Community Lay Counsellor (Fixed term contract ending 30 June 2023) at BroadReach

Purpose of the position

• The Community Lay Counsellor’s primary responsibility is to support the implementation of Community HIV Testing using high yield modalities. They are to by identify and ensure linkage to HIV and TB Care and Treatment. through the provision of direct HIV & TB related clinical services to patients and clients, namely pre.post and ongoing HIV/AIDS individual and group counselling, HIV Testing Services, TB Screening, referring HIV-positive persons and ensuring linkage to care She / he will drive the 90-90-90 HIV and TB agendas for adults and children by ensuring that the NDOH HTS protocol and guideline are being implemented by target facilities. The Lay Counsellor will work in conjunction with a registered nurse/ professional nurse, enrolled nurse and Data Capturer on site and within the community using high yield modalities.

 Key Accountabilities
The Community Lay Counsellor will work with all stakeholders in the facility and community teams to provide screening, testing and counselling services relating to HIV, TB and COVID-19:

• Screen community-based clients for COVID-19
• Conduct screening for current TB or history of TB amongst clients
• Conduct HIV risk assessment, offer and provide assisted HIVSS for clients in target populations
• Provide HTS for clients with a positive HIVSS screening outcome, inclusive of HIV pre-test, post-test and ongoing counselling
• Test HIV Index contacts that have been tracked and traced
• Provide Standard counselling care and individual risk reduction counselling sessions for COVID-19, HIV, TB and STIs
• Ensure all newly diagnosed HIV positive patients receive same-day treatment initiation through the 'handshake' approach and that linkage to care confirmed and documented
• Ensure all DSD is captured on BR reporting tools correctly, consistently and timeously.
• To provide HIV test, post-test and ongoing face –to- face counselling for health service users by utilizing high yield modalities of testing within the facility and the community as required
• Provide voluntary and confidential HIV Testing Services
• Refer newly diagnosed HIV positive patients for ART initiation and ensure linkage to care
• Provide health education on health-related issues in patient waiting rooms and appropriate community events (as assigned by line manager
• Ensure that all direct service delivery reported according to BR reporting expectations (using the app, FSE or any other reporting tools provided)
• Ensure that all HIV tests are recorded according to protocols and policies 
• Ensure Daily, weekly and monthly HTS standards met
• Provide Standard counselling care and referral executed for advanced care to medical doctors and specialists as recorded and in accordance with treatment protocols
• Demonstrate high quality counselling care evidenced by patient outcomes
• Coordinate Weekly HIV/AIDS awareness events, health education and individual risk reduction counselling sessions within and outside facilities
• Ensure All DSD captured on BroadReach reporting tools correctly, consistently and timeously
• Ensure all HIV Testing services are captured in registers and transferred back to facilities for capturing
• Any other role assigned by your manager within reason of your scope

Qualifications
Essential qualifications

• Senior Certificate (Grade12) or equivalent
• Accredited certificate in basic counselling and HIV

Desirable qualifications

• N/A

 Experience & skills

• Minimum of 2 years relevant working experience and knowledge of public health facilities
• Fluency in Zulu is a must (and Siswati for the Mpumalanga districts is desirable)
• 10 Day Adherence Counselling certificate would serve as an advantage. 
• Experience in working with adolescents would be an advantage
• Experience in COVID-19 Counselling would be an advantage

Personal qualities & Behavioural competencies

• Problem Solving
• Attention to detail
• Ability to connect the dots, make linkages and collaboratively work across the organization to optimize the client experience
• Be solution focused
• Has a customer centric mindset
• Able to connect with clients at different levels
• Maintain confidentiality 
• Empathy
• Capabilities

Winning, Enabling and Delivery of Projects

• Opportunity Development, Capture Management, Proposal Development, Organized, Disciplined, Analytical

People Leadership/Self Leadership

• Selections, Development, Delegation, Example, Self-Confidence, Independently responsible, Curiosity, Change Management

Strategic and Holistic Decision Making

• Governance and legal awareness, Financial acumen, Risk management, Strategic perspective

Relationship Management

• Institutional Representations, Taking the long view, Building common ground, Mutual respect, Responsiveness, Standing for the other, Engagement