We are looking for Specialist Mentors/Study Skills Tutors to work with students in-person. In particular, the candidate must be able to travel to Liverpool and surrounding areas.
We also have immediate vacancies for Ormskirk, Chester, Salford, York, Lancaster, Great Yarmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth, Durham, Manchester, Bath, Weston-Super-Mere, KCL-London.
Students may have a range of disabilities including Mental health, Autism/Asperger's and specific learning difficulties.
Specialist Mentoring: Role Description
Working for Scholars Mentoring Company would be a rewarding and wonderful experience for anyone with a background in Psychology Graduate, Social Work, Counselling/Psychotherapy, SEN, Psychology and/or Mental Health, Teaching. The support is student-centred and concerns helping a student manage their wellbeing alongside navigating their studies.
Providing high quality emotional and motivational support is a key aspect of all roles at Scholars Mentoring Company. These are intended to over time promote autonomy and independence to the student, whilst ensuring they can manage to stay motivated, on track and studying consistently and productively.
The purpose of mentoring is to assist the student in the development of coping strategies related to life within the higher educational setting. This involves the student learning to manage their time and workloads, deal with concentration difficulties as a result of their condition, helping them engage with their course and tutors, assist with study skills, get organised, address any barriers to learning, the social and emotional aspects of student life and the potential financial issues; all of which can exacerbate a mental health condition and be a source of stress.
As a mentor, a key responsibility understands the impact of a student’s condition on their academic performance and their ability to cope in the higher education setting, then providing practical, long-term strategies to combat this. The use of Individual Support Plans will involve setting relevant targets concerning managing a student’s studies and a positive wellbeing. This will help to demonstrate over time the progress of the student and will allow both the student and the mentor to reflect upon the beneficial aspects of the support, and regularly improvise and adapt this to meet new challenges.
Mentors
The nature of work assisting disabled students throughout the higher education journey can be challenging. It is expected that the mentors will use their qualifications, skills and experience inter-changeably and flexibly based on the students’ needs impromptu; albeit, it is expected that pre-prepared individual sessions are purposeful, organised and content rich, with a clear plan of action for the student, on some occasions mentors will need to demonstrate willingness to adapt in the session to any matter which may have cropped up impacting the students ability to remain focused on the pre-prepared plan.
It is important to know that receiving new students for mentoring work, is a gradual process and will build up over the course of the year. Through open communications between the mentor and the company, it is intended that mentors will achieve their desired capacity over a reasonable time frame.
Providing mentoring services for disabled students in higher education often works well when the mentor has another form of paid work alongside mentoring work whilst building up the numbers of students requiring support. Students are allocated a set number of hours per year for each year of their course and it is expected that all of these hours are to be used. This makes for easier forecasting so the mentor has reliable consistent hours of work and payment for their work.
Mentors are expected to maintain clear and accurate records, including timesheets, booking sheets, individual support plans and continuous professional development logs. These are highly important and will be fundamental for maintaining continuous registration to Scholars Mentoring Company.
Scholars Mentoring Company operate a no competition agreement, whereby mentors will not compete for work with other mentors in a given location. Each mentor will have their own area, and any referrals that fall under this remit will be allocated accordingly.
Essential
Personal qualities are of utmost importance, applicants should have a strong desire and passion to work with disabled students in education and to provide the best possible service. Personal resilience, excellent communication and self-management skills are vital as mentors should practice the skills they preach, acting as a positive role model to students. A positive attitude towards disability is essential and a strong interest in continuous professional development will ensure standards are constantly improving.
Mentors are expected to be kind, professional, eager to help, and positive in their dealings with students and with the company staff. Mentors are expected to demonstrate this throughout contact with the student, and anyone they come into contact with either on campus, with the company, or any other professional persons working in connections with disabled student’s services.
It is essential to have sound knowledge of disability related conditions, and understand the impact this presents for students on their academic performance. It is essential that with self-driven training, research, and knowledge updates, reading regularly around these areas become a frequent occurrence and part of the annual CPD.
