The ESOL department is a busy area of DurhamLearn (part of Durham County Councils Education and Skills department) delivering a range of educational programmes including ESOL Skills for Life, Tailored Learning, vocational programmes and functional skills.
An opportunity has arisen for a Specialist Support Interpreter to support Afghan learners with lower levels of English. The contract will be on a sessional basis, and you will be asked two support at a variety of locations as and when the need arises.
WHAT IS INVOLVED?
The role will entail both interpreting and supporting ESOL teachers to deliver high quality lessons which develop learners ability in English reading, writing and speaking and listening. You may also be required to translate for the wider service on an ad-hoc basis.
The ideal candidate will have recent experience of supporting in an ESOL classroom or similar environment, with proven ability to translate and interpret into English. This will be to support in a variety of situations including paperwork completion and resource/delivery support. We currently support new refugees arriving in the County and are particularly interested in people fluent in both English and the Afghan languages (Dari and Pashto).
The post may involve extensive travel between centres in County Durham. This may involve long periods of standing, manual handling, lifting, carrying and erecting of equipment. A small amount of paperwork to record progress will be required.
We encourage you to contact RACHEL MINTO via email at
[email protected] to arrange an informal discussion about the role.
WHAT WILL I NEED?
- Level 2 qualification in English and Maths, or equivalent (overseas qualifications will need a certified equivalence statement)
- Recent and demonstrable experience in translating / interpreting and supporting in an ESOL-related environment
One or more of the following (or a willingness to work towards these) are desirable but not essential:
- Teaching support qualification from Level 3
- Level 2 Award in Volunteering to Support English Language Teaching and Learning
- Level 2 Certificate In Preparing for the Community Interpreting Role
- DPSI - Diploma in Public Services Interpreting
Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria.
If successful, you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure.
OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARDING
Durham County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore if successful in your application, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be sought inclusive of a check of the Childrens Barred List and due to the position working in regulated activity. Applicants should be aware that the DBS check will disclose both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, in line with current legislation and will confirm whether an individual is barred from working with children.
INTERVIEWS
Interviews will be held 20th July 2026.
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.
OUR OFFER TO YOU
We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website
Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.
HOW TO APPLY
Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the Person Specification section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website
If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email
[email protected]
All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from
[email protected]. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you dont miss any updates.
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