Counsellor

EXPERTISE FRANCE (ESTHER: Ensemble pour une Solidarité Thérapeutique Hospitalière en Réseau) is a French public organization involved in capacity building in care and treatment for HIV/AIDS patients in 18 countries. ESTHER is working in Vietnam since 2002, through hospital twinning between Vietnamese and French hospitals. The interventions are dealing with various topics, including medical and psychosocial care for HIV/AIDS patients and Intravenous Drug Users (IDUs), co-infection HIV/tuberculosis, HIV/hepatitis, access to viral load.

In HCMC, EXPERTISE FRANCE (ESTHER) has implemented an Opiate Integrated Treatment in an outpatient clinic at Go Vap since 2013. This program will aim to improve the treatment access for IDUs with or without HIV. This implementation is leading by ESTHER in collaboration with French and US Universities and in partnership with the Provincial Aids Committee (PAC).

We are currently seeking for one counsellor position for our outpatient addiction project at Go Vap, HCMC. The counsellor will work under the responsibility of the HCM project manager and research coordinator.

Job requirements

• Degree (Bachelor degree at least) in biology, nursing, psychology, social work, public health or any other degree in relevant discipline
• Experience working with IDUs and/or in a methadone program a plus
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Experience with Microsoft Office Software (Word, Excel, Power Point) and internet
• Vietnamese national
• Good verbal and written English and/or French
• Dynamism, flexibility, capacity for team working

Position duties/ Job responsibilities

• Work under the direct supervision of research coordinator (social coordinator)
• Ensure the provision of quality counseling for the research project:  
• Provide psychological support to all patients and re-orientate new coming patient if they cannot receive any sort of substitution therapy at Go Vap center  
• Responsible for monitoring the adherence of research patients: daily follow up of the patient list and report immediately to research coordinator if a patient he/she is following has been missing for 3 consecutive days.  
• Provide support to counselor of Go Vap Center (theoretical and psychological approach of counseling) when required.
• Participate in working groups and conference related to mental health and substitution when required.
• Participate in biweekly conference calls with French experts. The counselor is in charge of the preparation and presentation of “case study” (difficult cases or specific issues encountered since the last conference call, if any) at the conference call. The case study must be sent to the French experts at least 2 days prior to the conference call.
• In charge of filling forms of the research (weekly formas and other forms according to research protocol) and input data activity for PAC (number of patients enrolled, follow-up rates, drop-outs, etc.) and the research project
• Work in consultation with the other members of the clinical staff (doctors, nurses, counselors, pharmacists) of the outpatient addiction clinic at Go Vap to ensure the best treatment for each patient

Work schedule and compensation

• Full time position: 40 hours/ week
• Competitive salary, based on experience and qualifications
• Based in HCMC

Position availability: August 2015.  

Contacts: Please send detailed curriculum vitae with cover letter (in English and Vietnamese) before 31 July 2015 to: Ms Phung Thi Thuy Van, Expertise France HCMC project admin officer; email:  [email protected]