Social Worker, Emergency Reception Center St-Lambrechts-Woluwe (Replacement)

Intro

Millions of people are fleeing war, hunger, persecution or natural disasters. Most of them reside in third-world countries. But people also arrive in Belgium in search of a new home and a safe haven. 
At the request of the government, Red Cross-Flanders receives refugees in a temporary emergency reception center in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe.

Job profile

• Together with your colleagues, you are responsible for keeping the reception center operative, during day and night.  
• You help ensure that internal rules are respected so that a peaceful environment can be offered to temporary residents.  In case of incidents and crisis situations you act calmly and try to mediate between the different parties;
• You provide psychosocial counseling: you listen very thoroughly whenever refugees need a listening ear. Entering an emotionally charged conversation at that time doesn’t frighten you. You will react appropriately to mental or physical problems that refugees are struggling with;
• You answer practical questions and inform the temporary residents about their stay in the center and the path that may follow in order to get registered in Belgium. 
• You give the refugees a warm and caring welcome and show them around the center;
• You organize a number of activities for children and teenagers to take their minds off things;
• You take care of a few administrative tasks during the day;
• You ensure a good flow of useful information from day to night colleagues;
• You regularly keep the center manager informed in order to enable a smooth functioning of the reception center, together with the rest of the team. 

Your profile

• You have a secondary education degree in a humane direction and have some experience in conducting difficult conversations (you can deal with sensitive topics during these con-versations)
• You speak and understand English fluently (= the working language in the center). Other languages are an asset. 
• You have an interest in working with people from different cultural backgrounds
• You have a hands-on-mentality.
• You are flexible and willing to work in a shift system (with weekend shifts)
• You have computer skills (Word, Outlook, Excel) and are able to quickly learn internal electronic monitoring systems. 
• You are empathetic and diplomatic, but you can also set clear boundaries.
• You work in a structured way and in good consultation with your colleagues.
• You manage to stay calm in stressful situations. 

Our offer

• Fulltime position (38h/week);
• Replacement contract; 
• Contract with a specific clause for emergency shelter: the duration of the employment depends on the governmental assignment given to Belgian Red Cross-Flanders to organize the emergency reception of refugees;
• Payment in accordance with the salary scale 232 of PC 319.00. For your seniority we include the total number of years of relevant work experience, the remaining years of non-relevant work experience we take half.  
• Meal vouchers: € 8/day;
• Group- and health insurance (voluntary contribution);
• Commuting by train is fully reimbursed; an allowance of € 0,36/km is offered when you commute by bike; when commuting by other means of transport (car, bus) a sectoral allowance will be paid. 

Place of work

• Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe