Mental Health and Psychosocial assessment Consultant

Country: Somalia Organization: Horn of Africa Peace Network Closing date: 1 Nov 2026 1. ABOUT HAPEN Horn of Africa Peace Network (HAPEN) is a not-for-profit and non-governmental organization established in 2008 in response to the immense suffering in Somalia caused by protracted civil strife since 1991. HAPEN is fully registered in Somalia and works across the Humanitarian–Development–Peace (HDP) nexus, engaging individuals, communities, and partners from the public and private sector, Non-Governmental Organizations, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Community- Based Organizations (CBOs), and think tanks and research institutions.. HAPEN operates in 12 districts across the country. 2. PROJECT OVERVIEW The programme seeks to strengthen cohesion, socio-economic strategies and inclusion of vulnerable and marginalized community groups in southwest state of Somalia and is implemented by HAPEN in collaboration with various partners, aimed at addressing the underlying factors affecting community well-being and resilience in Somalia. The programme focuses on addressing layered and intersecting systemic, personal risk factors and context-specific factors affecting community safety, social cohesion and resilience in Baidoa and Hudur districts in SouthWest State. The overall objective of the grant is to strengthen the resilience and psychosocial well-being of vulnerable communities and groups in Bay and Bakool regions in SouthWest state of Somalia through seeking to holistically address the structural challenges, individual vulnerabilities and community-level factors affecting well-being and resilience that are unique to and characterize the operating context. HAPEN seeks a qualified mental health expert to conduct a mental health and psychological needs assessment on IDP adolescents, youth from marginalized communities, women, girls and other individuals who have experienced violence, displacement or significant psychosocial distress in Baidoa and Hudur districts. With Community Health Workers (CHW) key in delivery of Mental Health services, and informed by the assessment, the mental health expert is required to, build eight CHW’s capacity to deliver basic psychosocial support, trauma-informed psychosocial support, safeguarding, and confidential referrals while supporting continuation of services after project end. To achieve this, the consultant is expected to support mapping of candidates/services; adapt curriculum; conduct training (theory + practice); supervised practicum; establish referral protocols; provide regular mentoring, refresher training; monitor quality and collect community feedback through exit interviews. 3. PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY The purpose of the consultancy is to conduct a participatory, gender-sensitive, age-appropriate and conflict-sensitive MHPSS needs assessment in Baidoa and Hudur districts, generating actionable recommendations for the implementation of appropriate psychosocial support interventions for vulnerable and conflict-affected populations. The assessment findings will also inform the design of appropriate MHPSS interventions and the adaptation of a practical training curriculum for CHWs, ensuring that community-based support responds to identified needs, cultural contexts, existing service gaps and available referral resources. The consultancy will also establish mechanisms for supervision, mentoring, quality assurance and community feedback to support the continuation of services beyond the project period. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSESSMENT The consultant will pursue the following specific objectives under Task 1: • Assess MHPSS needs and stressors: Identify the principal psychosocial concerns, stressors, trauma-related experiences and functional challenges affecting the target population groups, without unnecessarily exposing participants to distress or risk. • Examine coping mechanisms and protective factors: Document individual, family and community coping strategies, social support networks, resilience factors and culturally grounded practices that contribute to psychosocial well-being. • Assess access to and availability of services: Identify existing formal and informal MHPSS services, assess their accessibility, appropriateness, acceptability and capacity, and identify critical service gaps. • Examine differentiated needs and barriers: Analyze how age, gender, disability, displacement, minority status, experiences of violent extremism, stigma and other relevant factors influence psychosocial needs and access to support. • Develop practical recommendations and referral pathways: Propose feasible, contextually appropriate MHPSS interventions and establish or strengthen referral pathways to relevant health, protection, specialized mental health and other support services. Specific Objectives of the Community Health Workers as mental health providers under Task 2: • Equip CHWs with foundational knowledge of mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use) through providing practical skills in identification, basic counseling, and referral pathways. • Ensure CHWs deliver safe, evidence-based interventions aligned with WHO’s mhGAP guidelines. This is through ensuring a standardized training content to reduce variability in service delivery while contextualizing informed by the assessment. • Establish ongoing mentorship structures where experts guide CHWs through case discussions, role-plays, and field supervision. • Develop a cadre of CHWs who can provide consistent, long-term mental health support through ensuring alignment with existing policies. 4. SCOPE OF WORK The consultant will undertake the following task under assessment (Task 1) Task 1.1: Inception and Assessment Design. Task 1.2: Training and Preparation of Local Assessors. Task 1.3: Field Data Collection. Task 1.4: Data Analysis and Interpretation. Task 1.5: Community Validation and Stakeholder Consultation. Task 1.6: Recommendations and Referral Pathways. Task 1.7: Reporting and Presentation of Findings. The consultant will undertake the following tasks under CHW training: (Task 2). Task 2.1: Training schedule. Task 2.2: Curriculum development and adaptation. Task 2.3: Training delivery for 5 days. Task 2.4: Mentorship and supervision structures. Task 2.5: Post-training needs assessment. Task 2.6: Reporting and presentation. 5. FOR EACH DELIVERABLE (and where applicable). • A work plan outlining the schedule of carrying out each TASK consultancy. • Tools for assessing the youth’s needs and priorities for each consultancy. • Emerging findings, service gaps and recommendations presented for stakeholder review and validation. • A draft assessment report outlining the comprehensive analysis of MHPSS needs, stressors, coping strategies, protective factors, service availability and gaps, with preliminary recommendations for HAPEN to review and comment. HAPEN team will review and provide comments within 3 days of receiving the draft. • A final report within 3 days after receiving comments from HAPEN. • Anonymized dataset where applicable, analysis outputs, presentation slides and relevant supporting documentation. • Adapt a context-specific curriculum on basic psychosocial support, trauma healing, safeguarding, and confidential referrals. • Deliver a five-day training, including practical sessions, and establish mentorship, supervision, and post-training capacity assessment mechanisms. • Prepare and present a final report documenting training delivery, participant capacity, identified gaps, and recommendations for continued mentorship and support. 6. PROPOSED DURATION The assignment is expected to take approximately 30 working days subject to the final methodology, sampling requirements, security conditions and logistical arrangements. 7. QUALIFICATIONS • University degree in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, or a related field is required. • License to practice psychology or psychiatry • Demonstrated experience working with trauma survivors, including youth involved in violent activities, is essential • Demonstrated experience and success in delivering similar tasks in Somalia • Understanding the cultural, social, and historical context of Somalia. • The ability to build trust and rapport with target youth is essential for effective psychoanalysis • Fluency in Somali and English. How to apply Interested firms or individual consultants should send their technical and financial proposals to Recruitment@hapen.ngo by with Subject email " Mental Health and Psychosocial assessment Consultant – South West State” Closing Date: 1st November 2026 at 2:00 PM EAT Only shortlisted consultants will be contacted.