Kituo Cha Sheria (KITUO) Careers

PSYCHOSOCIAL COUNSELOR- FORCED MIGRATION PROGRAMME (REF)

Reporting to the Coordinator, Forced Migration Programme, he/she will carry out the following duties and responsibilities:

• Assessing the mental health status of refugees and producing a data base
• Providing individual counseling, support groups or group psychotherapy
• Collaborating closely with legal officers in terms of case management and follow-up of clients
• Providing training for non-clinical staff regarding trauma-related issues and self-care strategies
• Sensitizing refugee communities regarding trauma and empowering them to develop own strategies to overcome consequences of war and violence
• Providing training for and supervising community members working as lay-counselors
• Program development including proposal and report writing and financial monitoring
• Advocacy and networking with partnering organizations

Qualifications& Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Counseling or Psychology or a related A master’s degree in a similar discipline will be an added advantage
• Proven knowledge and experience in providing technical support to MHPSS
• Three (3) years of professional experience in working with survivors of war, political violence and torture, preferably in an NGO
• Experience in the participatory development of community-based
• Very good command of Kiswahili and English, oral and
• Knowledge of refugee-related (legal) issues is an
• Strong communication and interpersonal & intercultural
• Registered with the Kenya Counselling and Psychological

PROGRAMME OFFICER - ADVOCACY GOVERNANCE AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP (AGCP) PROGRAMME (Ref: KCS/PO-NRB/APP)

KITUO seeks to recruit, in the Advocacy Governance and Community Partnerships Programme (AGCP) a dynamic, self-driven and result oriented person.

The Programme Officer will be responsible to the Coordinator – Advocacy Governance and Community Partnerships Programme (AGCP) for providing legal services and mobilizing communities to organize for local self-governance. Also responsible for developing improved systems and procedures as well as monitoring and evaluating programme activities and individual performance against set targets.

 Key duties and responsibilities include:

• Assist the Coordinator-AGCP in developing proposals, plans and budgets as well as setting targets, monitoring and evaluating organizational performance.
• Train and mobilize communities on the alternative justice systems policy in collaboration with Judiciary and other stakeholders.
• Build the capacity and mentor alternative justice systems practitioners within KITUO’s network
• Provide legal support to users of the M-Haki platform
• Collaborate with the Legal Aid and Education Programme and the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support staff on building community-based peace building structures
• Develop memoranda and petitions for advocacy on issues within the mandate of Kituo Cha Sheria.
• Review the results of the programme and provide periodic reports to the Coordinator AGCP.

 Minimum Qualifications and Training: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Law, Sociology, Conflict and Peacebuilding Studies and or equivalent qualifications. Master’s degree and adequate knowledge and experience community organizing will be an added advantage.

 Relevant Experience: 

• The successful candidate must demonstrate a track record of success in social work and mobilizing communities to engage in issues of peace building, conflict resolution, good governance, alternative justice systems, paralegalism and human rights generally for a minimum period of two (2) years.

 Skills: 

• Must be proactive with strong communication, interpersonal and influential skills. Must have substantial experience and passion in working with communities. Must be a team player and a team leader with demonstrable success and impact.

LEGAL/PROGRAMME OFFICER – FORCED MIGRATION PROGRAMME (REF: FMP

Reporting to the Coordinator Forced Migration Programme and Coordinator- Mombasa Regional Office, KITUO is seeking dynamic, self-driven and result-oriented persons to fill the above-mentioned positions. The core responsibilities of the positions are as follows:

• Conducting community mobile legal aid
• Holding community sensitisation campaigns on matters relating to refugee
• Supporting refugee justice centres mentored by
• Carrying out research on matters relating to forced migration that enables KITUO to built evidence base that informs litigation
• Raising legal awareness and education to refugees and asylum seekers in protection
• Providing legal counselling for refugee and host communities on their
• Assisting refugee communities to develop capacity to self advocate and lobby for legal protection
• Providing legal advice and court representation to refugees and asylum seekers in single-welfare and public interest
• Monitoring of programmes and report
• Developing of fundraising proposals for the programme. 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Law or equivalent
• Must be an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a current practising certificate and atleast two years’ post admission
• At least two years’ professional working experience with a reputable human rights organization or law firm where the candidate was involved in litigation and case
• Working and practical knowledge in Refugee Law and general protection of Persons of
• Excellent written and verbal skills in English and Kiswahili are mandatory
• Good working knowledge of modern information, communication and technology systems
• Knowledge in advocacy is an added advantage

 Key duties and responsibilities include:

• Reviewing “bring up diary” to retrieve client files, which require immediate action for the attention of all lawyers responsible.
• Notifying clients about hearing dates and requesting them to deposit the necessary court fees in order to enable their cases to be processed. The same is done through letters, phone calls and physically.
• Assisting in the preliminary interview of walk in and return clients in the Forced Migration Programme
• Filing “initial client interview forms” systematically according to admission number, date and month in order to update the daily attendance register.
• Receiving receipts from return clients in order to retrieve the “initial client interview form” and then directing them to appropriate Legal officer.
• Opening client files in accordance with instructions received from the Legal Officer and requesting clients to deposit nominal administrative fees.
• Opening client files and filing them systematically in relevant drawers according to the alphanumeric system, which includes the file number and year for rapid retrieval.
• Managing, attending and responding to client enquiries about the position of their cases and informing them of the action taken and what requires to be done.
• Attending court to fix hearing dates, file pleadings and pay the required court fees. Also updating the “Master diary” by entering hearing dates as well as updating the diaries of Legal Officers against the “master diary”. And also requesting other Advocates to hold briefs for KITUO in the event of inadvertent absence of Legal Officers.
• Examining and/or perusing court files to find out the position of specific cases in court and notifying Legal Officers.
• Serving pleadings, plaints, affidavits, applications, judgments, rulings and Court summons to defendants or their Advocates and ensuring that the documents are correctly signed.
• Drawing simple court pleadings, plaints, decrees, applications, orders and Compiling record of appeal.
• Maintaining complete records of financial transactions relating to court fees and other relevant disbursements.
• Making statistical and narrative reports on activities of the registry.
• Assist Advocates in legal aid clinics activities and workshops.
• Assisting individual clients and community groups in arbitration and negotiation in out of court settlements (A.D.R.) in matters that involve legal disputes or otherwise.
• Photocopying clients documents as requested by Legal Officers.
• Requisitioning and accounting for all monies spent in the course of duty.
• Counseling clients
• Report writing.

Minimum Qualifications and Training and Relevant Experience

• Minimum Qualifications and training: Must be in possession of a Diploma in Law and or Paralegal Studies, Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) with credits in English and holder of a current process server certificate.
• Relevant Experience: Must have gained a minimum five (5) years relevant experience as a paralegal clerk in a busy law firm or the equivalent.
• Skills: Must have good communication skills both orally and in writing. Also should be proficient in using word processing and spreadsheet packages.