Faculty/Department
Student Journey
Salary Scale
£33,001.64 - £38,784.49 per annum (pro rata)
Full-time / Part-time
Part-Time
Employment Visa
Non-sponsorable
The Role
What you’ll do
Who you are – Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge and Skills required
How to apply
Benefits
Employment Visa
The role
The SM-ASC role is largely funded by Student Finance, who set out the purpose of the role as one that supports students in accessing their higher education studies by:
- Supporting students in understanding what is required of them academically in HE.
- Identifying barriers to the student’s learning.
- Helping students to develop effective organisation and time management skills and strategies to manage their workload and deadlines in the presence of their condition.
- Helping students with prioritisation and realistic goal setting, including producing plans of work and targets.
- Developing a support programme to facilitate the growth of the student’s independence, reducing the need for support in the longer term.
You will meet students regularly, usually in-person, and provide them with support to help them reach their potential regardless of their difficulties. This flexible role will mostly be carried out on-campus, between the hours of 9am and 5pm, during university term-time, which spans up to 30 weeks across the year between mid-September and the end of May. It may require you to provide support for a smaller caseload of post-graduate students and resitting undergraduates during summer break.
The SM-ASC must not offer any subject-specific support or tutoring, nor act as an advocate or counsellor. It is expected that SM-ASCs should have an in-depth knowledge and experience of autism and an understanding of the demands of study in HE. They should be able to recognise when there is a need to refer to other support services.
To make an informal enquiry, please contract Laura George on [email protected]
Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check.
Appointments are normally made within 4 - 8 weeks of the closing date.
This job description is subject to review and amendment in the light of the changing needs of the University, to provide appropriate development opportunities and/or the addition of any other reasonable duties.
Main Duties & Responsibilities
You’ll work with students in a sensitive and empathetic providing a safe, non-judgmental meeting space for your students and responding positively and calmly to students in distress. You’ll be able to understand and manage professional boundaries, establishing
and maintaining productive working relationships with students while understanding the importance of professional record-keeping and confidentiality.
You will support your students through periods of transition in their course: from the initial orientation of campus and processes through to preparation for life after university.
You will help your students to develop effective organisation and time management skills for managing their workload and deadlines; plotting assignment deadlines, identifying and managing any converging deadlines, and prioritising workload. You will provide regular opportunities for students to check email, Blackboard and any other relevant sources of information and communication and to encourage the student to act on these as necessary.
You will assist the student to meet their own aspirations and targets, including goal setting activities to monitor and review progress in this area. You will also facilitate the growth of the student’s confidence and independence through an understanding of their condition and the reframing of deficit thinking.
You will assist students in managing social situations and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
You will be well placed to pick up quickly on any safeguarding concerns and will monitor both your student’s engagement with their course of study and any health and wellbeing issues, identifying areas of risk and referring concerns appropriately.
You’ll understand the importance of managing record keeping and other administrative processes in a thorough and timely manner and support your students in their administrative responsibilities.
Essential
- First degree AND comprehensive training in adult autism as determined by the DfE mandatory qualification matrix to deliver DSA fundable NMH support in the role of “Specialist Mentor - Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC)”.
- Full term-time availability to support a minimum of 8 students, including attendance at 3 mandatory staff meetings per semester and maintaining responsibility for own Continuing Professional Development
- Ability to provide mentoring using a learner centred, non-judgmental approach.
- Exceptional organisational skills, with the ability to support students in managing any challenges they may face with executive functioning.
- Professional listening, observation and communication skills, understanding the nature of those who may have social communication challenges.
- Ability to promote mentee independence through strategies such as goal setting, confidence building, re-framing and other appropriate methods.
- Excellent IT and administrative skills including minuting / notetaking, using Microsoft Excel, and using database, timesheet and shared document platforms.
- Proven ability to remain calm and de-escalate challenging situations, referring on any safeguarding concerns appropriately.
- Full understanding of and cooperation with data protection and confidentiality procedures.
- Oral (spoken) and Written Welsh Level A1* or evidence to demonstrate an on-going commitment to learn Welsh to this level.
Desirable
- Ability to work throughout the year to support PG or re-sitting students.
- Understanding of the effects of trauma, and co-occurring mental health conditions.
- Familiarity with UK disability and equalities legislation.
- Knowledge of the University’s structures and procedures
- Oral (spoken) and Written Welsh Level C1.*
*More information on Welsh Language Levels can be found at:
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/hr/policy-and-procedure/welsh-standards/
To promote a flexible workforce, the University will consider applications from individuals seeking full time, part time, job share, or term time only working arrangements.
Applications for this role must be made through jobs.aber.ac.uk. You are welcome to apply for any vacancy in Welsh or English and any application submitted will be treated equally.
- Flexible working policy
- Hybrid Working
- 36.5 – hour week for full-time roles
- Generous leave entitlements – 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays and university closed days
- Commitment to Professional Development
- Enhanced contribution to our workplace pension schemes
- Staff recognition and reward schemes
- Opportunity to learn the Welsh language for free
- Staff relocation bursary
- Maternity, Paternity, Parental and Adoption Leave
- Staff discount for gym facilities, hospitality, and retail on campus.
Aberystwyth University generally supports hybrid working, allowing a mix of office-based and remote working for suitable roles to enhance flexibility and productivity. Job descriptions typically detail a primary work location alongside opportunities for flexible, remote, or home-based work, subject to service needs and manager approval.
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities and, those that are currently underrepresented in our workforce. This includes but is not limited to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, candidates with disabilities, and female candidates.
We are a Bilingual Institution which complies with the Welsh Language Standards and is committed to Equal Opportunities. You are welcome to apply for any vacancy in Welsh or English and any application submitted will be treated equally.
Under the UK Government’s points-based system scheme, this role does not meet the criteria to be sponsored by Aberystwyth University (AU) for a Skilled Worker Route (SWR) application.
