Mental health professionals

Children and teenagers who use mental health services are among the most marginalised young people in Tajikistan. Stigma against mental illness is strong. Services are concentrated in urban centres, and follow an institutional, medical model of mental health care. The National Centre for Mental Health for Children and Teenagers is the only government-run service provider for young service-users in Tajikistan. The new director has asked for help in moving the centre away from an approach that treats young people on a purely medical basis. His vision is a centre that is more holistic in its services, and which encourages recovery and social reintegration.

As a mental health nurse at the centre, you’ll introduce staff to new ways of working with young people and their families. You’ll build the confidence and capabilities of your Tajik colleagues, and act as a role-model, coaching and mentoring staff to change their attitudes and practice. Advocating for the rights of the young people who use the centre, you’ll help make changes that mean more of the Centre’s children can fulfil their potential.

What does the role involve?

• Sharing your experience of working with children, young people and their families in the community
• Reviewing service provision at the centre and identifying areas for development
• Role-modelling and introducing new ways of working and new services
• Assessing the training needs of staff and developing and delivering training
• Upgrading the knowledge, skills and practice of the centre staff
• Challenging discrimination against young people at the centre and advocating for the rights of service users

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll be a registered mental health nurse with at least 3-5 years’ post-qualifying experience, including working with children and young people using mental health services. Experience within a community setting is important, as you’ll be demonstrating how to support young people to reintegrate into society. You’ll need to be able to train others and set up services, so previous experience of managing teams or services would be helpful.

As English is not spoken in Tajikistan, you’ll need to have the communication skills to work through an interpreter, and build good relationships across language barriers. VSO provide language training and the commitment to learn the Tajik language is key. As with all VSO placements, you’ll need to be flexible, patient and creative to work effectively with limited resources.

And the rest...

Tajikistan is the smallest landlocked Central Asian country. The country is spectacularly mountainous, and ancient cities dot the Silk Road trading route, which crosses an area known as ‘the Roof of the World’. You’ll be based in the capital, Dushanbe, a tree lined city with a mild climate that is home to 600,000 people. You’ll be among the first VSO volunteers to work in Tajikistan, so you’ll have a vital role in shaping the future of our work in the mental health sector.

We’ll ask you to commit to 24 months to make a sustainable contribution to the centre. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. NHS employees can volunteer with continued membership of the NHS pensions scheme. When you return home, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

Although remarkable progress has been made in rebuilding Sierra Leone since the end of the conflict in 2002, the decade-long civil war has caused extensive damage to social sectors. The country currently has some of the worst health indicators in the world, with 283 children out of 1,000 dying before they reach the age of five. This is mainly due to inadequate basic health services and malnutrition.

VSO opened its health programme in 2008 and volunteers are working to improve the availability of essential health care in rural areas. As a nurse trainer you can contribute to this goal by training the next generation of Sierra Leonean nurses. Working at the Eastern Polytechnic in Kenema District, which opened in 2004, you’ll ensure that more local nurses can train, and ultimately practice in their home communities.

What does the role involve?

• Teaching state-enrolled community nurses at the School of Nursing
• Monitoring and advising staff and students on clinical rotation in the district hospitals and peripheral health units
• Providing ongoing supportive supervision to nurse students
• Participating in curriculum development and training syllabus for courses

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll need to be a registered nurse with at least five years’ experience in nursing including teaching, training and mentoring of others. Confidence in your skills and the ability to work independently without supervision are essential. Patience, flexibility and a positive attitude will help you to adapt to live and work in a resource-poor developing country. You’ll also need good interpersonal skills to develop strong relationships with your colleagues and students.

And the rest...

Sierra Leone borders Liberia to the southeast, the Republic of Guinea to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. You’ll be based in Kenema, the district’s capital, located about 200 miles from the capital Freetown. There are plenty of shops and the town has a 24-hour electricity supply, piped water as well as UNICEF water wells, in case of shortages.

We’ll ask you to commit to 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our support package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.