Previous experience working with individuals with disabilities can be an advantage. Having the ability to identify and analyse issues, barriers and risks within mental health, autism, and other disability related conditions and one’s own personal experience of studying in higher education will facilitate a positive mentoring experience for students
Also essential;
· Knowledge of study skill strategies and the ability to implement.
· Confidence and professionalism - ensuring high standards are applied.
· Excellent communication skills; communicating clear instructions and strategies to students, having the ability to break down and disseminate information for clarity and understanding, liaise with professionals and other support staff and establishing and maintaining a supportive, working relationship with the student.
· Excellent organisation skills, time management and time-keeping; lead by example.
· Commitment to yearly continuous professional development.
· Flexibility / Ability and willingness to travel to campus, or the students’ homes, local libraries or other suitable working environments.
· Compliant; adhere to the terms and conditions required by SLC/DSA for registration.
Professional Memberships
For Specialist Mentoring role in mental health,
Membership with one of the following is compulsory for registration:
· Association of Child Psychotherapists.
· BABCP accreditation.
· MBACP.
· British Psychoanalytic Council – under a member institution.
· British Psychological Society Chartered Member (CPsychol)/IAPT register/ Graduate Member (MBPsS) AND also PG qualification in Mental Health.
· COSCA accredited member.
· FDAP (NCAC).
· General Medical Council (GMC) – Psychiatry.
· Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) (Arts Therapist/ Occupational Therapist/ Practitioner Psychologist/ Social worker in England).
· IACP accredited member.
· Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) – Mental Health Nurse/ community Mental Health nurse / Psychiatric Nurse.
· Social worker body for Scotland SSSC/ Wales CCWales/ NI (NISCC).
· UKCP full clinical individual member.
· UMHAN member.
For Mentoring Roles in Autism
To be applicable for a Specialist Mentoring role supporting ASD students, the following criteria must be met:
- Holds any degree AND Comprehensive training in adult autism (item 1 and item 2a or 2b from below).
- Holds a relevant degree AND item 2a or 2b from below. A relevant degree must contain a substantial autism component.
- Holds a Post Graduate Certificate (PGC) in Autism or Asperger's or Critical Disability Studies focusing on autism AND item 2a or 2b from below.
- Holds a Master of Arts, Master of Education or Doctorate (MA /Med/PhD) in Education (Autism or Special Educational Needs and Disability or Critical Disability Studies focussing on autism) AND item 2a or 2b from below.
1. Six National Autistic Society (NAS) online training modules:
- Understanding autism, Autism and communication, Autism and sensory experience, Autism, stress and anxiety, Autism: supporting families, Autism and Girls.
2. a) National Autistic Society (NAS) one-day face to face course in Autism and SPELL in Higher Education.
AND
National Autistic Society (NAS) Autism and Girls online course if not taken as part of 1 above
OR
2. b) In-house, or other accredited training, at an HE institution or elsewhere, and accredited to at least CPD level, which must include autism in HE as its lead subject. All training should have been delivered by an appropriately qualified trainer (a qualified trainer from a recognised organisation/charity, or a trainer who can demonstrate a relevant qualification in autism) which results in a certificate of attendance.
AND
National Autistic Society (NAS) Autism and Girls online course if not taken as part of 1 above
For Study Skills Roles in Autism
A Teaching qualification (such as a PGCE) and in addition the above criteria for the Specialist Mentoring role in Autism.
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent, Freelance
Pay: £22.00-£25.00 per hour
Application question(s):
- This is a freelance role with each mentor operating their own diary. Please note, this is a referral based role and Mentors will build their caseloads up over a period of time. How many hours a week would you feel able to commit to this role?
- Which of the advertised roles are you applicable for? Please note that Specialist Mentors (Mental Health) will need a Professional Membership included in the job description and Specialist Mentors and Study Skills Tutors (ASC) will need to fit the advertised criteria for those roles.
- Are you prepared to work In Person with students at KCL / London Universities
Education:
Licence/Certification:
Work Location: In person
