Main purpose of the job:

• To provide psychosocial support to children and adolescent participants living with HIV within clinics wherein they attend standard of care
• More specifically, provide in-person and virtual (text message/audio/video) lived experience of HIV support, including psychosocial support, HIV education, appointment reminders, adherence support, sexual and reproductive health, and healthcare service navigation

Location:

• Pretoria – Tshwane

Key performance areas:

• Conduct baseline in-person needs assessments to determine participant support needs and contact frequency, and use this information to develop and deliver a support plan to address the psychosocial support needs of participants
• Provide high quality, comprehensive psychosocial education and support to study participants
• Conduct baseline in-person needs assessments to determine participant support needs and contact frequency, and use this information to develop and deliver a support plan to address the psychosocial support needs of participants
• Provide high quality, comprehensive psychosocial education and support to study participants
• Provide advocacy and HIV education and HIV treatment literacy, adherence support, and sexual and reproductive health, to children and adolescents with HIV
• Arrange and structure research activities including appointment reminders and healthcare navigation
• Provide peer mentorship to promote health literacy, health behaviour change, and promote healthy lifestyle patterns
• Facilitate individual sessions with participants and provide group support sessions to address and further explore specific issues identified during the comprehensive need’s assessment
• Keep a journal (including picture journals, if preferred) to facilitate debriefing and support for peer navigators
• Follow-up and maintain regular contact with participants to ensure ongoing engagement
• Use personal experience and cultural knowledge to build trust with participants
• Help participants complete surveys, interviews, focus groups and other data collection methods
• Attend weekly check-in meetings with the research team to discuss the modification and implementation of action plans
• Attend monthly debriefings for all peer navigators with a multidisciplinary team (social worker or psychologist, nurse and doctor) for support in ongoing interactions with the participants and their personal capacity
• Based on feedback – modify and action amendments to support plans
• Work closely with the research team to address challenges and improve processes
• Conduct outreach and provide information about the research project
• Assist with marketing the study to potential participants in target sites
• Conduct recruitment of potential participants
• Assist participants in understanding study procedures and requirements
• Provide informed consent process according to an SOP for each participant enrolled, in alignment with GCP principles
• Complete relevant study documentation and/or data capture as required
• Facilitate linkage to care of all participants with psychosocial, clinical or mental health needs
• Report any serious adverse events to line managers
• Adhere to ethical guidelines and maintain participants' confidentiality
• Actively participate in regular research team meetings for site coordination
• Conduct study-related activities as delegated through the delegation log
• Take ownership and accountability for tasks and demonstrates effective self-management
• Follow through to ensure that quality and productivity standards of own work are consistently and accurately maintained
• Maintain a positive attitude and respond openly to feedback
• Take ownership for driving own career development by participating in ongoing training and development activities

Required minimum education and training:

• Grade 12 (basic numeracy and literacy) - Advantageous
• On ART and virally suppressed (most recent VL <200 copies/ml)
• Fluent in English and Zulu
• Must be a current resident of the clinic catchment areas
• Must be attending HIV Standard of Care visits within Tshwane

Required minimum work experience:

• Experience in a supportive role, such as volunteering or working in community services, healthcare, or social work, is often preferred
• Experience with data collection or participating in research projects
• Experience collecting data and/or delivering programmes of support
• Experience in conducting interviews and/or focus groups

Desirable additional education, work experience and personal abilities:

• Knowledge of available community resources and services
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of and experience in HIV treatment and care
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team, flexible and a good team player
• Good problem-solving skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with research teams, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders
• Willingness to share insights and feedback to improve the program of support

TO APPLY:

• Only if you do meet the minimum job requirements and experience as mentioned above, you may submit a detailed updated CV.
• Please take note that the applicants who do not adhere to the above requirements will not be considered for the respective position.
• Please Apply Online and complete your registration on Ditto Hire (our application tracking system) to enable and protect you as a candidate to accept the new POPIA terms and conditions. This will then create your permanent profile with which you can apply for all jobs as advertised by AJ PERSONNEL. However, you may remove your profile from AJ PERSONNEL when you are no longer in the job market.
• The closing date for all applications: 15 January 2025.
• Note WHC, in accordance with their Employment Equity goals and plan, will give preference to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and subsequent amendments thereto.

Please note:

• AJ Personnel is only responsible for the advertising and response handling of the advertisement on behalf of their client Wits Health Consortium.
• AJ Personnel does not have any salary or other information regarding the position.
• Wits Health Consortium will only respond to shortlisted candidates.
• Candidates who have not been contacted within two weeks from the closing date can consider their application to be unsuccessful.