• Identify people with severe symptoms in order to refer them to local MH partners, always assuring a follow up (monitoring, registration, outcome of the referral). 
• Release MH certificates to vulnerable patients. 
• Collaborate with local actors, both in the ambulatory and in Mobile Clinic activities. 
• Train MSF team and local operators on identification of MH needs, PSS and SoT (survivors of torture) identification, with technical support. 
• Report weekly and collect data (database, logbook). Participate in regular team meetings, supervisions, intervisions and case discussions. 
• Collaborate with the MSAM (Mission Specialized Activity Manager) and PMR (Project Medical Referent) in the assessment of MH needs, strategy and implementation,  and in the  regular update of existing mapping of MH actors and services. 
• Ensure punctual and regular communications with PMR regarding challenges, improving and needs of the mental health activities in the project. 
• Contact the MSAM for technical needs. 

PSS Activities: 

• Move wth flexibility and short notice in case of PSS intervention after critical events (such as shipwrecks), regardless of the location (in Italy).
• Perform PSS group sessions and, when needed, individual sessions releasing PSS attestations for the survivors. 

Profile and qualifications

Education

• Essential:
  • degree or diploma in Psychology
• Desirable: 
  • title in Psychotherapy (or in training) 

Experience 

• Essential: 
  • minimum 2 years experience as a Psychologist in clinical setting  
• Desirable:
  • previous experience with MSF / other NGO in developing countries / humanitarian setting 
  • previous experience in migration context / migration context in Sicily 

Languages

• Essential: 
  • mothertongue / C1 in Italian
  • B2 in English

Other Requirements

• Essential:
  • registration with the Italian National Register of Psychologists
  • availability to stipulate a professional insurance for gross negligence 

Knowledge and Competencies

• Essential computer literacy (word, excel, power point, outlook) 
• Commitment to MSF's Principles L2
• Behavioural Flexibility L2
• Stress Management L3
• Results & Quality Orientation L2
• Teamwork & Cooperation L2

Conditions

Contract: Fixed term contract of 7 months (renewable), Full-time. Level III of Italian CCNL of Commerce. Candidates should hold a work permit to work in Italy.

Gross Annual Salary:  Euro 31,351.82 – 37,622.00 depending on the MSF experience of the selected candidate.

Duty Station: Project is based in Agrigento, it is essential to be flexible to move in different locations accordingly to the project needs.

Compensation and benefits:

• Health Insurance: health insurance will be granted through the Italian National Health Care System plus an extra medical insurance (Sanimpresa) for contracts with a duration of 90 days or greater, which covers medical costs, illness and hospitalization, permanent invalidity and death (100k).
• The staff will be entitled to a luncheon voucher worth €5 for each day worked for at least 4 hours for the entire period of his/her contract.
• Accommodation for relocated staff only: MSF provides accommodation in the form of collective housing (shared accommodation with a contribution based on the duty station)
• Transport: MSF will cover a round trip ticket at the beginning and at the end of the contract and an additional round trip ticket will be paid by MSF between the place of domicile and assignment location every 12 months of contract for non-Italian residents.

Deadline for application: 18/04/2025

Desired starting date: 05/05/2025

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

MSF Italy is an inclusive employer that fosters diversity and engages systematically to ensure that equal employment opportunities are provided without regard to age, race, creed, religion, sex, disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin or any other legally recognized status entitled to protection under applicable laws.