ASSISTANT MOTHER/TRAINEE MOTHER – SOS Children’s Villages

VACANCY 

EXTERNAL ADVERT

CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

SOS Children’s Villages; www.sos-childrensvillages.org is an international non-governmental social development organization that has been active in the field of children’s rights and committed to children’s needs and concerns since 1949. In 133 countries and territories our activities focus on children without parental care and children of families in difficult circumstances. In Botswana SOS Children’s Villages operates in three (3) locations, Tlokweng, Francistown and Serowe.

We offer family-based, long-term and short-term care for children who have lost or are at risk of losing parental care. We also support families in disadvantaged situations to prevent crisis that lead to children being placed in care. Our family-strengthening programmes build family and community resources, on their ability to organize themselves and on their responsibility for the well-being of the children.

*Assistant Mother/Trainee Mother * 3 (Tlokweng)*

Reporting to the Project Manager, the Trainee Mother moves between SOS Family Homes relieving SOS Mothers who are on leave and providing assistance to SOS Mothers according to an agreed schedule.

The SOS Mother and Trainee Mother work together as a team to provide the best possible upbringing for the children under their care.
The Trainee is an important member of the SOS families and should be a caring, understanding, mature and responsible figure that the children can look up to as an ‘Assistant Mother’.

Main Duties

• Works in close partnership with the SOS Mother, striving as a ‘team’ to promote the overall well-being and best interests of each child.
• Replaces the SOS Mother during periods of absence, living within the Family Home and performing all of the Mother’s functions.
• Assists the Mother in promoting the educational development of each child, e.g. by supervising study periods, helping with homework assignments, etc.
• Understands and supports the rights and responsibilities of each child.
• Spends quality time with each child as agreed in her assigned households.
• Helps the SOS Mother arrange and supervise recreational activities, games or family outings to build a sense of unity and belonging.
• Understands the background of each child in order to better guide behavior and accept each child as an individual.

• Carries out all basic daily household tasks including cooking, cleaning, washing and ironing so that the house is maintained in excellent condition.
• Helps the Mothers carry out tasks such as budgeting, shopping, menu planning and keeping the household accounts as required.
• Learns how to correctly use and care for household equipment and appliances. Strives to make economical use of water and electricity and looks for cheaper methods of cooking, cleaning and shopping.
• Maintains her personal physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being thereby improving her ability to care for her children and to maintain a balanced life- style.
• Practices time-management skills to ensure that she has time for each child and is not overwhelmed by household chores.
• Participates in any training offered by SOS and takes an interest in reading or furthering her academic studies.
• Gives the children age-appropriate tasks to do ensuring they actively contribute as a child would in any family, e.g. by tidying their rooms or washing dishes.
• Encourages each child to further his education or training, to enable them to cope well when they leave the Village.
• Shows healthy affection for the children and offers them advice, guidance and support through the difficult times in their lives.
• Creates opportunities to integrate herself and the children into the surrounding community, through playing an active role in community life. Becomes an active contributing member of the Village community and the staff team.
• Performs any similar activity that promotes practices of proper child up-bringing and as assigned by her immediate supervisor.

*Preferred Skills and Competencies for the above position*

➤ BGCSE
➤ Good command of English language, oral and written
➤ Motherly care and love
➤ Discipline, Child care and protection
➤ Communication Skills, Planning and Organizing
➤ Managing Information
➤ Ability to work in a busy and dynamic environment
➤ Computer Literate
➤ Aged 30years and above