Synergy Sansthan
About Synergy Sansthan:
Established in 2006, Synergy Sansthan stands as a youth-led non-profit organization with a strong community focus. Originating from the vision of few passionate individuals, the organization advocates for a youth-centric approach to adolescents' and young people's development and empowerment. Synergy Sansthan's direct intervention districts in Madhya Pradesh are- Harda, Khandwa, Khargone, Guna, Barwani, Dewas and Betul. Over the last 18 years, we have grown to nurturing rural and tribal adolescents and youth leadership, which resulted in impacting 2.5 lakh lives from marginalized communities. Synergy Sansthan is committed to fostering psycho- social and economic empowerment. Central to its philosophy is the belief that youth are valuable assets, and the organization aims to create an enabling environment where they can collectively address identified issues, leading to the acquisition of skills and confidence. Looking ahead, Synergy Sansthan's Strategic Plan for 2023–2027 emphasizes expanding outreach to vulnerable and at-risk youth. By 2027, we aim to work directly with 1 lakh young people from diverse tribal, rural and urban backgrounds, empowering them as democratic and inclusive leaders. With the right resources and encouragement, these youth will be equipped to break the cycle of poverty and exploitation, impacting over 1 million people in Madhya Pradesh. The organization also plans to scale up proven programs and activities to additional districts, fostering social entrepreneurship among young people. Through a multifaceted approach, Synergy Sansthan strives to achieve sustainable outcomes in youth development.
Position Overview:
The Youth and Mental Wellbeing Lead will be responsible for overseeing the design, implementation, and delivery of youth-focused mental health services within the organization’s target districts in Madhya Pradesh. The primary focus will be on addressing the mental health needs of young people aged 11-25 years, with a special emphasis on prevention, awareness and providing direct mental health support to those in need. This role will include coordinating day-to-day operations, supporting social and behavior change efforts on mental health and providing case-based mental health consultations. The role will also involve the integration of mental health services into other ongoing projects of the organization.
Key Responsibilities:
Mental Health Strategy Development and Implementation
- Develop a comprehensive mental health intervention strategy focusing on adolescents and youth, ensuring its effective implementation in targeted intervention areas.
- Lead the creation of culturally appropriate psychosocial activities, including support programs, psychological first aid training and recreational activities for young people.
- Develop content on mental health for various youth groups and ensure that it is contextually relevant and accessible.
- Initiate and oversee the development and implementation of mental health policies and guidelines.
- Ensure that mental health services are integrated into other Synergy Sansthan projects for maximum impact.
Capacity Building and Support to Field Staff
- Design and develop training tools, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidelines and flowcharts to support field-level service providers.
- Provide technical support and capacity building to the local health workers and community-based service providers on mental health interventions, focusing on improving mental health and psychosocial care in communities.
Program Implementation and Delivery
- Lead the implementation of preventative mental health services, including group-based mental health awareness programs and community-building initiatives.
- Deliver group work programs using creative and participatory methods to build resilience, enhance coping strategies, and raise awareness about mental health among young people.
Community Engagement and Social Behaviour Change
- Build and maintain positive relationships with young people, understanding their needs and working alongside them to tackle key mental health issues affecting their lives.
- Lead community engagement efforts that create opportunities for young people to influence mental health issues affecting them, thereby enhancing their well-being.
- Coordinate social and behaviour change efforts related to mental health, encouraging young people to seek help, share experiences, and access available mental health services.
- Map the adolescent and youth mental health ecosystem, including key stakeholders and potential partners and maintain positive relationships with these groups.
- Develop and lead awareness campaigns related to youth mental health, aiming to reduce stigma, increase mental health literacy, and promote well-being across communities.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting
- Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation tools for mental health programming to ensure effectiveness and impact.
- Regularly assess the effectiveness of mental health initiatives and make adjustments based on feedback from youth participants, field staff and stakeholders.
- Submit regular progress reports on the mental health program to the Program Manager and other relevant stakeholders.
Key Qualifications Required
- Good sense of humour, ready to learn, assimilate and adapt to the cultural and contextual requirements of a youth focused and youth led team.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, good time management skills in order to meet deadlines in a multi-task environment and ability to work both as an individual contributor and as a team member.
- Willingness to travel extensively (to remote rural areas if required) and work flexible hours and weekends.
- Proven ability to design and facilitate training sessions and workshops. Experience in creating supportive environments for young people and addressing their personal wellbeing needs. Knowledge of mental health policy and a deep commitment to improving mental health services for youth.
- Strong understanding of various counselling approaches, protocols, and mental health standards, with a focus on confidentiality and ethical practices.
- Broad knowledge of mental health prevention and promotion strategies.
- Experience in providing mental health counselling and delivering community-based mental health services.
- In-depth knowledge of mental health issues faced by young people, with expertise in psychosocial programming for youth mental health.
- At least 3-5 years of experience in counselling, social work, or mental health programming, with a strong focus on adolescents and youth.
- A Master’s degree in Psychiatry, Psychology, Social Work, or a related field.
Note
While applying please share the following;
- Cover Letter for your suitability
- Current Salary
- Expected Salary
- Share the level of skill
- If selected, time required to Join
- Two references (One must be your current employer)
Salary- The salary offered will be commensurate with the experience and expertise of the candidate and includes other benefits like PF, Insurance, paid leaves, work from home/flexible working hours, etc.
We offer an enriching learning environment and the opportunity to work with a team of dedicated and passionate professionals who share a common vision. We aim to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applications irrespective of age, race, colour, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief or creed. People of all gender identities, including LGBTQ+, are encouraged to apply.
