Youth Ambassador at Anova Health Institute Closing on 29 March 2024

Youth Ambassador at Anova Health Institute

Anova is an NGO that empowers people and changes lives. Good health and quality of life motivate us to provide healthcare solutions and support for those most in need.

The successful candidate will promote healthy behaviours and prevent risk behaviours in adolescents by implementing targeted interventions at individual, facility, and community levels to enhance the uptake of HIV testing and linkage to and retention of treatment and prevention services such as PrEP and sexual reproductive health and services.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Health Promotion

Conduct age-appropriate adolescent-centred health talks to adolescents using existing IEC materials in the facility and the community.
Promote B-wise usage and sign-up clients.
Educate adolescents on their health-related rights and responsibilities, specifically HTS, AYFS, SRH and PrEP.
Do practical demonstrations on condom use, hand washing and other healthcare practices
Promote condom use and ensure condoms are distributed/provided to clients.
Conduct demand creation for outreach services and address barriers among youth to access contraceptives and GBV services.

Linkage to the care of adolescent and youth

Serve as a contact person and navigator for adolescents accessing healthcare services.
Assist in creating awareness of CBO service packages facilitating and strengthening referrals.
Promote the uptake of HIV testing and linkage to adolescent care and support them through the process.
Follow up to ensure clients attend their scheduled appointments
Identify, recruit, facilitate and maintain clients in Youth Care Clubs and support groups within selected facilities

Improving retention in care and virological suppression

Create a safe space for adolescents to discuss social and health-related issues affecting them
Support disclosure and adherence and refer for disclosure those with poor adherence and unsuppressed VLs
Recruit HIV-positive adolescents & youth to youth care clubs (YCCs) and adult services
Organisation and facilitation of Youth Care Clubs

Health Facility Engagement

Form part of the multidisciplinary facility team and work with the teams to ensure that the programme’s targets are met
Participate on the Clinics’ Health Committee/Forum and represent adolescents in these forums
Develop adolescent’s friendly forum where adolescent health opinions, concerns and expectations are taken into consideration
Act as a voice for adolescents in the facility/community for HIV related issues
Promote Adolescent and Youth Friendly Service Provision

Community Engagement

Serve as a link between adolescents, local clinics, CBOs, other NPOs and other health services within the community
Under supervision, establish or strengthen links with schools (when necessary) and actively engage in outreach programmes
Serve as youth representative for ANOVA Health Institute at various youth gatherings and platforms

Administration

Keep an updated record of number of clients supported to HTS, tested HIV positive, linked into care and youth clubs, or HIV negative linked to PrEP service etc. in line with stationery used by DoH and Anova
Keep records including heath education registers, agenda, and minutes
Be available to work afterhours (weekends or Public Holidays) at DoH facilities and at community level when required
Manage project resources (airtime and data usage)
Attend meetings as required
Under supervision, be able to assist in file audits when necessary

Reporting

Ensure timeous submission of reports (workload etc.)
Adhere to DoH facility reporting format for data and report according to facility protocol
Report monthly to Technical Advisor and ensure that youth data is included in Anova facility team report

Youth Ambassador at Anova Health Institute

Minimum Qualifications, Experience and Skills

Requirements:

Completed Grade 12
Local youth between 19 and 32 years of age
Currently not engaged in formal education
Experience in public speaking and previous leadership roles an advantage
Experience working with adolescents in facilities, community, or schools
Experience as a LoveLife Ground-breaker or peer-to-peer youth program, an advantage
Prior knowledge of HIV/AIDS
A recognised HIV counselling certificate would be a distinct advantage.
Ability to follow strict confidentiality requirements
Ability to influence young people towards behaviour modification
Good problem-solving skills
Able to work independently
Punctual, reliable, and organised
Eager to work with young people
Sensitivity to the specific needs of adolescents and young people
Be a team player
Strong communication and presentation skills
Mobilisation skills
Ability to establish trust and communicate effectively with adolescents.
Non-judgmental attitude
Ability to organise and present health education sessions
Able to conduct life skills and HIV/AIDS-related discussion groups